Emirates, Flydubai collaborate to accelerate growth

The partnership goes beyond code-sharing and includes integrated network collaboration with coordinated scheduling. The new model will give Flydubai customers connectivity to Emirates’ worldwide destinations spanning six continents. For Emirates’ customers, it opens up Flydubai’s regional network.

The two airlines will also further develop their hub at Dubai International, aligning their systems and operations to ensure a seamless travel experience through the airport; currently the world’s busiest for international passengers.

Emirates currently has a widebody fleet of 259 aircraft, flying to 157 destinations (including 16 cargo-only points). Flydubai operates 58 new-generation Boeing 737 aircraft to 95 destinations. The current combined network comprises 216 unique destination points.

Combined fleet of 380 aircraft

The partnership is working to optimise the networks and schedules of both airlines, to open up new city-pair connections. Additionally, this will help both airlines feed more traffic into each other’s complementary networks. By 2022, the combined network of two airlines is expected to reach 240 destinations, served by a combined fleet of 380 aircraft.

The two teams are working together on a number of initiatives spanning commercial, network planning, airport operations, customer journey, and frequent flyer programmes alignment.

Fully owned by the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD), both Emirates and Flydubai are operated independently and under separate management teams.