In January 2025, the number of flight hours in the airlines operating in the Middle East had a stark contrast. Emirates recorded 91,169 flight hours, while Oman Air nearly seven times fewer flight hours. Qatar Airways trailed Emirates (albeit slightly), whereas Etihad and Saudi Arabian Airlines had half the flight hours of the leading carriers, as exemplified in the following table.
| Carrier | January Flight Hours |
|---|---|
| Emirates | 91,169.91 |
| Qatar Airways | 89,776.02 |
| Saudi Arabian Airlines | 44,787.88 |
| Etihad Airways | 37,380.52 |
| Air Arabia | 21,339.55 |
| Oman Air | 12,841.16 |
| Flyadeal | 8,438.70 |
By the end of April, Emirates dominated the Middle East with 89,457.56 flight hours – almost 3,000 hours more than Qatar. Saudi Arabian Airlines had 42,902.53 flight hours, recorded almost half of Emirates’ and Qatar. Etihad Airways followed with 36,358.87 hours.
April Flight Hours by Carrier
| Carrier | April Flight Hours |
|---|---|
| Emirates | 89,457.56 |
| Qatar Airways | 86,448.59 |
| Saudi Arabian Airlines | 42,902.53 |
| Etihad Airways | 36,358.87 |
| Air Arabia | 21,423.48 |
| Oman Air | 9,575.36 |
| Flyadeal | 9,279.44 |
By the end of August, the Emirates and Qatar were leading the way, just like they had done in the previous months. But there were other changes in the rankings, What sort of change were there, and which were the leading carriers in the Middle East by flight hours? Let’s find out.
Flyadeal: the airline with the fewest flight hours
Flyadeal, a Saudi low-cost airline based in Jeddah (JED), Saudi Arabia and established in 2017 as a subsidiary of Saudi Arabian Airlines (SV), is one of the youngest airlines in the Middle East. It is the Middle east carrier with the least number of flight hours, as one can see in the table below:
Flyadeal Monthly Flight Hours (2025)
| Month | Flight Hours | Percentage Split (%) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 8,438.70 | 2.29 |
| February | 7,223.14 | 2.19 |
| March | 8,471.91 | 2.36 |
| April | 9,279.44 | 2.61 |
| May | 9,988.78 | 2.74 |
| June | 10,330.89 | 2.87 |
| July | 11,889.27 | 3.06 |
| August | 11,116.33 | 2.84 |
As of 2025, Flyadeal has 37 A320 aircraft in service, three aircraft of this type are parked, while five additional units scheduled for delivery soon. The A320-200 type consists of 11 aircraft, averaging 7.5 years, while the A320neo fleet is considerably newer -27 of these average just 2.7 years.
The overall fleet age stands at 4.9 years, making Flyadeal one of the youngest operators in the region.
Flyadeal’s Key Routes & Aircraft
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Jeddah (JED) – Riyadh (RUH) → Operated with Airbus A320-200
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Jeddah (JED) – Dammam (DMM) → Operated with Airbus A320neo
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Jeddah (JED) – Dubai (DXB) → Operated with Airbus A320neo
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Jeddah (JED) – Abha (AHB) → Operated with Airbus A320-200
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Jeddah (JED) – Medina (MED) → Operated with Airbus A320neo
Here’s how fly a deal configures its Airbus A320neo and Airbus A320-200:
| Feature | Airbus A320neo | Airbus A320-200 |
|---|---|---|
| Seating configuration | 186 Economy | 186 Economy |
| Total seats | 186 | 186 |
| Seat pitch | 28–29″ | 28–29″ |
| Seat width | 18″ | 18″ |
| Recline | 2″ | 2″ |
| Cabin experience | Practical and cost-effective with essential amenities; designed for efficiency | Modern amenities with a focus on comfort and a smooth passenger journey |
| In-flight entertainment | Available to keep passengers engaged | Advanced system offering an enhanced onboard experience |
| Service | Dedicated crew ensures a satisfactory flight | Crew commitment ensures a smooth and enjoyable journey |
Oman Air
Oman Air, the flag carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, operates primarily from Muscat International Airport (MCT). It has, on average almost 2,000 flight hours more than Flyadeal.
