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Emirates, Etihad, Qatar, Air India Launch 344 Flights Across 50 Nations Now

Kunal··Updated: Mar 12, 2026·10 min read
Emirates Etihad Qatar Airways Air India aircraft at Dubai Abu Dhabi airport global connectivity 344 flights March 2026

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Quick Summary

  • 344 flights across 50 nations are being operated by Etihad, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Air India from UAE, Qatar, and Oman
  • Routes connect the US, Canada, Brazil, UK, Mexico, India, Germany, and China with cities including Toronto, Boston, London, São Paulo, Delhi, Frankfurt, and Beijing
  • Etihad's Abu Dhabi schedule for March 14–15 covers 100+ departures to destinations across Asia, Europe, North America, Africa, and Australia
  • Air India and Air India Express are running ad hoc flights into Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah to maintain India–Gulf connectivity

Middle East Airlines Deploy 344 Flights Across 50 Nations to Keep the World Connected

Etihad Airways, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Air India are jointly operating 344 flights across 50 countries, using their hubs in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, and Muscat to sustain critical global travel and cargo links during a period of airspace disruption and geopolitical uncertainty. The US joins Canada, Brazil, the UK, Mexico, India, Germany, and China among the countries directly served, with major city connections maintained to Toronto, Boston, London, São Paulo, Delhi, Frankfurt, and Beijing. The deployment underlines the Middle East's continued role as the world's most important aviation crossroads.

Etihad Airways: Abu Dhabi Schedules for March 14 and 15

Etihad Airways is operating an extensive two-day departure program from Abu Dhabi International Airport, covering more than 100 flights across Asia, Europe, North America, Africa, and Australasia on March 14 and 15 alone.

March 14 Departures from Abu Dhabi

Date Flight No. Destination Departure Time
14 March EY246 Ahmedabad 21:10
14 March EY041 Amsterdam 13:50
14 March EY013 Atlanta 09:50
14 March EY476 Bali 22:50
14 March EY238 Bangalore 15:00
14 March EY406 Bangkok 09:20
14 March EY402 Bangkok 22:10
14 March EY713 Cairo 08:20
14 March EY757 Casablanca 03:50
14 March EY346 Chennai 14:10
14 March EY340 Chennai 21:30
14 March EY009 Chicago 02:50
14 March EY332 Cochin 09:00
14 March EY334 Cochin 15:20
14 March EY390 Colombo 09:10
14 March EY394 Colombo 22:20
14 March EY216 Delhi 15:10
14 March EY218 Delhi 21:50
14 March EY045 Dublin 03:30
14 March EY121 Frankfurt 02:20
14 March EY147 Geneva 14:00
14 March EY430 Hanoi 08:40
14 March EY358 Hyderabad 14:00
14 March EY352 Hyderabad 21:20
14 March EY300 Islamabad 13:30
14 March EY474 Jakarta 22:40
14 March EY615 Jeddah 09:30
14 March EY294 Karachi 15:30
14 March EY220 Kolkata 20:55
14 March EY362 Kozhikode 08:30
14 March EY288 Lahore 14:40
14 March EY061 London 01:55
14 March EY067 London 13:40
14 March EY101 Madrid 02:10
14 March EY376 Male 10:00
14 March EY077 Manchester 03:40
14 March EY460 Melbourne 22:55
14 March EY843 Moscow 14:30
14 March EY204 Mumbai 14:50
14 March EY206 Mumbai 21:00
14 March EY125 Munich 03:10
14 March EY769 Nairobi 03:00
14 March EY003 New York 09:40
14 March EY031 Paris 02:00
14 March EY436 Phnom Penh 08:50
14 March EY410 Phuket 22:00
14 March EY553 Riyadh 10:20
14 March EY085 Rome 03:00
14 March EY021 Toronto 02:30
14 March EY153 Vienna 03:20

