UAE government-owned budget airline flydubai announced in a statement on Wednesday the resumption of flights from Dubai to Naples, Italy. Flights between flydubai's home airport of Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Naples International Airport (NAP) will commence on July 1 after establishing a UAE to Italy quarantine-free travel corridor.

The UAE government has praised Italy's decision to waive the 10-day quarantine period in favor of test-based travel protocols for passengers arriving on flights that originated in the UAE. Starting June 2, all passengers on flights from the UAE to Rome/Fiumicino, Milan/Malpensa, Venice/Marco Polo, and Naples International Airport will be allowed to travel freely around Italy providing they can show proof of a negative PCR test taken no more than 48 hours before departure.

No need to self-isolate

When arriving in Italy, all passengers over the age of two will be required to take a rapid antigen test. Costing much less than a COVID-19 Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, a rapid antigen test provides a negative or positive result in minutes.

The non-stop flight takes six hours and 35 minutes. Image GCmaps

When speaking about the resumption of Naples flights in a company statement, flydubai Chief Commercial Officer Hamad Obaidalla said:

“We are pleased to see more countries opening up for safe tourism, and it is a step in the right direction to speed up recovery and boost travel this summer. This is a good sign that confidence in travel is returning, and the efforts taken by stakeholders in the tourism industry to safeguard every step of the journey will benefit our passengers. We look forward to restarting our flights to Naples, a much-anticipated destination on the flydubai network.”

DXB to NAP three times a week

Initially, flydubai will offer three flights per week from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Naples International Airport (NAP) and then increase it to four flights per week starting August 1. The flydubai flights to Naples will depart from Terminal 3 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays with fares starting from AED 1,510 ($411) in economy class and AED 8,420 ($2,292) in business class.

flydubai Boeing 787 MAX 8
From August 1, flydubai will offer four flights a week to Naples. Photo: flydubai

flydubai flight number FZ 1681  departs Dubai International Airport (DXB) at 07:25 and arrives at Naples International Airport (NAP) at 12:00 local time. On the route, flydubai is expected to deploy one of its Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

When commenting on the resumption of Naples flights and others in Europe, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai, Jeyhun Efendi, stated:

“We are excited to offer our passengers convenient travel options to some of the most popular holiday spots in Europe, including Mykonos and Santorini. Naples is another popular destination for the summer and a great starting point to discover the beauty of the Amalfi coast. flydubai has made these European destinations more accessible for passengers from the UAE and the GCC, and we look forward to restarting our operations to Catania in the coming few weeks.’’

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Naples and the Amalfi Coast

Watched over by the menacing Mount Vesuvius volcano that destroyed the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, Naples is a stepping stone to Capri, Ischia, and the majestic Amalfi Coast. Deemed by UNESCO as an outstanding Mediterranean landscape where mountains plunge dramatically into the sea, the Amalfi coast has long been a favorite destination for Hollywood A-listers and the international jet-set. The town of Sorrento is a handsome lemon-scented clifftop resort, while Positano is a sophisticated resort town that caters to the well-off.

The Amalfi Coast.
The Amalfi Coast. Photo: flydubai

As for Naples, the city had in years gone by a reputation of being unsafe for foreign tourists, but that is no longer true, providing you keep your wits about you and not wander off down some dark alleyway late at night. First settled by the Greeks and then conquered by the Romans, Naples has a wealth of extraordinary cultural assets that include two royal palaces, three castles, and the ruins of Pompeii.

Don't visit Naples if you are on a diet, and be sure and try the delicious Neapolitan pizza topped with San Marzano tomatoes and Mozzarella di Bufala Campana cheese. Shopaholics will also love Naples, and while yes, you can, of course, find high-end Italian fashion brands, it is in the back streets where the true gems lie.

Have you had the chance to fly with flydubai? If so, please tell us what you think about them in the comments.