flydubai to launch dedicated freighter flights from Dubai with three Boeing 737-800s
Operations from DWC will cover more than 125 destinations
DUBAI – flydubai is expanding beyond passenger aviation with the launch of dedicated freighter operations from Dubai, adding a new cargo capability to its growing network.
The airline will introduce three Boeing 737-800 freighter aircraft from October 1, 2026, under a wet-lease agreement with SolitAir. The move will give flydubai additional main-deck capacity while strengthening its existing belly-hold cargo operations across its passenger fleet.
The dedicated aircraft will be based at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), where flydubai Cargo will have access to dedicated airside infrastructure and multimodal connections through Dubai South. The first phase of the expansion is designed to provide additional capacity ahead of the fourth-quarter peak season, with further growth planned as the airline's fleet develops.
Cargo expansion
The three Boeing 737-800 freighters will provide an additional 23,000kg of payload capacity per flight. This will complement cargo carried in the belly holds of flydubai's existing fleet of 98 Boeing 737 passenger aircraft.
The airline also expects significantly greater cargo capacity as it takes delivery of 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. It plans to evaluate passenger-to-freighter conversions from 2029 onwards as part of its longer-term cargo strategy.
The dedicated freighter operation will initially focus on high-demand regional sectors, with frequencies expected to increase as operational capacity grows. The aircraft will enable flydubai to handle specialised shipments requiring dedicated freight space and tailored handling.
These include temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals, perishable goods, live animals, express courier shipments, dangerous goods and aerospace components.
flydubai Chief Executive Officer Ghaith Al Ghaith said the new operation builds on Dubai's role as a connected hub for e-commerce, trade and logistics and supports opportunities created under the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.
Wider network
Operating from DWC will enable flydubai Cargo to provide point-to-point charter services alongside scheduled freighter operations across more than 125 destinations. The network spans Africa, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Central and Southeast Europe, the GCC and wider Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia.
Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer at flydubai, said the airline's expansion into underserved markets since 2009 had increased the need among commercial partners for guaranteed main-deck capacity, flexible scheduling and specialised cargo handling.
He said establishing DWC as a freighter hub would provide partners with direct access to Dubai's logistics ecosystem while supporting the movement of high-value and sensitive goods.
The expansion will also broaden flydubai Cargo's service offering under the leadership of Mohamed Hassan, Senior Vice President of Airport Services & Cargo, and Rashid Albashri, Vice President of Cargo.
The cargo division is set to develop into a full-service logistics provider, combining scheduled freight routes with ad-hoc charter solutions across flydubai's expanding network.