SAS and Other European Airlines Are Now Unlocking New Travel Growth From Denmark to Great Tropical Destinations

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September 4, 2026 12:30 GMT+5:30

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SAS is expanding its 2026/27 winter network from Copenhagen with new direct services to Dubai World Central, Phuket and Krabi, providing travellers from Scandinavia and other parts of Europe with more access to warm-weather destinations. The Dubai service is scheduled to begin on 25 October 2026, followed by Krabi on 8 December and Phuket on 9 December. This Travel Growth strategy combines daily Middle East connectivity with additional long-haul capacity to southern Thailand.

The expansion is entirely focused on SAS and Copenhagen’s role as a northern European connecting hub. It does not introduce new visa rights, guarantee lower fares or establish future tourism revenue. Its immediate effect is additional scheduled capacity and a wider selection of direct winter journeys. Travellers still need to compare operating dates, arrival airports, baggage conditions, transfers, accommodation prices and nationality-specific entry rules.

SAS Expands Winter Connectivity From Copenhagen

SAS is responding to demand for winter-sun travel by adding three routes from Copenhagen Airport. The network gives passengers different holiday options: Dubai for city, beach, event and business trips; Phuket for resort-based holidays; and Krabi for beaches, limestone landscapes and nature-oriented experiences. Copenhagen can also connect travellers arriving from other Scandinavian and European cities, subject to published schedules and connection availability.

The services supporting Travel Growth do not all follow the same timetable. Dubai World Central will receive a daily narrow-body service over a longer winter period. Phuket and Krabi will receive less frequent wide-body flights concentrated around the main winter holiday season. These differences affect flexibility, trip length and the number of alternative travel dates available to passengers.

What Is Actually Happening?

The Copenhagen–Dubai World Central service is scheduled to operate daily from 25 October 2026 to 27 March 2027 using Airbus A320neo aircraft. Passengers must note that Dubai World Central, also known as Al Maktoum International Airport, is different from Dubai International Airport. Its location can add time and cost to hotel transfers or connections involving Dubai’s other major airport.

SAS will start Copenhagen–Krabi flights on 8 December 2026, with two services each week until 28 March 2027. Copenhagen–Phuket flights are due to begin on 9 December 2026 and continue until 29 March 2027, operating two or three times weekly. SAS has stated that its Thailand capacity will rise by more than 75% compared with the previous winter, although capacity growth is not the same as confirmed passenger or tourism-revenue growth.

Key SAS Route Figures

Schedules remain subject to operational or commercial changes. Passengers should confirm dates, departure times, terminals, aircraft and baggage arrangements directly before travelling.

Copenhagen Strengthens Its Connecting-Hub Role

The route expansion reinforces Copenhagen Airport’s importance to SAS passengers travelling from northern Europe. Copenhagen Airport processed approximately 7.2 million transfer passengers in 2025, accounting for more than one in five passengers and representing a 27% increase from 2024. Transfer traffic reached 4.3 million during the first half of 2026, rising a further 31% year on year.

That connecting base may help the new services generate Travel Growth beyond Denmark. Passengers from other cities can potentially travel through Copenhagen on their way to the UAE or Thailand, but they must verify whether their itinerary is issued on one ticket, whether baggage is checked through, and whether transit or Schengen entry requirements apply. Minimum connection times and disruption risks should also form part of the booking decision.

Dubai World Central Opens a New Daily Gateway

The daily Dubai route provides the most frequent service in the expansion. Dubai can support short winter breaks, beach holidays, shopping, events, desert excursions and business trips. The city received 19.59 million international overnight visitors in 2025, an increase of 5% from 2024, while December exceeded two million visitors for the first time. These figures show strong existing tourism demand but do not measure the future performance of the SAS route.

Airport location is a central planning issue. Dubai World Central is not Dubai International, and travellers should use the correct airport code when arranging transfers. Official taxis operate around the clock, with an airport starting fare of AED25. Anyone connecting between the two Dubai airports must generally clear immigration, collect baggage where required and travel across the city using separately arranged ground transport.

