Air Arabia has launched non-stop flights between its Sharjah hub and London Gatwick, marking the low-cost carrier's entry into the United Kingdom market. The inaugural service departed on July 4, 2026, opening a direct link between the United Arab Emirates and one of London's busiest airports.
The route began as a daily non-stop operation and steps up to a double-daily service. On the first rotation, flight G9258 leaves Sharjah at 13:45 and reaches London Gatwick at 18:35 local time, while the return, G9259, departs London at 19:35 and lands back in Sharjah at 05:50 the following morning.
From July 10, Air Arabia adds a second daily frequency. Flight G9265 will depart Sharjah at 03:55 and arrive at Gatwick at 08:45, with the return G9266 leaving London at 10:05 and touching down in Sharjah at 20:20. The twice-daily pattern is designed to widen connection options over the airline's Sharjah base.
The carrier is operating the route with the Airbus A321LR, a long-range member of the A320neo family that pairs single-aisle economics with the range needed to link the Gulf and northern Europe non-stop. The type has become a favourite tool for low-cost operators pushing into longer markets that were once the preserve of widebody aircraft.
Alongside the London launch, Air Arabia has also restored its daily service to Aleppo, continuing the gradual rebuilding of connectivity to the Syrian city. Together, the two moves underline the airline's strategy of expanding its network in both directions, adding a major European gateway while reinstating regional links.
London Gatwick gives Air Arabia access to a large point-to-point leisure and visiting-friends-and-relatives market between the UK and the UAE, and positions Sharjah as a low-cost alternative to the region's larger hubs. For UK travellers, the double-daily schedule offers a budget option on a corridor long dominated by full-service carriers.
The expansion reinforces Sharjah's role at the centre of Air Arabia's growing route map and signals the carrier's intent to compete more directly for long-haul, low-cost demand between Europe and the Middle East.
Sources: Gulf News, Sharjah 24. Featured image: AI-generated by AviationShop. By Elena Vargas.
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