Emirates has announced a major milestone in its retail expansion strategy with the opening of its 10th flagship ‘Emirates World’ store in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. This brings its global portfolio to 10 Emirates World Stores and 9 travel retail outlets worldwide.

The airline has already invested AED 174 million (USD 47.4 million) in growing its retail network and plans to accelerate further with 29 new travel retail concepts set to debut in 2026, targeting a total of 48 outlets by year-end.

Designed to deliver personalisation, expert guidance, and a hands-on experience of Emirates’ signature onboard products, the Emirates World stores combine hospitality, innovation, and immersive digital technology. Since their launch in 2024, the concept stores have welcomed more than 1.4 million visitors, underlining their success as key touchpoints in the customer travel journey.

Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, highlighted the momentum:

“As we continue expanding our Emirates World Stores globally, we’re creating spaces where travellers and our partners can connect with our brand, explore our premium products, and experience advanced technologies that reimagine how they plan their journeys.

With many more openings planned this year, we look forward to welcoming customers into beautifully designed spaces where they can receive expert support and discover how Emirates helps them truly ‘fly better’.”

The first Emirates World store launched in November 2022 in the heart of Dubai’s Jumeirah district, spanning 3,000 square feet. The Dubai flagship became the template for subsequent openings in London, Nairobi, Casablanca, Manila, Cairo, Singapore, Bangkok, and Riyadh.

Complementing these major locations, Emirates has also rolled out mid-sized concept outlets in Paris, Karachi, Hong Kong, Accra, Geneva, Mauritius, and Jakarta, with upcoming expansions eyed for Athens, Rome, Madrid, Istanbul, Amman, New Delhi, Mumbai, Shenzhen, Tokyo, and Cape Town.

Each Emirates World store reflects its local market, with bespoke layouts and experiences tailored to regional customer preferences. Factors such as location dynamics, foot traffic patterns, and consumer trends inform every site’s design. For instance, the Dubai store incorporates a dedicated networking hub for the travel trade, while stores in Singapore, Riyadh, Cairo, and London feature a First-Class suite display.

Visitors in Casablanca, Hong Kong, and London can explore the Premium Economy cabin, while Cairo and London also recreate the airline’s iconic A380 onboard lounge experience.

The newly opened Abidjan store continues this approach, featuring a Business Class seat and a replica of the A380 onboard lounge, reinforcing Emirates’ commitment to premium service and experiential retail.

To enhance convenience, all Emirates World locations integrate digital self-service kiosks and interactive elements such as selfie mirrors with scenic destination backdrops. Stores also showcase exclusive destination-inspired collections and Emirates-branded travel accessories, allowing visitors to purchase curated merchandise — from souvenirs to premium travel essentials.

Some outlets, such as the London store, feature special collections inspired by Emirates’ local sponsorships, including Wimbledon, the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team, and Arsenal FC.

Guests can also sign up for Emirates Skywards, the airline’s award-winning loyalty programme, directly through the in-store kiosks, gaining instant access to exclusive rewards and travel benefits.

Riyadh Air and Saudia have announced the implementation of the first phase of their Strategic Cooperation Agreement, marking a major step in strengthening connectivity under Saudi Arabia’s National Aviation Strategy.

The partnership builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in November 2023 and enables the two airlines to expand travel options for domestic and international passengers.

As part of the first phase, Riyadh Air has established a connection with Saudia’s Passenger Service System (PSS), allowing the carriers to implement their codeshare across their respective technology platforms.

Under the RX-SV codeshare, Riyadh Air will place its “RX” designator on selected Saudia-operated flights from Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport to six domestic destinations: Abha, Al Qassim, Dammam, Jeddah, Medina and Tabuk.

The agreement will give Riyadh Air passengers access to additional destinations worldwide through convenient connections in Riyadh. For example, travelers from Dammam can connect via Riyadh to Madrid on a single ticket, while passengers flying from Kuala Lumpur can connect through Riyadh to Medina.

By using Saudia’s frequent services between Riyadh and the six codeshare destinations, Riyadh Air will offer passengers more convenient connections aligned with the arrival and departure schedules of its flights at Riyadh.

Both airlines operate within the King Khalid International Airport Terminal 1-4 complex, enabling passengers to benefit from streamlined connections, single-ticket journeys and through-checked baggage to their final destinations.

The first phase represents a significant step toward deeper cooperation between Saudi Arabia’s two national carriers and supports the Kingdom’s broader ambitions to expand its global aviation network.

Source: aaco.org

SalamAir has announced the establishment of Salalah’s first-ever airline base, marking a major step in the airline’s expansion and strengthening direct international connectivity from Oman’s Dhofar Governorate.

The new Salalah-based operation will initially serve three international destinations: Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Chattogram in Bangladesh and Calicut in India. Bookings opened on August 26, with flights scheduled to begin from the end of October as part of SalamAir’s Winter 2026 schedule.

The base follows SalamAir’s expanded operations during the 2026 Khareef season, when the airline increased capacity on the Muscat-Salalah route to as many as 15 daily flights during peak periods.

The airline also introduced special domestic fares for Omani nationals, with one-way tickets starting from OMR 9.99, supporting affordable travel between Muscat and Salalah.

The new base is expected to extend SalamAir’s role beyond the Khareef season by supporting year-round travel demand among residents and expatriate communities in Dhofar while offering more direct access to key regional and international destinations.

Operations from Salalah will be supported by SalamAir’s Airbus A320neo and A321neo fleet. The airline currently operates 18 aircraft, providing additional flexibility to support growing demand across its network.

During the winter season, SalamAir will also operate charter flights linking Salalah with Astana and Almaty in Kazakhstan, supporting inbound tourism from Central Asia.

The Salalah base forms part of SalamAir’s wider strategy to expand its network from key airports across Oman, develop underserved markets and stimulate new travel demand while supporting the growth of the Sultanate’s aviation and tourism sectors.

Source: ZAWYA