Royal Jordanian has opened ticket sales for direct flights from Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport to Aqaba, Jordan, with the first service scheduled for December 20, 2026. The launch was previously planned for November 15. The flights will be operated by Airbus A320neo aircraft in a single-class layout…
As part of its strategic efforts to diversify tourism source markets and expand its international reach, the Ajman Department of Tourism, Culture and Media conducted a promotional roadshow across Central Asia from 12 to 16 October, with dedicated events in Tashkent on 13 October and Almaty on 15 October.
Air Arabia has resumed direct flights between Moscow's Domodedovo Airport and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, according to a statement from the Russian Ministry of Transport.
The first flight from the emirate arrived in Moscow on Thursday, October 8, at 21:45 Moscow time. The route…
Air Arabia had planned to resume Sharjah–Moscow flights on Oct. 8, but its booking system now shows the earliest flight on Nov. 1. The service will be daily. A round-trip Moscow–Sharjah ticket in November costs 51,000 RUB with baggage — approximately US$570, depending on the exchange rate.
Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), together with the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR), held a roundtable with Russian tour operators on 16 September as part of Arabian Travel Market 2026. The meeting focused on trends in the Russian market and plans for the new season.…
Air Arabia plans to resume its Sharjah–Moscow–Sharjah service on Oct. 8, 2026. Flights will initially operate daily, with frequency increasing to two flights per day from Dec. 12. All other Air Arabia routes between the UAE and Russia remain suspended through March 27, 2027 inclusive.
Note: This article was initially published on July 27, 2026, but has been comprehensively rewritten on September 1 to reflect significant new developments in flight schedules, market shares, operational constraints, and tour operator block programs.
Israeli airline El Al has extended its suspension of flights between Tel Aviv and Moscow until at least October 22 due to ongoing instability, according to Russia's Association of Tour Operators (ATOR). The carrier has not operated the route since June 25. Passengers on cancelled flights are being…
From October 1, Aeroflot will resume daily scheduled service from Moscow to Abu Dhabi, with tickets already on sale. The route will be operated by narrow-body Boeing 737-800 aircraft in a two-class configuration—business and economy. This new route comes right after Aeroflot restarted flights to…
Michael Itzhakov, the Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism, hosted a delegation of representatives of the leading Russian mass media in Jerusalem this week, according to Vesti…
Russian tour operator FUN&SUN has announced the launch of its own scheduled flight program to the United Arab Emirates, operating in partnership with flydubai. Tours are now on sale with departures from 11 Russian cities, with the program set to begin in August and continue through mid-May 2027. Flights…
Oman Air launched two new direct routes from Muscat: to Tashkent (starting July 3) and to Sochi (starting July 2). The Tashkent service marks the airline’s first-ever connection to Central Asia. Flights to Sochi operate once a week—departing Muscat on Thursdays and returning from Sochi on Fridays—with…
Russia has officially lifted its travel warnings for six Gulf countries, meaning tour operators can now sell trips again without restrictions. The Ministry of Economic Development of Russia cancelled the advice to avoid travel to the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. The warnings…
Jordan’s national carrier Royal Jordanian is set to launch direct regular flights from Moscow Domodedovo to Aqaba, Jordan’s main resort on the Red Sea. Scheduled to begin within the current summer 2026 navigation season, the new service will operate twice weekly on modern Airbus A320neo aircraft.…
A visa-free regime between Russia and Saudi Arabia has come into effect starting from May 11, 2026. Citizens of Russia can enter Saudi Arabia and stay for up to 90 days per calendar year (continuously or in total). For work, study, Hajj, and Umrah, a visa remains mandatory.
A visa-free regime between Russia and Saudi Arabia has come into effect starting from May 11, 2026. Citizens of Russia can enter Saudi Arabia and stay for up to 90 days per calendar year (continuously or in total), with the same rights granted to Saudi citizens visiting Russia. The visa-free regime…
On April 30, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) officially submitted a request to the Ministry of Economic Development to allow tour operators to resume selling package tours to the United Arab Emirates and other Middle Eastern countries. This was announced by ATOR Executive Director…
On April 20, Federal Air Transport Agency, taking into account the position of the Russian Ministry of Transport and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, lifted its recommendations for Russian airlines to suspend ticket sales to and from the UAE. Restrictions on Russian airlines' flights through…
Tourism in the Middle East could recover by early summer if the conflicting parties in the region observe a two-week ceasefire, according to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR).
Restoring Middle Eastern countries "on the tourist map" could take several months if a ceasefire…
As a result of the military conflict in the Middle East, Russians lost approximately a third of the transit routes that passed through the Persian Gulf countries.
In 2025, between 1.8 million and 2.1 million Russians could potentially use transit routes abroad. Of these, approximately 650,000–700,000…
