Air Arabia’s Abu Dhabi subsidiary is set to grow its network further in 2023. Since launching in 2020, the airline has already added 27 destinations from its hub at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH), including its latest addition, Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport (AMM).
New connections
Beginning March 12, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi will add a three-weekly connection between both capital cities. Taking off on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, Air Arabia passengers can explore the historic region, soak in its rich culture, and visit its many archaeological and heritage sites.
The route will support parent airline Air Arabia’s pre-existing service between Amman and Sharjah International Airport (SHJ).
Route | Flight Number | Departure | Arrival | Frequency |
Abu Dhabi (AUH) - Amman (AMM) | 3L 032 | 12:20 GST | 15:55 EEST | Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday |
Route | Flight Number | Departure | Arrival | Frequency |
Amman (AMM) - Abu Dhabi (AUH) | 3L 033 | 16:45 EEST | 20:25 GST | Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday |
“We are very excited to announce the launch of our new route to the capital city, Amman as a gateway to explore the historic country of Jordan,” said Adel Al Ali, Air Arabia Group’s Chief Executive Officer.
“We remain confident that the new route will provide access to a beautiful city which will best serve business and leisure travelers. We are constantly working on expanding our network from UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi, to further meet our customers’ travel needs through offering reliable, affordable, and value-driven air travel.”
All flights will be operated by Air Arabia Abu Dhabi’s Airbus A320-200 jets, configured to give “the most generous seat-pitch of any economy cabin.” Passengers will also benefit from the carrier’s free flight streaming service, SkyTime, offering access to a wide array of entertainment options directly to their phone, tablet, or laptop.
Growth for Air Arabia Abu Dhabi
Despite being less than three years old, the low-cost carrier has already carried over one million passengers and added a healthy mix of destinations to its network. In December, the airline added three new routes to Yekaterinburg (SVX) and Kazan (KZN) in Russia and Tashkent (TAS) in Uzbekistan.
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Ex-CEO of Etihad Tony Douglas noted the unprecedented strength of the carrier during an interview with Simple Flying, highlighting its consistent growth through the COVID-19 pandemic outperforming Etihad and Air Arabia’s expectations. Air Arabia Abu Dhabi notably exceeded load factor predictions and is expected to grow its annual traffic by around 25% through the mid-2020s.
With growth on the agenda, will Air Arabia Abu Dhabi also look to expand its fleet? In 2021, Al Ali expressed intent to expand the carrier’s fleet to at least 20 jets by 2025. Since its launch, the airline has taken on five additional A320s, growing its fleet to eight. It is unclear if any order will come from Air Arabia Abu Dhabi or its parent company, with Air Arabia currently holding outstanding orders for 120 neo and XLR variants of the narrowbody family.
Another potential source could be Etihad. Speaking at the CAPA Leader Summit in April 2022, Douglas noted the possibility of the Abu Dhabi flag carrier sending its on-order A321neo jets to its low-cost partner. However, as of February 2023, any plans for a fleet transfer have yet to be announced by either airline.
Will you be flying with Air Arabia Abu Dhabi to Amman this year? Let us know in the comments.