After a five-month suspension triggered by regional security concerns, Cyprus Airways confirmed on 29 April that it will restart scheduled flights between Larnaca (LCA) and Dubai International Airport (DXB) on 1 May 2026. The flagship carrier will operate three weekly rotations—Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays—using its A220-300 fleet, synchronising with code-share partner Emirates for onward connections. The Larnaca-Dubai sector is a strategic artery for Cyprus’s export-oriented SMEs, professional-services firms and offshore energy contractors who use Dubai as a gateway to Asia and Africa. According to Civil Aviation Authority data, the route handled 126,000 passengers in 2025, 42 % of whom travelled on corporate or VFR (visiting-friends-and-relatives) itineraries. Its resumption is therefore a welcome relief for mobility managers who have relied on costlier indirect routings via Athens or Doha since December. Cyprus Airways CEO Thanos Pascalis said the decision followed “a careful assessment of regional air-space stability and strong forward bookings.” The airline also highlighted its role in recent repatriation efforts, noting that it had operated seven ad-hoc charters from DXB during the Gulf tanker crisis in February. Fares start at €219 one way in economy; business class opens at €689. Travellers connecting onward to India, Southeast Asia or Australasia will regain single-ticket interline options, cutting average journey times by four to seven hours compared with Athens connections. Organisations sending staff to or through the Gulf should review duty-of-care policies, although the current threat rating for UAE airspace has been downgraded by most insurers. Visa-on-arrival privileges for Cypriot nationals in the UAE remain unchanged, and Emirates’ Skywards loyalty tie-up means status holders will accrue benefits on the new Cyprus Airways service.
