As Wizz Air Stops Abu Dhabi Operations, Bookmark These 5 Budget Airlines You Can Fly From Dubai Instead!

Wizz Air’s is wrapping up its operation in Abu Dhabi. Starting September 2025, those last-minute Maldives getaways and unplanned Cairo or Belgrade escapes? They’re off the table. The airline’s reason? A mash-up of supply chain hiccups, global tensions, and tricky market conditions. So next time you want to plan a budget trip from Dubai, skip Wizz Air and book from these 5 budget airlines instead. 

Wizz Air’s Out, But Your Budget Getaways Are Still Very Much In!

But hang on. Before you bin your travel wishlist or cry over cancelled Skyscanner alerts, know this,  budget travel from the UAE is still there, and boarding. While Wizz Air retreats to Europe, other budget airlines are stepping up with fresh routes, seasonal upgrades and plenty of low-fare love.

 5 Wallet-Friendly Airlines Flying From The Middle East

Here are 5 budget airlines still flying from the UAE and across the region, with fresh destinations in 2025 to feed that travel itch without emptying your wallet.

1. Flydubai

You’ve probably flown Flydubai at least once; it’s practically the UAE’s go-to low-cost option. From Dubai International, it zips off to over 130 destinations globally, but the Middle East is still its heartland. Expect daily hops to Doha, Beirut, Muscat and Kuwait City,  quick, easy, and wallet-friendly.

Spring 2025 sees Flydubai take off to three Iranian gems: Bushehr, Qeshm and Tabriz. Come winter, it’s going European, launching new services to Chișinău (Moldova), Iași (Romania), Riga (Latvia) and Vilnius (Lithuania). Eastern Europe’s festive season just got a lot more reachable.

Where: Departs from Dubai International
Cost: Starts from AED 399 on selected routes

2. Air Arabia

Air Arabia didn’t just kick off the budget airline trend in the region; it built the runway. With Sharjah as its base, it already connects travellers to more than 100 destinations across South Asia, North Africa and the Levant. Now it’s looking west. Starting winter 2025, you can hop on daily flights to Munich, Prague and Warsaw. Yes, those festive market trips you always double-tap on Instagram? You’ll be living them.

Where: Departs from Sharjah International Airport
Cost: From AED 499 for Europe routes

3. Flynas

Saudi Arabia’s first-ever budget airline is not here to play. Flynas is based out of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, and is already running steady flights to Dubai, Cairo and Istanbul. Religious tourism? Sorted. City-hopping? Also sorted. Flynas is turning up the heat in summer 2025 with two fresh routes. You’ll get thrice-weekly flights from Riyadh to Moscow, plus a new Jeddah to Pristina service for those keen on exploring the Balkans without the crowds.

Where: Flights from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam
Cost: From SAR 399 one-way

Also Read: Wizz Air Abu Dhabi Cancelled? 5 Budget Airlines You Can Fly From Dubai Instead

4. Jazeera Airways

If Jazeera Airways flew under your radar before, now’s the time to look up. This Kuwait-based budget carrier is turning heads with its expanded summer 2025 schedule. Think 700,000 extra seats and shiny new seasonal routes. Budapest and Sochi are the new routes on the runway, opening up dreamy European escapes without painful ticket prices. Whether you’re chasing architecture or beach views, this airline’s keeping it light on your Dirhams.

Where: Based out of Kuwait International
Cost: As low as KWD 29 for new seasonal routes

5. Pegasus

Pegasus has earned its spot as a budget fave, and for good reason. Flying out of Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport, it lands daily in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and a bunch of Saudi cities. If you’re in the Gulf and wishing to explore Europe without draining your wallet, this one’s got your back. And here’s something fresh, as of 8 July 2025, a new Bristol to Istanbul route has launched. This means travellers in southwest England now have direct, affordable access to the Middle East, and vice versa. One stop, endless Euro options.

Where: Connects Gulf cities to Istanbul
Cost: From AED 499 for Middle East–Europe routes

Final Boarding Call

Sure, Wizz Air’s exit is disappointing. But let’s not act like the skies are closing in. Flydubai, Air Arabia, Flynas, Jazeera Airways and Pegasus are all still flying, and frankly, flying better. Their new 2025 routes offer everything from snowy getaways to summer beach hauls, and they’re keeping prices firmly in economy mode.

So, dust off that passport and don’t park your travel dreams just because one airline shut the route. UAE skies still offer budget travel, you’ve just got to know where to look.

Cover Image Courtesy: Flynas, flydubai/Website