flydubai to launch dedicated freighter operations in October 2026

flydubai has announced the launch of its dedicated freighter operations, scheduled to begin on October 1, 2026. Through a wet-lease agreement with SolitAir, the airline will integrate three Boeing 737-800BCF aircraft into its fleet.

These dedicated freighters will be based at Dubai World Central (DWC) within the Dubai South area, providing access to specialized infrastructure for handling cargo such as pharmaceuticals, perishables, live animals, dangerous goods, and aerospace components. Each flight will provide an additional 23,000 kg of payload capacity, supplementing the belly-hold capacity of the airline’s existing 98 Boeing 737 passenger aircraft.

The new service will cover more than 125 destinations across Africa, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Europe, the GCC, the Middle East, and South and Southeast Asia. This initial phase aims to meet increased demand during the fourth quarter. Looking ahead, the airline is considering passenger-to-freighter (P2F) retrofits starting in 2029 and plans to expand capacity with the delivery of 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in the late 2020s.