Oman Air’s Monthly flight hours for 2025
| Month | Flight Hours | Percentage Split |
|---|---|---|
| January | 12,841.16 | 3.49% |
| February | 9,721.62 | 2.95% |
| March | 10,215.22 | 2.84% |
| April | 9,575.36 | 2.76% |
| May | 9,575.76 | 2.63% |
| June | 9,682.78 | 2.69% |
| July | 11,425.42 | 2.94% |
| August | 11,917.31 | 3.03% |
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Oman Air’s in-service fleet includes 34 aircraft in total and two more are expected to join it soon. The fleet has an average age of 7 years. The airline operates 19 Boeing 737s, which include the 737-800, 737-900ER, and 737 MAX 8. Additionally, the airline operates 11 Boeing 787s.
Oman Air’s Key routes and aircraft
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Muscat (MCT) – London Heathrow (LHR): Operated with Boeing 787 Dreamliner
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Muscat (MCT) – Bangkok (BKK): Operated with Airbus A330
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Muscat (MCT) – Dubai (DXB): Operated with Boeing 737 MAX and Boeing 737-800
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Muscat (MCT) – Frankfurt (FRA): Operated with Boeing 787 Dreamliner
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Muscat (MCT) – Mumbai (BOM): Operated with Boeing 737-800
Air Arabia
Air Arabia, the low-cost carrier headquartered in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, has its primary hub at Sharjah International Airport (SHJ), Sharjah. Its flight hours are almost double of that of flyadeal.
Air Arabia Monthly Flight Hours (Jan–Aug 2025)
| Month | Flight Hours | Percentage Split (%) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 21,339.55 | 5.80 |
| February | 19,905.63 | 6.03 |
| March | 22,157.82 | 6.16 |
| April | 21,423.48 | 6.02 |
| May | 21,126.89 | 5.79 |
| June | 20,635.90 | 5.73 |
| July | 23,557.96 | 6.07 |
| August | 24,359.40 | 6.20 |
Air Arabia operates a combined fleet of 51 aircraft: 42 Airbus A320s and 9 Airbus A321s. Of these, 49 are currently in service, while 2 are parked. The A320s have an average age of 11.2 years whereas the A321s average 6.5 years in age. Overall, the airline’s has an average age of 10.3 years.
Air Arabia’s busiest routes and aircraft operated:
-
-
Sharjah (SHJ) – Dubai (DXB): Airbus A320
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Sharjah (SHJ) – Riyadh (RUH): Airbus A320
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Sharjah (SHJ) – Cairo (CAI): Airbus A320
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Sharjah (SHJ) – Muscat (MCT): Airbus A320
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Sharjah (SHJ) – Beirut (BEY): Airbus A320
-
Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways, which is headquartered at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH), one of the busiest global airports in the world, has the lowest flight hours among the big three Middle East carriers. Etihad has one-tenth of the total flight hours in the region.
Etihad Airways monthly flight hours (Jan–Aug 2025)
| Month | Flight Hours | Percentage of Total |
|---|---|---|
| January | 37,380.52 | 10.16% |
| February | 33,884.25 | 10.27% |
| March | 37,548.64 | 10.44% |
| April | 36,358.87 | 10.22% |
| May | 38,095.33 | 10.45% |
| June | 37,662.56 | 10.46% |
| July | 40,895.29 | 10.53% |
| August | 42,186.69 | 10.74% |
The airline operates a diversified fleet of 112 aircraft, with 107 currently in service and five parked. Etihad carries out its narrowbody operations using 16 Airbus A320s and 18 Airbus A321s, averaging 13.3 years and 7.4 years respectively.
Widebody operations are led by:
- Eight Airbus A350 XWBs with an average age of 4 years
- Seven Airbus A380s averaging 10 years
- 14 Boeing 777s at 13 years
- 47 Boeing 787 Dreamliners averaging 6.7 years
Overall, the fleet maintains an average age of 8.6 years
Etihad’s Busiest Routes and Aircraft Deployed
-
Abu Dhabi (AUH) – London Heathrow (LHR): Boeing 787-9, Boeing 777-300ER
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Abu Dhabi (AUH) – New York JFK (JFK): Boeing 787-10, Boeing 777-300ER
-
Abu Dhabi (AUH) – Mumbai (BOM): Airbus A320, Airbus A321
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Abu Dhabi (AUH) – Cairo (CAI): Airbus A320, Boeing 787-9
Qatar Airways: the second on the list
Qatar Airways, headquartered at Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Doha, Qatar, has won numerous accolades, including multiple “World’s Best Airline” awards from Skytrax. The carrier has twice the flight hours than Etihad.
