flydubai, the Dubai-based carrier, reported a strong financial performance for the year ending 31 December 2025, posting a pre-tax profit of $591 million and total revenue of $3.7 billion, up 6% from 2024.

Profit after tax reached $531 million, supported by strategic network expansion, investments in innovation, customer experience improvements, and focus on underserved markets.

EBITDA remained robust at $1.1 billion, with fuel costs accounting for 25% of operating expenses and closing cash and bank balances (including pre-delivery payments) totalling $1.5 billion.

Operational efficiency improved, with on-time departures up 6% year-on-year.

Passenger traffic reached a record 15.7 million, driven by strong demand for business and leisure travel. Business Class bookings grew 19% versus 2024.

Regional growth included 17% in the Middle East, 12% in Africa, and 12% in Europe.

flydubai operated 126,604 flights, the second-highest in the UAE, with over 400 daily departures during peak periods.

The airline expanded its network to 140 destinations in 58 countries, adding nine new destinations and resuming operations to three others.

Network capacity (ASKM) and Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKM) both increased 6%, with passenger yield up 3%. Fleet expansion included 12 Boeing 737 MAX 8 deliveries, bringing the fleet to 97 aircraft, with retrofit programmes completed on 25 Next-Generation 737-800s.

Orders for 150 Airbus A321neos and 75 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft were announced at the Dubai Airshow.

Sustainability initiatives included the 14% more fuel-efficient 737 MAX and a solar power project reducing annual CO₂ emissions by 1,211 tonnes.

The airline joined United for Wildlife’s Transport Taskforce to combat illegal wildlife trafficking.

Customer experience enhancements included Economy Class meals and inflight entertainment for all fares, with Starlink high-speed connectivity set to launch in 2026.

Strategic partnerships, including with Emirates, facilitated 2.5 million passengers and expanded network connectivity to 243 destinations via Dubai.

Eleven new interline agreements increased partners to 42, alongside codeshares with Emirates, Air Canada, and United Airlines.

flydubai increased workforce by 11% to 6,763 employees and launched Ab Initio Pilot Training and Aircraft Maintenance Apprenticeship programmes.

The airline received multiple industry awards, including “Airline of the Year” at the Aviation Achievement Awards, a Four-Star Major Airline rating from APEX, and recognition as the “Airline with the Best Connectivity in the Middle East.”

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of flydubai, said: “Under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, flydubai’s achievements align closely with Dubai’s broader economic vision, where aviation remains a cornerstone of Dubai’s growth strategy. Reporting its fifth consecutive year of strong profitability is a clear testament to flydubai’s disciplined strategy and operational resilience.

Throughout this period, the carrier successfully leveraged Dubai’s position as a leading global aviation hub, enabling it to capture strong, sustained passenger demand. At the same time, flydubai maintained a sharp focus on operational efficiency, ensuring it continues to invest wisely in its fleet, technology, product and talent development to support its ambitious future growth.”

Sheikh Ahmed added: “I am proud to see flydubai play a central role in supporting His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, in driving the implementation and progress of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) to become a leading global aviation hub. By connecting the city to more than 100 underserved markets, flydubai has contributed to attracting more visitors and reinforcing Dubai’s position as a gateway for trade, tourism and opportunity.”

Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, commenting on flydubai’s 2025 Full-Year Results, said: “Our strong financial performance in 2025 reflects the resilience of flydubai’s business model and the agility of our people. Throughout the year, we successfully navigated ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, continued supply chain constraints and rising maintenance costs, while maintaining operational efficiency and commercial momentum.

We are focused on disciplined, strategic growth, expanding our network and strengthening Dubai’s position as a leading global aviation hub. Today, we connect 140 airports to Dubai, facilitating trade, tourism and cultural exchange, while contributing meaningfully to the city’s economic growth. In addition, we made significant investments in technology, innovation and the enhancement of our in-house capabilities, while further elevating our customer experience. Laying strong foundations for the future, these investments will ensure we remain customer-focused and people-driven.”

Outlook statement for 2026

Al Ghaith said: “As we look ahead to 2026, demand for travel remains healthy despite ongoing challenges. The fundamentals of our business are strong, and we are well-positioned to meet this sustained appetite for both leisure and business travel across our network.

Our focus remains firmly on laying the foundations for future growth. We are prioritising investment in AI-driven technologies, enhancing our processes through greater digitisation and continuing to develop our people, while keeping our customers at the centre of everything we do.

This year, we launched our Executive Management Programme and Management Training Programme to ensure our leaders are future-ready. We are also significantly expanding our training portfolio, including our Cadet Programmes for pilots, engineers and dispatchers, to build a strong pipeline of talent that will support our long-term growth. This is further strengthened by our Flight Training centre, now equipped with four full-flight simulators, giving us greater control and flexibility over training schedules for our pilots, and potentially other airlines in the future. We are looking forward to inaugurating our new Aircraft Maintenance Centre at Dubai South, which is set to complete construction in the last quarter of 2026. The multimillion-dollar facility will ensure an increased level of control and a faster maintenance turnaround for the carrier’s growing fleet.

We expect to take delivery of 12 aircraft in 2026, subject to manufacturer schedules. Seven of these will be Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft, increasing our Business Class capacity, and five will be Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. These fuel-efficient aircraft support both our growth ambitions and our sustainability commitments. We will also add frequencies across selected routes and continue to evaluate new growth opportunities, including the launch of Bangkok later this year, which will mark an important gateway into Southeast Asia.

None of this would be possible without the dedication and professionalism of our people. Their continued focus on operational efficiency, innovation, on-time performance and customer excellence positions us strongly for the year ahead and reinforces our confidence in flydubai’s continued trajectory of sustainable growth.” -TradeArabia News Service