Eurowings Strengthens Winter Routes with Major Middle East Expansion

Eurowings has significantly increased its services to Middle East destinations, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Jeddah. The new Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft provide both long-range capability and fuel efficiency.

Jens Bischof, CEO of Eurowings:

“Our new A320 Neo and Boeing 737 Max aircraft now allow us to operate on six- to seven-hour medium-haul routes. This enables us to use our fleet more efficiently during the winter season and smooth out seasonality.”

Entering its third season in Dubai, the airline now serves both airports in the city. Abu Dhabi and Jeddah routes are also active, with a total of 27 weekly flights. Eurowings offers the only direct flights on routes such as Cologne–Dubai and Hannover–Dubai, catering to both business and leisure travellers. Business Class occupancy reaches nearly half of the aircraft’s capacity.

Business Class and Competitive Edge

The new business class seats on the Berlin–Dubai route feature fully flat beds. Bischof highlighted that this non-stop, competitively priced option offers a significant advantage over Lufthansa and Emirates flights via Frankfurt:

“For around €1,000, we offer a single direct flight. This is attractive both in terms of price and comfort.”

Boeing 737 Max 8 and Strategic Fleet Deployment

Thanks to the fuel efficiency and long range of the Boeing 737 Max 8, Eurowings will continue operations not only to the Middle East but also to winter destinations such as the Canary Islands, Morocco, and Egypt.

Bischof:

“The 737 Max 8 delivers 25% more fuel savings compared to older models. Additionally, it offers 1,000 km more range than the A320 Neo, and we can operate without payload restrictions.”

The airline holds options to convert to Max 9 and Max 10, but for now, the focus is on the 737 Max 8. Fleet deployment is strategically assessed for both Eurowings Germany and Eurowings Europe operations.

Flexibility for Leisure and Business Travel

Eurowings focuses on flights that are 60% leisure, 35% business, and 5% VFR (visiting friends and relatives). Unlike Discover Airlines within the Lufthansa Group, Eurowings uses a point-to-point network to serve diverse market segments.

Bischof noted that routes to India and aircraft such as the A321 LR/XLR are currently not on the airline’s radar. The company prioritises attractive winter destinations such as Oman, Cape Verde, and the Canary Islands.

Codeshare and Partnerships

Eurowings has made significant progress in its partnership with Volotea. Eurowings flight numbers are now added to Volotea flights, giving new momentum to collaborations.