Phuket Supports Resort and Island Travel

Phuket flights will operate two or three times weekly, with three weekly services planned during parts of January and February. The use of Airbus A350 aircraft creates direct long-haul capacity from Copenhagen during a period when many Europeans seek warmer climates. The route gives SAS a significant tropical component within its Travel Growth programme.

Phuket is a province and major island destination rather than a single resort. Its tourism economy includes beaches, family hotels, luxury properties, Old Phuket Town, restaurants, water activities and excursions to nearby islands. Travellers should allow enough time for road transfers from Phuket International Airport, particularly when heading to southern resort areas. Peak-season demand can raise accommodation prices and place pressure on roads and popular attractions.

Krabi Adds Direct Access to Nature-Based Holidays

The twice-weekly Copenhagen–Krabi service reduces the need for some Scandinavian travellers to connect through Bangkok or another Asian hub. Krabi offers access to Ao Nang, Railay, beaches, limestone formations, inland natural areas and marine excursions. The direct flight simplifies the international air journey, but it does not include onward road or boat transport unless that service forms part of a separate package.

Krabi’s inclusion broadens the types of holidays supported by SAS. Phuket has a larger resort market, while Krabi can appeal to travellers prioritising coastal scenery, smaller tourism centres and nature-based activities. This route diversity may distribute Travel Growth across more than one southern Thai gateway, although actual benefits will depend on passenger numbers, length of stay, accommodation choices and visitor spending.

Dubai, Phuket and Krabi Compared

Dubai offers daily schedule flexibility and a city-and-beach combination. Phuket provides the broadest resort infrastructure of the three destinations, while Krabi is strongly associated with coastal landscapes and excursions. Travellers should select a destination according to trip length, budget, preferred activities and transfer requirements rather than assuming all winter-sun routes provide the same experience.

Calculating the Real Cost of a Winter-Sun Holiday

Additional airline capacity may improve booking choice, but it cannot guarantee cheaper holidays. Passengers should compare return fares alongside checked baggage, seat selection, accommodation, insurance, airport transfers, meals, local transport, activities, entry charges and emergency funds. Christmas, New Year, school holidays and other peak periods can push up the combined cost even when flight availability improves.

Destination-specific expenses also matter. Travellers arriving at Dubai World Central should calculate the cost and duration of reaching their hotel. Phuket visitors may face long road transfers to southern resorts, while Krabi travellers heading to Railay or islands may require an additional boat journey. A realistic assessment of Travel Growth should therefore consider the complete journey rather than only the number of new seats.

Passport, Visa and Arrival Requirements Remain Separate

The route announcements do not create new entry rights. UAE visa-on-arrival and advance-visa requirements vary according to nationality, and travellers should confirm the conditions applicable to their passport. Passports commonly need at least six months of validity from the date of entry, but passengers must rely on the current official requirement for their circumstances.

Thailand’s entry arrangements also depend on nationality and travel-document status. All non-Thai nationals must complete the official Thailand Digital Arrival Card before arrival; the form is free and does not replace a visa. Passengers connecting through Copenhagen may additionally need to consider Schengen or airport-transit rules, especially when travelling on separate tickets or collecting baggage during the connection.

Airport and Transfer Guidance

An arrival airport may be far from the traveller’s accommodation. Transfer distance, operating hours, cost and baggage capacity should be checked before booking a non-refundable hotel or activity. Separate airport transfers can be particularly important for late-night arrivals, families, large groups and passengers continuing to islands.

Tourism Economies Could Benefit From Added Capacity

The new services may support Travel Growth by directing additional European capacity towards hotels, restaurants, attractions and transport businesses in the UAE and Thailand. Dubai’s tourism economy could benefit from daily arrivals over five months. Phuket and Krabi could receive more Scandinavian visitors during the busiest part of the winter-sun season.

Thailand welcomed 32.97 million international visitors in 2025. Long-haul markets contributed 10.8 million visitors, or approximately 32.8% of the total. By 2 June 2026, the country had recorded more than 14 million international arrivals and around 679 billion baht in tourism receipts. These national figures provide market context, but reliable assessment of the new flights will require route-level passenger data, hotel occupancy, average stay and visitor-spending evidence after operations begin.

