flydubai Launches Direct Vilnius-Dubai Route, Facilitates Lithuanian Evacuations

flydubai has initiated direct flights between Vilnius, Lithuania (VNO) and Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB), marking the first time a UAE-based airline has offered scheduled services to Lithuania. The launch coincided with the airline operating a charter flight to repatriate Lithuanian citizens stranded in the UAE amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.

New Route and Service Details

The inaugural direct flight from Vilnius to Dubai took place on December 11, 2025, with a corresponding launch from Riga (RIX) on December 12, 2025. The route will be operated year-round three times weekly, utilizing Boeing 737 MAX aircraft for the approximately six-hour journey . Flydubai aims to increase Lithuania and the Baltic region’s prominence as a travel destination .

This new service introduces a Business Class cabin with lie-flat seats to the Lithuanian market, offering a premium travel experience for passengers .

Evacuation Flight Brings Lithuanians Home

On Thursday, March 5, 2026, a flydubai charter flight landed at Vilnius Airport, bringing approximately 50 Lithuanian citizens back from the UAE . Passengers had been affected by disruptions to air travel and were seeking to return home. Some travelers reported difficulties securing flights and incurring significant costs, around 1,000 euros per person, for their tickets .

One returning passenger expressed frustration with the support provided by state institutions, suggesting they could have been more proactive in securing seats on available flights .

Government-Organized Evacuations Continue

The Lithuanian embassy in the UAE has confirmed that this charter flight does not alter the government’s plans to organize further evacuation flights for vulnerable citizens. These flights will prioritize pregnant women, families with young children, individuals with critical illnesses, those with mobility impairments, and the elderly currently in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia . As of Wednesday, March 4, 2026, the number of individuals in this vulnerable group in the UAE had increased to 28 .

Flight Availability and Cost

One-way flights from Dubai (DXB) to Vilnius (VNO) are currently available through flydubai starting from AED 1,455 .