flydubai Launches Dedicated 737-800 Freighter Operations

flydubai will launch dedicated freighter operations on October 1 with three Boeing 737-800 freighters wet-leased from SolitAir, adding main-deck cargo capacity alongside its existing passenger network.

The aircraft will be based at Dubai Al Maktoum International Airport and offer payload capacity of up to 23 tonnes per flight. The operation represents the first phase of flydubai’s cargo fleet expansion and provides additional capacity ahead of the fourth-quarter peak freight season.

flydubai currently carries belly cargo across its fleet of 98 Boeing 737 passenger aircraft. Cargo capacity is expected to increase further as the carrier introduces its 30 Boeing 787s, while passenger-to-freighter conversions are being evaluated as a potential option from 2029.

The dedicated freighters will allow flydubai Cargo to handle commodities requiring main-deck capacity or specialized handling, including aerospace components, pharmaceuticals, perishables, live animals, express shipments and dangerous goods.

Operating from Al Maktoum will also give the cargo division access to Dubai South’s logistics infrastructure while supporting scheduled and charter services. Initial freighter operations will focus on high-demand regional markets, with frequencies expected to increase as the operation develops.

flydubai’s broader passenger network covers more than 125 destinations across Africa, Central and South Asia, Europe, the Caucasus, the GCC, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The freighter program expands the carrier beyond belly-hold cargo into dedicated scheduled and ad-hoc charter operations.