DUBAI, United Arab Emirates / EuroWire.IO / – flydubai will operate direct flights from Dubai to Riga in Latvia, Salzburg in Austria and Vilnius in Lithuania from December, adding winter capacity to three European cultural and leisure destinations. Flights to Riga International Airport will start on December 11, followed by services to Salzburg’s Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Airport and Vilnius International Airport on December 12. Each route will have three weekly flights from Terminal 3 at Dubai International (DXB).
The routes form part of the airline’s expanded winter schedule and give UAE customers more choice for European city breaks and Alpine holidays. flydubai first launched flights to Riga and Vilnius in December 2025 and has served Salzburg since 2021. The Dubai-based carrier said the services would strengthen links between Dubai, Europe and its wider network. In July, it also added double daily flights to Milan Bergamo.
Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer of flydubai, said the services would add breadth and diversity to the airline’s European network and reflected its long-term commitment to key markets in the region. “These routes offer our customers direct access to vibrant cultural capitals, distinctive winter experiences and world-class Alpine destinations,” he said. He added that the airline would keep opening underserved destinations and expanding travel choices for its passengers.
Return fares start from AED 2,442
Riga flights will depart on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, while Salzburg and Vilnius flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Return Economy Lite fares from Dubai start at AED 2,442 to Riga, AED 2,699 to Salzburg and AED 3,112 to Vilnius. Return Business Class fares start at AED 10,012, AED 13,175 and AED 10,301 respectively. From Europe, return Economy Lite fares to Dubai start at €503 from Riga, €530 from Salzburg and €539 from Vilnius.
Jeyhun Efendi, Divisional Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai, said winter travel remained a key driver of demand. He said the cities’ scenery, historic architecture and festive traditions offered plenty of opportunities for a memorable winter getaway. Passengers will also have onward connections to more than 120 destinations across the network. The routes follow recent launches to Aleppo in Syria, Bangkok in Thailand, Benghazi in Libya and Pokhara in Nepal.
Three UNESCO-listed city centres
Riga, Latvia’s capital, combines medieval attractions with Art Nouveau architecture, and its historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visitors can explore the Christmas market on Dome Square and the Central Market, housed in historic Zeppelin hangars. Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital, has a UNESCO-listed Old Town that is one of the largest in Europe, with landmarks including the Gediminas Castle Tower, the Gate of Dawn and Vilnius Cathedral.
Salzburg, Mozart’s birthplace, has a Baroque city centre listed by UNESCO, along with the Hohensalzburg Fortress and a Christmas market in Cathedral Square. It is also a gateway to the Ski Amadé region. The routes will operate under flydubai’s codeshare with Emirates, allowing single-ticket bookings with baggage checked through. Gulf carriers are adding winter routes to Europe, with Etihad launching Abu Dhabi-Gothenburg flights in December.