Empire Aviation launches air services to Sir Bani Yas Island

Private air operator Empire Aviation has introduced a twice-weekly service from Abu Dhabi International Airport to Sir Bani Yas Island.

The flights, which are being operated on behalf of the master developer of the Desert Islands project off the Abu Dhabi coast, the Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), will run every Thursday and Saturday.

In addition, the service can be chartered on demand as part of the accommodation package offered at Sir Bani Yas Island’s resort – Desert Islands Resort and Spa.



Operating two eight-seater Cessna Caravans, the flight to Sir Bani Yas Island – home to the Arabian Wildlife Park – will take approximately 50 minutes as opposed to a two-and-a-half hour car journey from the UAE capital.

“This service is providing greater accessibility to Sir Bani Yas Island, which is an incomparable destination and presents a face of Arabia many could never imagine,” said TDIC CEO Lee Tabler.

To mark the launch of the service, Desert Islands Resort & Spa, the boutique 64-room operated by the award-winning Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas, is offering a special weekend package for two.

The package includes flights and two-nights stay including breakfast and island activities for AED 4600 per couple plus service chargem valid until March 31.

Desert Islands Resort and Spa opened only three months ago signalling the launch of Sir Bani Yas Island as a new tourism destination within the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The beachfront resort offers a range of adventure activities including 4x4 tours of the Arabian Wildlife Park, which has one of the world’s largest herds of Arabian Oryx; kayaking through mangrove forests; snorkelling in the protected waters; or hiking and mountain biking across the island’s ancient salt domes.

Sir Bani Yas Island, a former Royal nature reserve, is an 87 square kilometre island just off Jebel Dhanna in Al Gharbia.

Guests arriving by car are provided with a boat crossing to the island.

Sir Bani Yas Island is the first phase of TDIC’s flagship Desert Islands destination, which comprises eight islands and an onshore gate.