March 15 Departures from Abu Dhabi

Date Flight No. Destination Departure Time
15 March EY240 Ahmedabad 14:20
15 March EY013 Atlanta 09:50
15 March EY238 Bangalore 15:00
15 March EY232 Bangalore 21:40
15 March EY406 Bangkok 09:20
15 March EY402 Bangkok 22:10
15 March EY111 Barcelona 02:40
15 March EY713 Cairo 08:20
15 March EY346 Chennai 14:10
15 March EY009 Chicago 02:50
15 March EY332 Cochin 09:00
15 March EY334 Cochin 15:20
15 March EY390 Colombo 09:10
15 March EY394 Colombo 22:20
15 March EY177 Copenhagen 02:10
15 March EY216 Delhi 15:10
15 March EY218 Delhi 21:50
15 March EY045 Dublin 03:30
15 March EY121 Frankfurt 02:20
15 March EY147 Geneva 14:00
15 March EY432 Hanoi 20:55
15 March EY358 Hyderabad 14:00
15 March EY352 Hyderabad 21:20
15 March EY302 Islamabad 22:30
15 March EY615 Jeddah 09:30
15 March EY294 Karachi 15:30
15 March EY222 Kolkata 13:30
15 March EY486 Kuala Lumpur 08:50
15 March EY284 Lahore 21:30
15 March EY061 London 01:55
15 March EY067 London 13:40
15 March EY376 Male 10:00
15 March EY378 Male 23:55
15 March EY077 Manchester 03:40
15 March EY446 Manila 10:10
15 March EY081 Milan 02:40
15 March EY843 Moscow 14:30
15 March EY204 Mumbai 14:50
15 March EY206 Mumbai 21:00
15 March EY125 Munich 03:10
15 March EY003 New York 09:40
15 March EY031 Paris 02:00
15 March EY033 Paris 13:50
15 March EY410 Phuket 22:00
15 March EY155 Prague 03:20
15 March EY553 Riyadh 10:20
15 March EY822 Seoul 22:40
15 March EY454 Sydney 22:55
15 March EY021 Toronto 02:30
15 March EY262 Trivandrum 08:40
15 March EY141 Zurich 14:40

Emirates: Dubai Maintains Full Global Network from DXB

Emirates continues to operate its comprehensive international schedule from Dubai International Airport (DXB), maintaining multiple daily frequencies to key hubs across India, the UK, the US, China, Germany, and beyond.

Country / Destination Flight Number(s)
Argentina – Buenos Aires (EZE) EK 247
Australia – Melbourne (MEL) EK 406
Australia – Perth (PER) EK 420
Australia – Sydney (SYD) EK 412
Austria – Vienna (VIE) EK 127
Bangladesh – Dhaka (DAC) EK 582
Belgium – Brussels (BRU) EK 181
Brazil – Rio de Janeiro (GIG) EK 247
Brazil – São Paulo (GRU) EK 261
Cambodia – Siem Reap (SAI) EK 370
Canada – Toronto (YYZ) EK 241
China – Beijing (PEK) EK 306
China – Guangzhou (CAN) EK 362
China – Hangzhou (HGH) EK 310
China – Shanghai (PVG) EK 304
China – Shenzhen (SZX) EK 328
France – Paris (CDG) EK 071, EK 073, EK 075
France – Nice (NCE) EK 077
Germany – Frankfurt (FRA) EK 043, EK 045, EK 047
Germany – Munich (MUC) EK 051
Germany – Düsseldorf (DUS) EK 055
Germany – Hamburg (HAM) EK 059
India – Ahmedabad (AMD) EK 538, EK 540
India – Bengaluru (BLR) EK 564, EK 566, EK 568
India – Chennai (MAA) EK 542, EK 544, EK 546
India – Delhi (DEL) EK 510, EK 512, EK 514, EK 516
India – Hyderabad (HYD) EK 524, EK 526, EK 528
India – Kochi (COK) EK 530, EK 532
India – Kolkata (CCU) EK 570, EK 572
India – Mumbai (BOM) EK 500, EK 502, EK 504, EK 506, EK 508
India – Thiruvananthapuram (TRV) EK 522
Japan – Tokyo Haneda (HND) EK 312
Japan – Tokyo Narita (NRT) EK 318
Pakistan – Islamabad (ISB) EK 612, EK 614
Pakistan – Karachi (KHI) EK 600, EK 602, EK 606
Pakistan – Lahore (LHE) EK 622, EK 624
Russia – Moscow (DME) EK 129, EK 131, EK 133
Russia – St. Petersburg (LED) EK 175
United Kingdom – London Heathrow (LHR) EK 001, EK 003, EK 005, EK 007, EK 029, EK 031
United Kingdom – London Gatwick (LGW) EK 009, EK 069
United Kingdom – Manchester (MAN) EK 019, EK 021
United Kingdom – Birmingham (BHX) EK 039
United States – New York (JFK) EK 203, EK 205
United States – Chicago (ORD) EK 235
United States – San Francisco (SFO) EK 225
United States – Boston (BOS) EK 237

Emirates' London Heathrow operation alone accounts for six daily flight numbers — one of the highest frequencies operated by any single airline between two cities globally.

