flydubai

Overview

flydubai (legal name Dubai Aviation Corporation) is a low-cost airline owned by the Government of Dubai. According to Wikipedia, it was founded in 2008 and began flying on 1 June 2009. The parent company is the Investment Corporation of Dubai. It is not part of the Emirates Group, although Emirates supported its early development. The airline does not belong to a global alliance. Its headquarters are in Terminal 2 at Dubai International Airport (DXB), and its IATA code is FZ, ICAO code FDB and callsign SKYDUBAI.

Network and hubs

The single hub is Dubai International, mainly Terminal 2, with some flights from Terminal 3. Wikipedia lists 131 destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe, while a Wego guide cites more than 140 destinations in 58 countries.

2026 has been disrupted. Scheduled operations resumed on 5 March 2026 after repatriation flights, with some routes unavailable because of airspace closures. After the FZ 1073 incident on 30 September 2026, flights to and from Israel were suspended while the investigation continues. Travellers should check route status before booking.

Fleet

The fleet is all Boeing 737. The Wego guide reports 97 aircraft in early 2026: 26 737-800s, 68 737 MAX 8s and 3 737 MAX 9s. Wikipedia's infobox gives a lower, undated figure of 88, so the count should be treated as approximate.

On board

Aircraft have two cabins: Business Class at the front and Economy behind. Wego reports that MAX 8 aircraft have 10 or 12 Business seats and the MAX 9 has 16. We have not found verified figures for seat pitch, entertainment, Wi-Fi or meals, so these are not listed here.

Good to know

• Baggage: per the official baggage page, Economy Lite fares include hand baggage only, Value fares 20 kg checked and Flex fares 30 kg. Business Class includes 40 kg. A single piece must weigh less than 32 kg. Third-party sources give a cabin bag limit of 7 kg (55 x 38 x 20 cm) in Economy.
• Lounge: the Terminal 2 lounge covers about 900 square metres and is open to Business Class passengers and Emirates Skywards Platinum and Gold members flying flydubai.
• Loyalty: the frequent-flyer programme is Emirates Skywards, according to Wikipedia.
• Safety: the airline's only fatal accident was Flight 981 in 2016. Flight 1073 on 30 September 2026 was a suspected hijacking and suicide attempt and is under investigation.