Air India Express on Thursday announced the launch of direct flights from Guwahati to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, becoming the first airline to establish non-stop air connectivity between Northeast India and West Asia. The Guwahati-Dubai service will commence on August 4, followed by the Guwahati-Abu Dhabi route on August 7, marking a major milestone in the airline’s international network expansion.
The airline said Guwahati, one of its largest stations with around 120 weekly flights, will witness its first international operations through the new services. The Guwahati-Dubai flight will operate every Tuesday, departing at 12:25 pm and arriving at 4:10 pm, with the return service leaving Dubai at 5:10 pm and reaching Guwahati at 12:25 am. The Guwahati-Abu Dhabi service will operate every Friday, departing at 11:30 am and arriving at 3:15 pm, while the return flight will leave Abu Dhabi at 4:15 pm and land in Guwahati at 11:30 pm. Bookings have opened on the airline’s website, mobile app and other booking platforms.
The direct Gulf connectivity will strengthen Guwahati’s position as the commercial gateway to Northeast India by facilitating faster business travel, boosting exports, attracting foreign tourists and improving access for professionals and workers travelling to the UAE. The new routes are also expected to support trade, hospitality and logistics sectors, while enhancing the city’s appeal as a regional aviation hub.
With the addition of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Air India Express will operate over 290 weekly flights from four Northeast stations—Dibrugarh, Dimapur, Guwahati and Imphal. The airline also highlighted its ‘Tales of India’ initiative, showcasing the region’s cultural heritage through aircraft tail designs featuring Assam’s Gamosa and Jaapi, alongside traditional motifs from Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram, taking the Northeast’s cultural identity to global destinations.