Air India and Air India Express: Gulf Connectivity via Scheduled and Ad Hoc Flights

Air India and Air India Express are bridging India with four UAE airports and key Saudi locations through a combination of scheduled services and ad hoc operations, maintaining connectivity for the millions of Indian nationals living and working across the Gulf.

Country Airport Scheduled Ad Hoc Airline & Operating Sectors
UAE Dubai No Yes Air India Express: Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai (×2)
UAE Dubai No Yes Air India: Delhi (×2), Mumbai (×3)
UAE Abu Dhabi No Yes Air India Express: Bengaluru, Mumbai
UAE Ras Al Khaimah No Yes Air India Express: Bengaluru, Delhi, Kochi, Mumbai (×2)
UAE Sharjah No Yes Air India Express: Bengaluru, Mumbai
Oman Muscat Yes No Air India Express: Delhi, Mumbai, Kozhikode (×2)
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Yes No Air India Express: Bengaluru, Kozhikode
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Yes No Air India: Delhi, Mumbai (×2)
Saudi Arabia Riyadh No Yes Air India Express: Kozhikode
Saudi Arabia Riyadh No Yes Air India: Mumbai

The ad hoc nature of many Dubai and Sharjah services reflects ongoing schedule flexibility as the airline adapts to shifting demand and airspace conditions across the Gulf.

Key Facts: Middle East Aviation Network, March 2026

  • Total flights deployed: 344 across 50 nations
  • Airlines operating: Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi), Emirates (Dubai), Qatar Airways (Doha), Air India / Air India Express (via Gulf hubs)
  • Countries served: 50, including the US, Canada, Brazil, UK, Mexico, India, Germany, and China
  • Key cities connected: Toronto, Boston, New York, Chicago, London, São Paulo, Delhi, Frankfurt, Beijing, Sydney, Tokyo, and more
  • Etihad schedule published: March 14 and 15, 2026 — 100+ departures across two days
  • Emirates high-frequency routes: London Heathrow (6 daily flight numbers), Delhi (4), Mumbai (5), Frankfurt (3), Paris (3)
  • Air India Gulf operations: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Muscat, Jeddah, Riyadh

What This Means for Travelers

At a time when airspace disruptions in parts of the Middle East have forced airlines to reroute or cancel services, the scale of operations from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, and Muscat demonstrates that these four hubs remain fully functional global connectors.

For travelers whose original Middle East routes have been disrupted, Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways offer extensive alternative connectivity — including multiple daily services to London, Frankfurt, New York, and other major hubs. Passengers should check directly with these carriers for rebooking options onto available services.

For the Indian diaspora across the Gulf, Air India and Air India Express's combination of scheduled and ad hoc operations to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Muscat, Jeddah, and Riyadh ensures that travel to and from India remains possible even in a disrupted environment.

The Middle East Holds Global Aviation Together

The coordinated operation of 344 flights across 50 nations by just four airlines — departing from four Middle Eastern cities — underlines how central this region remains to the functioning of global air travel. As airspace uncertainty persists, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, and Muscat are providing the stable backbone that connects North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Travelers and freight shippers alike can expect this operational posture to be maintained and potentially expanded as demand evolves in the weeks ahead.


Frequently Asked Questions

How many flights are Etihad, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Air India operating globally right now? The four airlines are currently operating a combined 344 flights across 50 nations, departing from hubs in the UAE (Abu Dhabi and Dubai), Qatar (Doha), and Oman (Muscat), maintaining connectivity between the US, Canada, Brazil, UK, India, Germany, China, and more.

Which cities does Etihad Airways fly to from Abu Dhabi on March 14–15? Etihad's March 14–15 schedule from Abu Dhabi covers over 50 destinations including London, New York, Chicago, Toronto, Atlanta, Frankfurt, Paris, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangkok, Sydney, Melbourne, Nairobi, and more.

Does Emirates still fly to the US and UK from Dubai? Yes. Emirates continues to operate multiple daily frequencies from Dubai to US cities including New York JFK (EK 203, EK 205), Chicago (EK 235), San Francisco (EK 225), and Boston (EK 237). London Heathrow is served by six daily flight numbers — EK 001, 003, 005, 007, 029, and 031.

Are Air India flights still operating to Gulf destinations? Yes. Air India and Air India Express are operating both scheduled and ad hoc services connecting Indian cities with Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Muscat, Jeddah, and Riyadh, serving passengers from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kochi, and Kozhikode.

EmiratesEtihad AirwaysQatar AirwaysAir IndiaGlobal FlightsUAEMiddle East AviationTravel ConnectivityTravel News

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