Will a direct Busan–Dubai route take off? Busan City discusses cooperation at Emirates’ Busan office opening

[Financial News] Discussions on establishing a direct route between Busan and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are gaining momentum.
Busan City said it would attend the opening ceremony for Emirates’ Busan office, located in Jungang-dong, Jung-gu, at 2 p.m. on the 2nd and reaffirm its commitment to working together to establish a direct Busan–Dubai route. Emirates is a global airline with Dubai as its hub, connecting 152 cities in 80 countries around the world.
Attendees at the ceremony will include the head of Busan City’s New Airport Bureau, the UAE chargé d’affaires in South Korea, the head of Emirates’ Korea office, and the president of the Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, along with officials from related organizations and the aviation industry.
The city plans to work closely with relevant organizations and airlines to expedite the launch of a direct Busan–Dubai route, following the opening ceremony, and provide administrative support to ensure that all the necessary conditions for the route to begin service are smoothly put in place.
The Busan–Dubai route would cover approximately 7,000 km, making it a medium- to long-haul route. If direct flights are introduced, they are expected to make travel between Busan and the Middle East more convenient and improve air access to major cities around the world, including in Europe and Africa, via Dubai.
The route is also expected to have a positive impact on attracting foreign tourists, helping local businesses expand into overseas markets, and boosting international business.
The city is also pursuing a financial support program that covers part of airlines’ initial operating losses to strengthen its ability to attract international routes. The maximum support is 2 billion won. The plan is to help new international routes establish themselves, ease the burden on airlines of starting service, and attract more strategic medium- to long-haul routes.
The city is also moving quickly to diversify its international air network. It expanded the network in the first half of this year, focusing on Japan and Greater China, and plans to add destinations such as Kagoshima, Xiamen, Guangzhou and Kuala Lumpur during this year’s winter flight schedule period.
The city is continuing talks with airlines to attract strategic routes, including direct service to Dubai and routes to Türkiye and Los Angeles (LA).
The city also plans to attract the headquarters of an integrated low-cost carrier (LCC) to Busan, foster a local hub airline, and strengthen the international air network at Gimhae International Airport.
Mayor Jeon Jae-soo said, “The direct Busan–Dubai route will connect Busan directly with the Middle East and serve as the starting point for a new air link extending to major cities around the world, including in Europe and Africa.”

[email protected] Kwon Byeong-seok Reporter