flydubai Cargo starts weekly flights to Almaty

flydubai Cargo, the dedicated freight and logistics division of Dubai-based low-cost airline flydubai, has launched a freighter service between Dubai (DWC) and Almaty.

The inaugural service took place on 9 October and was operated by a SolitAir Boeing 737-800 freighter.

According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport, flights on the Dubai–Almaty–Dubai route will operate once a week using Boeing 737 freighter aircraft.

On 11 September 2026, flydubai announced the launch of its dedicated freighter operations, stating that it would integrate three Boeing 737-800 freighters into its fleet from 1 October 2026 under a wet-lease agreement with SolitAir.

Almaty International Airport marked the arrival of the first freighter with a traditional water cannon salute. The weekly service is expected to support cargo growth and strengthen trade links between the UAE and Kazakhstan.

flydubai had earlier said that each freighter flight would provide an additional 23,000 kg of payload capacity, complementing belly-hold cargo operations across its fleet of 98 Boeing 737 passenger aircraft. Cargo capacity is expected to increase further following the delivery of 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The initial phase provides main-deck cargo capacity ahead of the fourth-quarter peak season, with the airline planning to evaluate passenger-to-freighter conversions from 2029 onwards.

The cargo service follows the launch of a new passenger route linking Hanoi, Almaty and Prague on 10 October. VietJet Air operates the route twice a week using Airbus A330 aircraft. Under fifth-freedom traffic rights, passengers can travel on the full Hanoi–Almaty–Prague route or book flights separately between Almaty and Prague, according to Almaty’s tourism department.

flydubai Cargo’s operating partner, SolitAir, launched operations in late 2024. Based at Dubai World Central (DWC), the airline currently operates a fleet of five Boeing 737-800 freighters.

Almaty International Airport continues to expand its cargo links with major logistics hubs worldwide, the ministry said, as reported by The Astana Times.