Responsible Winter-Sun Travel Remains Important

Travellers to Thailand should select responsible boat operators, follow marine-safety rules and respect instructions protecting reefs and coastal environments. Visitors should avoid touching coral, reduce disposable-plastic use and reject wildlife experiences involving harmful contact or exploitation. Weather and sea conditions can change, so island excursions should never be treated as guaranteed simply because a flight has operated.

Visitors to Dubai should follow local laws, cultural expectations and environmental guidance. Across all three destinations, travellers should obtain suitable insurance, monitor weather information and use licensed transport providers. Additional flights can increase access, but no service should be described as environmentally sustainable without route-specific and independently supported emissions evidence.

Holidaymaker Checklist

Before booking, travellers should:

• Confirm the service’s operating dates and frequency
• Verify that the route is seasonal
• Check the exact arrival airport
• Compare the full fare and baggage allowance
• Reserve peak-season accommodation early
• Calculate airport and resort-transfer costs
• Review passport and visa requirements
• Complete mandatory arrival forms
• Obtain appropriate travel insurance
• Allow sufficient time for Copenhagen connections
• Check weather and marine conditions
• Reserve high-demand activities carefully
• Monitor official timetable changes

What Official Route Information Establishes

SAS reports more than 75% additional Thailand capacity compared with the previous winter. The increase accompanies direct Phuket and Krabi services and continuing Bangkok connectivity. It establishes planned capacity growth; it does not guarantee equivalent growth in passenger numbers, occupancy, visitor spending or airline profitability.

The confirmed schedules establish the central news development: daily flights to Dubai World Central, two weekly services to Krabi and two or three weekly flights to Phuket. The announcement supports a forward-looking assessment of the expansion, but economic conclusions must wait until the routes operate and verified performance data becomes available.

What Happens Next?

The first scheduled milestone is 25 October 2026, when daily Copenhagen–Dubai World Central flights are due to begin. Krabi is scheduled to follow on 8 December, with Phuket beginning on 9 December. Travellers and tourism businesses should monitor confirmed aircraft, timetable changes, package availability and transfer information before each launch.

Any extension beyond the announced winter season remains unconfirmed. Future frequency increases will depend on formal airline decisions and market performance. The strongest evidence of successful Travel Growth will come from actual passenger loads, repeat seasonal operation, destination spending and official tourism data rather than advance capacity alone.

Conclusion

SAS is expanding Copenhagen’s winter connectivity with three distinct warm-weather routes. Dubai World Central will receive daily flights from late October, while Phuket and Krabi will gain direct Scandinavian services from December. The programme gives European passengers more options for urban breaks, resort holidays and nature-focused coastal trips during winter 2026/27.

This Travel Growth creates additional travel choice, but passengers must plan carefully. Airport location, seasonal dates, transfers, total costs, weather and entry conditions can materially affect the journey. The services increase scheduled capacity to the UAE and Thailand, while their wider tourism and economic results can only be measured after flights begin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which airline is the focus of this article?

SAS is the sole airline focus.

Which new destinations are included?

The network expansion covers Dubai World Central in the UAE and Phuket and Krabi in Thailand.

When will the Dubai service begin?

Daily Copenhagen–Dubai World Central flights are scheduled to start on 25 October 2026.

When will SAS begin flying to Krabi?

The twice-weekly Copenhagen–Krabi route is scheduled to begin on 8 December 2026.

When will SAS begin flying to Phuket?

Flights are scheduled to start on 9 December 2026 and operate two or three times weekly.

How much is Thailand capacity expected to increase?

SAS reports an increase of more than 75% compared with the previous winter.

Which destination offers the most frequent service?

Dubai World Central will receive daily flights, making it the most frequently served destination among the three routes.

Did the route announcement create new visa rules?

No. Airline schedules do not create or alter entry permission. Travellers must check the rules applicable to their nationality and passport.

Does the Dubai flight use Dubai International Airport?

No. It uses Dubai World Central, also known as Al Maktoum International Airport.

Are cheaper fares guaranteed?

No. Additional capacity can widen booking choice, but it does not guarantee lower airfares, hotel prices or total holiday costs.