Flydubai's Longest Boeing 737 Routes to Europe: Up to 7h 35m Block Time

flydubai, Emirates’ sister airline, has grown steadily since its launch, expanding both its network and fleet. According to aviation analytics provider Cirium, the carrier now accounts for about 28% of all scheduled flights from Dubai. Indeed, the 737 family forms the backbone of flydubai’s operations, supporting its extensive short- and medium-haul network across Africa, Central Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. As of 2025, the airline operates around 96 aircraft, including 66 Boeing 737 MAX 8s, three MAX 9s, and 27 737-800s.

Notably, Europe is becoming one of the airline’s fastest-growing markets. flydubai initially started flying to the continent back in 2010 with service to Samara in European Russia. Currently, the airline flies to more than 30 destinations in Europe, and this year it is scheduled to offer more than 2 million one-way seats to the continent. Its capacity on the continent has grown by around 9% year-over-year, and now accounts for nearly 22% of its total network. Let’s take a look at flydubai’s longest European routes operated by its Boeing 737 fleet.

Flydubai’s Longest 737 Flights Across Europe

The longest route in flydubai’s European network is Dubai to Basel, which covers more than 3,000 miles with a maximum block time of 7 hours and 35 minutes. The block time is measured from chocks off to chocks on, which refers to the entire duration of a flight, from the moment the aircraft begins moving on the ground to when it parks at its destination (This includes taxiing, takeoff, airborne time, and taxiing after landing).

The airline launched the route last year and remains a year-round service. It currently operates four weekly flights on the route using its Boeing 737 MAX 8, which features ten business class seats and 156 in economy. Furthermore, the second-longest European route will be Dubai to Riga, which is set to commence on December 12. It will make flydubai the first UAE carrier to serve the Latvian capital. The airline plans to operate three weekly flights with the 737 MAX 8, with a scheduled block time of 7 hours and 30 minutes.

In addition, another long route in the network is Dubai to Milan Bergamo, which operates year-round and typically runs daily, with some periods seeing twice-daily flights. The block time for this route is around 7 hours and 5 minutes. Similarly, another upcoming route, Dubai to Vilnius, will be among the longest, with an estimated block time of around 7 hours and 5 minutes. It will begin service on December 11. Besides, other longer European services in its network include flights to Pisa, Poznan, Prague, Salzburg, Naples, and Olbia.

The Airline Continues To Expand Network Across Underserved European Markets

Over the years, flydubai has expanded its reach well beyond its regional network. The airline now serves around 135 destinations across 58 countries and provides access to over 300 additional cities through its interline and codeshare partners. Recently, it announced seven new interline agreements, bringing its total number of partners to more than 40. Among the newest are Greece’s flag carrier, Aegean Airlines, and Italy’s national airline, ITA Airways.

Indeed, the UAE carrier has expanded its presence in Europe in recent years. The busiest destination for flydubai in Europe is Moscow Vnukovo, where it operates up to six daily flights. This year, the airline is offering nearly 350,000 seats on the route. Bucharest is another busiest European destination in flydubai’s network. The carrier first started the route in 2012, and has seen about 16% passenger growth on the route annually in recent years. It will increase frequencies on the route from three weekly to three daily services by the end of this month.

In addition, last month, flydubai launched flights between Dubai and Iași, and became the only UAE carrier to serve the northeastern Romanian city. The route currently operates twice weekly. In September, the airline also started operating twice-weekly flights to Chișinău, further expanding its coverage in Eastern Europe. Overall, much of flydubai’s network strategy continues to center on underserved markets, with roughly three-quarters of its destinations currently falling into that category.

Fleet Growth And Upgrades Support Flydubai’s Expanding Network

Much of flydubai’s network expansion has been supported by its growing fleet of Boeing 737s. The airline continues to modernize its operations to meet rising demand and sustain its long-term growth plans. According to the carrier, it has already received nine new aircraft this year and expects three more deliveries by the end of 2025.

Furthermore, alongside fleet expansion, the UAE-based carrier has been upgrading its existing aircraft through a retrofit program for its Boeing 737-800s. It has introduced lie-flat business class seats and new economy class interiors to improve comfort and overall passenger experience.

Additionally, in recent years, the airline has also invested in several customer-focused improvements across the travel journey. These include a dedicated Business Class check-in area and the opening of a new Business Class Lounge at Dubai International Airport’s Terminal 2. Besides, starting in November 2025, all economy class fares will include meals and inflight entertainment.