Qatar Airways is expanding its 2026–2027 winter schedule, increasing flights to London, the Maldives, Phuket, Australia, Saudi Arabia and several other destinations. The airline says its network will cover more than 170 destinations, with nearly 1,800 weekly frequencies planned for December 2026. The changes matter to UAE residents because Qatar Airways operates flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, making Doha an important connecting hub for long-haul travel.
- Location: Doha, Qatar and Qatar Airways’ global network
- Organisation: Qatar Airways
- Status: Winter 2026–2027 schedule announced
- Who is affected: Travellers flying through Doha, including UAE residents
- Business impact: Higher flight capacity across key tourism and business markets
- What’s next: Most increases begin from October 25, 2026, with further changes through 2027
Qatar Airways has announced a major expansion of its 2026–2027 winter schedule, increasing services on popular routes including London, Phuket and the Maldives while restoring several flights to Australia and Saudi Arabia. The airline confirmed the changes on September 10, with the expanded network set to cover more than 170 destinations.
For travellers in the UAE, the changes could make Doha a more useful transit point for winter holidays, long-haul trips and business travel, particularly to Europe, Asia and Australia.
Qatar Airways will increase London flights to eight daily
One of the biggest changes will affect the Doha-London route.
Qatar Airways will increase its London Heathrow service from 49 to 56 flights a week from October 25, 2026. That works out to eight daily flights and represents an 11% increase in capacity.
The airline’s partnership with British Airways will add further connectivity, with the British carrier continuing its daily service between Doha and London.
London is one of the airline’s key European markets, so the higher frequency gives passengers more flexibility when choosing departure times and connecting itineraries.
Maldives and Phuket will get more winter flights
Qatar Airways is also increasing services to two popular holiday destinations in Asia.
Flights between Doha and Phuket will rise from 14 to 21 a week from October 25. This means three Qatar Airways services each day between the two destinations.
The airline will make a similar increase on its Maldives route. Services to Malé will rise from 12 to 21 weekly, also giving travellers three daily flights.
The additional capacity comes ahead of the winter travel period, when destinations such as the Maldives and Phuket traditionally attract international holidaymakers.
Other Asian routes will also see changes. Ho Chi Minh City services will increase from seven to 11 weekly from November 7, while Kuala Lumpur will receive 18 Qatar Airways flights each week from October 25.
Australia services are expanding from December
Australia is another major part of the winter schedule.
Qatar Airways will resume daily flights to Canberra via Melbourne from December 9, 2026. At the same time, Melbourne services will double from seven to 14 flights a week.
The airline’s wider partnership with Virgin Australia will also increase connectivity between Doha and Australia.
Sydney will reach a combined 21 weekly services between Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia. Brisbane will restart with three Virgin Australia flights a week, taking combined connectivity to 10 weekly services, while Perth will return with four Virgin Australia flights, taking the combined total to 11.
For passengers travelling between the Gulf and Australia, these changes add more options for both direct connections through Doha and onward travel.
Qatar Airways is restoring four Saudi routes
The winter schedule also includes the return of four Saudi Arabian destinations.
Qatar Airways will resume flights to Qassim on October 25, followed by Taif on October 31. Yanbu will return on January 2, 2027, while Tabuk services will restart on January 3.
Each destination will receive two flights a week.
According to Qatar Airways, the additions will take its Saudi network to 12 destinations and more than 155 weekly flights, more than 10% above its summer schedule.
The airline also expects its number of daily flights across the Middle East to increase by 10% during the winter season.
More routes are getting higher frequencies
The winter expansion extends beyond the headline destinations.
Daily flights to Zanzibar will resume from October 25, while Johannesburg will increase from 14 to 18 weekly services from December 2.
Seychelles flights will rise from four to seven weekly from March 1, 2027.
In North America, Montréal will increase from five to seven weekly services from October 25. Qatar Airways says this represents a 40% increase in seat capacity.
Frankfurt will also move from 18 to 21 weekly flights from December 7.
The airline is simultaneously continuing the rollout of Starlink Wi-Fi. Qatar Airways says up to 340 Starlink-equipped flights can operate each day, with the service installed on more than 150 widebody aircraft.
For UAE residents, Qatar Airways’ winter expansion is relevant because the airline has a significant presence in the UAE and Doha serves as a major international connecting hub.
The airline resumed daily services to Dubai and Sharjah in April 2026 and Abu Dhabi flights in May. It subsequently announced an increase to up to five daily Dubai services.
That means UAE-based passengers can potentially use Doha to connect to destinations receiving additional winter capacity, including London, the Maldives, Phuket and Australia.
The extra flights could also support tourism and business travel by increasing seat availability during a busy international travel season. However, actual fares and availability will depend on individual travel dates and booking demand.
FAQs
When will Qatar Airways’ winter 2026 schedule begin?
Several of the announced frequency increases begin on October 25, 2026, while other changes will be introduced between November 2026 and March 2027.
How many London flights will Qatar Airways operate?
Qatar Airways plans to operate 56 weekly flights between Doha and London Heathrow, equal to eight daily services, from October 25, 2026.
Will Qatar Airways increase Maldives flights?
Yes. Doha-Malé services will increase from 12 to 21 weekly flights, giving passengers three daily Qatar Airways services.
Is Qatar Airways returning to Canberra?
Yes. Daily flights to Canberra via Melbourne will resume from December 9, 2026.
How many destinations will Qatar Airways serve?
Qatar Airways says its winter 2026–2027 network will cover more than 170 destinations worldwide.
Qatar Airways’ winter 2026–2027 expansion will add capacity across some of its busiest leisure and business markets, while restoring services to destinations in Australia and Saudi Arabia. For UAE travellers, the increased connectivity through Doha could provide more choices for winter trips to Europe, Asia and beyond.
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