Qatar’s Monthly flight hours (2025)
| Month | Flight Hours | Percentage Split |
|---|---|---|
| January | 89,776.02 | 24.40% |
| February | 80,323.69 | 24.34% |
| March | 87,489.02 | 24.32% |
| April | 86,448.59 | 24.30% |
| May | 86,385.66 | 23.69% |
| June | 86,058.79 | 23.89% |
| July | 94,255.77 | 24.27% |
| August | 95,404.51 | 24.29% |
Qatar’s fleet comprises of 27 Airbus A320s and a single A321. These have an average age of approximately 13.2 years for the A320 and 18 years for the A321. Its wide-body fleet includes 16 Airbus A330s, averaging 16.7 years. Qatar’s 59 Airbus A350 XWB jets average 7.2 years while its eight Airbus A380s average 9.8 years. The airline operates 64 Boeing 777s with an average age of 12.8 years and 56 Boeing 787 Dreamliners averaging 8.0 years.
Some of the busiest routes operated by Qatar Airways include:
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Doha (DOH) – London Heathrow (LHR): Boeing 777-300ER, Airbus A350-1000
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Doha (DOH) – New York John F. Kennedy (JFK): Boeing 777-300ER, Airbus A350-1000
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Doha (DOH) – Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG): Airbus A350-900, Boeing 787 Dreamliner
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Doha (DOH) – Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK): Airbus A350-900, Boeing 787-8
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Doha (DOH) – Singapore Changi (SIN): Airbus A350-900, Boeing 787-9
Emirates: Dominating Middle East’s Air Hours
Emirates serves more than 150 destinations across six continents. Much like the other Middle East giant on the list, Emirates has won Skytrax’s “World’s Best Airline” multiple times. The carrier that has forged some memorable footballing partnerships throughout the globe, and also offers one of the best economy experiences in its iconic Airbus A380.
Emirates’ A380 and 777-300ER first-class suites are equipped with a 32-inch full HD LC screen. These are the third-largest in-flight entertainment screens in the world. The carrier operates from Dubai Airport (DXB), which is the second busiest airport in the world.
| Month | Flight Hours | Percentage Split (%) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 91,169.91 | 24.79 |
| February | 83,142.05 | 25.19 |
| March | 91,417.09 | 25.41 |
| April | 89,457.56 | 25.15 |
| May | 92,106.34 | 25.26 |
| June | 88,953.04 | 24.70 |
| July | 92,659.68 | 23.86 |
| August | 94,567.19 | 24.08 |
The airline has 95 Airbus A380s currently in service, with an additional 21 planned or parked, giving a total of 116 aircraft with an average age of 10.7 years.
Complementing this, the Boeing 777 fleet comprises 140 aircraft in service and one additional unit planned or parked, totaling 141 with an average age of 12.1 years. Emirates has also integrated 9 Airbus A350 XWBs into its operations
Busiest routes and aircraft types
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Dubai (DXB) – London Heathrow (LHR): Airbus A380, Boeing 777-300ER
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Dubai (DXB) – New York JFK (JFK): Boeing 777-300ER
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Dubai (DXB) – Sydney (SYD): Airbus A380, Boeing 777-300ER
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Dubai (DXB) – Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG): Airbus A380, Boeing 777-300ER
-
Dubai (DXB) – Mumbai (BOM): Boeing 777-300ER
August Flight Hours by Carrier
| Carrier | Flight Hours | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Emirates | 94,567.19 | 24.08 |
| Qatar Airways | 95,404.51 | 24.29 |
| Saudi Arabian Airlines | 45,165.42 | 11.50 |
| Etihad Airways | 42,186.69 | 10.74 |
| Air Arabia | 24,359.40 | 6.20 |
| Oman Air | 11,917.31 | 3.03 |
| Flyadeal | 11,116.33 | 2.84 |
Data: Aviation Week