Low-cost airlines are a staple of modern air travel but, surprisingly, discount carriers have been slow to develop in the Middle East. While the history of discount airlines dates back to 1973 in America, it wasn't until 2003 that budget airlines began operating in the Middle East. Nonetheless, the past decade has seen a huge emergence of low-cost carriers; as of 2010, nearly a dozen airlines are competing for the business of budget-minded Middle Eastern travelers.
The seminal budget airline in the Middle East, Air Arabia carried 500,000 passengers in its first year from its hub at Sharjah International Airport. Since then, the airline has expanded to provide services to over 45 destinations in the Middle East, Asia, Northern Africa and Europe.
Air Arabia
Sharjah Freight Center
P.O. Box 132
Sharjah
United Arab Emirates
+971-6-5580000
airarabia.com
Flydubai operates from Dubai International Airport and serves 20 destinations as of 2010. Unlike many discount airlines, Flydubai exclusively uses Boeing 737 jets on its routes. The company's aircraft are painted in a distinctive orange and sky blue livery.
Flydubai
Dubai International Airport
Terminal 2
P.O. Box 353
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
+971-4-3010800
flydubai.com
Sama Airlines was formed in 2007 and, like Flydubai, uses Boeing 737 aircraft on all of its routes. Unlike many of the Middle East's discount carriers, Sama Airlines does not fly to major Middle Eastern hubs like Dubai; instead, the airline focuses its service on smaller countries like Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.
Sama Airlines
Sama LelTayaran
P.O. Box 361662
Riyadh 11313
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
+966-92000-5588
flysama.com
While most low-cost airlines in the Middle East compete for the same routes within the Middle Eastern, Asia and North Africa, NasAir is unique because it also competes for low-cost passengers at its own airport. As Saudi Arabia's second discount airline, NasAir operates from the same hub—King Fahd International Airport in Dammam—as Sama Airlines. The carriers launched within one month of each other in 2007.
NasAir
1st Floor, Al Salam Centre
Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Street (Tahlia), Olaya
P.O. Box 305161
Riyadh 11361
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
+966-1-217-1800
flynas.com
Jazeera Airways is Kuwait's second flag carrier airline. The low-cost airline has expanded rapidly since its first flight in 2005, flying to 25 destinations in 2010 from its base at Kuwait International Airport.
Jazeera Airways
P.O. Box 78488
Safat 765653
Kuwait
+965-222-48940
jazeeraairways.com
Like Jazeera Airways in Kuwait, Bahrain earned flag-carrier status as the national airline of Bahrain. Based in Bahrain International Airport, Bahrain Air flies to predominantly-Muslim destinations within the Middle East, Asia and parts of Africa.
Bahrain Air
136 Al Khalifa Avenue
Bab AlBahrain
Manama 304
Kingdom of Bahrain
+973-17-506060
bahrainair.net
A Yemeni airline, Felix Airways serves eight destinations within Yemen as of 2010. The carrier has also branched out to offer international services to airports in Saudi Arabia, Djibouti and the United Arab Emirates. Felix Airways is unique among discount Middle Eastern airlines because it operates Bombardier regional jets on all of its routes.
Felix Airways
Airport Road, Al-Hasaba
Sana'a
Yemen
+967-1-565-656
felixairways.com
