Lufthansa is launching flights to Dubai, but Austrian Airlines and SWISS are nevertheless delaying their return.
From 25 November 2026, the Lufthansa Group will gradually resume flights to Dubai. While Lufthansa and Eurowings will re-establish two routes, the group's other carriers will extend the suspension of flights until the end of the winter flight schedule.
The Lufthansa Group has announced changes to its flight schedule to Dubai due to the current situation in the Middle East. Under the new schedule, services from Munich and Berlin will resume from 25 November, while the planned resumption of flights from Frankfurt, Vienna and Zurich will be postponed until spring 2027.
The decision is particularly important for travel agencies and passengers who had planned trips to the United Arab Emirates via the Lufthansa Group's main European hubs.
Lufthansa and Eurowings return to Dubai on 25 November
According to the Lufthansa Group's official announcement of 11 November, flights of all carriers in the group to Dubai will remain suspended until and including 24 November.
The day after, the restart of two lines is planned:
- Lufthansa: Munich – Dubai, five flights a week
- Eurowings: Berlin – Dubai, daily flights
This will see the Lufthansa Group re-establish a limited connection to Dubai, but with significantly less capacity than was originally planned for the 2026/2027 winter season.
Austrian Airlines and SWISS will not operate flights to Dubai until the end of March.
The biggest change concerns three major European departure airports. The Lufthansa Group has confirmed that the following routes will remain suspended until 27 March 2027:
- Austrian Airlines: Vienna – Dubai
- SWISS: Zurich – Dubai
- Lufthansa: Frankfurt – Dubai
Initial plans envisaged a gradual resumption of traffic during the autumn and early winter. Austrian Airlines was due to restore the route from Vienna on 12 December, while Lufthansa and SWISS had earlier planned their return for late October and then 25 November.
The new changes mean that passengers who had been relying on these direct connections must consider other travel options.
What do the changes mean for passengers from Croatia and the region?
For passengers from Croatia, Slovenia and other countries in Central and Southeast Europe, the suspension of Austrian Airlines flights between Vienna and Dubai is particularly important.
Vienna is one of the region's major transfer hubs for passengers, and the absence of a direct route to Dubai reduces connection options within the Lufthansa Group.
A similar situation applies to Frankfurt and Zurich, which also serve as hubs for numerous international connections.
Passengers and travel agencies who already have bookings are advised to check flight statuses and the possibility of changing their itineraries. The Lufthansa Group has previously announced flexible options for affected passengers to amend their bookings or obtain a refund.
It is important to distinguish between the suspension of individual Lufthansa Group routes and overall availability to Dubai. Other airlines continue to offer their own connections to that destination, so travel options depend on the departure airport, seat availability and specific dates.
Lufthansa Group states that it is continuously monitoring developments in the Middle East and that further adjustments to the flight schedule are possible. Therefore, travel agencies should check current schedules before confirming new bookings, especially for journeys during the upcoming winter season.
