SAS Announces the Launch of New Routes to Dubai and Thailand for Winter 2026/27

SAS has today announced the launch of new long-haul routes for the winter 2026/27 season, including service from Copenhagen to Dubai, as well as to both Phuket and Krabi in Thailand.

SAS Airbus A321neo - Courtesy Airbus

On Thursday (January 29, 2026), SAS announced the launch of three new long-haul routes for winter 2026/27.  The carrier will launch new service between Copenhagen and Dubai, marking the airline’s return to the UAE for the first time since 2011.  Additionally, SAS will increase capacity to Thailand by 75 percent compared to last winter with the introduction of service between Copenhagen and both Phuket and Krabi.  SAS’ winter expansion is supported by the addition of two new Airbus A350s, enabling a 34 percent increase in A350 operations across the airline’s network.

In Thursday’s announcement, SAS’ EVP and Chief Commercial Officer, Paul Verhagen, said,

“Dubai represents an important market for SAS, and at the same time we are proud to introduce Phuket and Krabi to our long-haul network.  Re-establishing our presence in Dubai allows us to offer our customers direct access to one of the world’s most exciting cities, while the addition of Phuket and Krabi provides nonstop connections to Thailand’s most sought-after holiday destinations. Together, these routes strengthen Copenhagen as a global hub for Scandinavia and Northern Europe and expand the choices available to our customers for both business and leisure travel.”

Also commenting on the winter 2026/27 schedule expansion, SAS’ Chief Revenue Officer, Erik Westman, added,

“With additional A350 aircraft and increased capacity on key routes across Asia, the Middle East, and North America, we are strengthening our global network while continuing to deliver the reliable, world-class punctuality our customers expect from SAS.  This expansion reflects the strong momentum of our transformation and our ambition for sustainable growth.”

In addition to the new routes, SAS will also increase capacity to key long-haul destinations, including 70 percent more seats to Boston, 20 percent more to San Francisco, and 10 percent more to Chicago.  In Asia, SAS will further strengthen their long-haul presence through coordinated increases in frequency and seat capacity, including more than 50 percent growth to Seoul (ICN), 40 percent to Tokyo Haneda (HND), and 15 percent to Bangkok (BKK).

Founded in 1946, SAS is the leading airline in Scandinavia, with main hubs in Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm, and flying to 135 destinations across Europe, the U.S. and Asia.  Each year, SAS serves over 25 million passengers and transports 60,000 tons of cargo, all facilitated by a passionate team of more than 10,000 colleagues.  The company aims to be a driving force in sustainable aviation and in the transition towards net zero emissions by 2050.  SAS also offers ground handling services, technical maintenance and air cargo services.  SAS officially joined the global SkyTeam airline alliance in September 2024, and together with their partner airlines offers a wide network worldwide.  On July 4, 2025, the Air France-KLM Group announced their intention to take a majority ownership stake in SAS, further expanding one of Europe’s leading aviation groups.

Source: SAS/Cision