Doha-Dubai and Abu Dhabi flights to resume next week

Qatar Airways has opened bookings for direct flights from Doha to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

You will be able to fly direct to Dubai and the UAE’s capital from Wednesday January 27 and Thursday January 28 respectively.

The first flight to Dubai will depart from Hamad International Airport at 7pm on January 27, arriving at Dubai International Airport at 9.10pm (local time).

Then, the first flight to Abu Dhabi will depart HIA at 7.50pm on January 28, arriving at Abu Dhabi International Airport at 9.55pm (local time).

There has been no official announcement about the resumption of flights, but the UAE announced it would be reopening its airspace, land and sea borders to Qatar from January 9.

According to the Qatar Airways website, the Doha-Dubai and Doha-Abu Dhabi flight prices start from QR375.

Air Arabia has already resumed direct flights from Doha to Sharjah, with flights restarting on January 18.

Travel between the two countries ended on June 5, 2017.

Currently, only Qatari nationals, their children or spouse, and residents are allowed to enter Qatar.

Those returning to Qatar will need obtain an exceptional entry permit, and as the UAE is not on Qatar’s green list, they will need to quarantine in a hotel for a week.

Tourists are allowed to visit the UAE, and as Abu Dhabi has just added Qatar to its green list, arrivals in either emirate from Qatar will not be expected to quarantine.

Arrivals in Abu Dhabi will need to provide a negative COVID-19 PCR test dated within 96 hours of their scheduled departure, and then take a second PCR test upon entering the country.

Once that result comes back negative, they are free to move around as they wish.

For arrivals in Dubai, you will need to provide a negative COVID-19 PCR test dated within 96 hours of departure, and may be given a second test on arrival.

Air Arabia has already resumed direct flights from Doha to Sharjah, with flights restarting on January 18.

The news comes after Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman signed the al-Ula agreement at the 41st GCC summit on January 5.

Flights have also just resumed between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with daily flights to Riyadh and Damman.