- SpiceJet launched a non-stop Ahmedabad–Sharjah route in February, but it was not bookable in Wego’s flight search on any of its scheduled operating days in August. The route’s absence traces to SpiceJet’s own finances.
- The airline added three Airbus A320s and reactivated a Boeing 737 MAX in 2026, and a new interline deal with Gulf Air starts selling tickets this year.
- An unconfirmed report says a Gulf-based carrier is running preliminary due diligence on buying into SpiceJet; it’s still exploratory.
Ahmedabad to Sharjah: launched in February, not bookable for now
SpiceJet’s newest international route opened on 5 February 2026, but as of 5 August 2026 you can no longer book it.
The gap traces to SpiceJet’s own finances.
Regional outlet DeshGujarat reported on 20 May 2026 that SpiceJet had discontinued its Ahmedabad–Dubai and Ahmedabad–Sharjah services amid a cash crunch, with a possible restart floated for August if the airline secured emergency government funding.
That funding has partly come through — SpiceJet received an initial ₹150 crore tranche from Bank of India under the government’s ECLGS scheme in June 2026, with ₹500 crore more under review — but no confirmed Sharjah resumption date has been reported.
Treat the route as unavailable until SpiceJet or Wego’s search shows otherwise.
As announced, the service was a direct Boeing 737 departing Ahmedabad at 8:20pm and landing in Sharjah by 10:20pm, with the return leaving Sharjah at 11:20pm and arriving back at 3:30am the next day.
It was scheduled five days a week, every day except Tuesday and Wednesday, covering roughly 1,751km in about 2 hours 50 minutes. Here’s how the route was built:
Sharjah has long been a hub for Indian workers and families living in the UAE, and SpiceJet’s chief business officer, Debojo Maharshi, said the link would give passengers “reliable travel options” to a destination popular for both work and family visits.
Your Ahmedabad–UAE flights cost right now
Air Arabia is the cheapest and only direct option from Ahmedabad to Sharjah, from around USD 180 one-way. If Dubai works as an arrival point instead, IndiGo flies it direct from about USD 231.
If you specifically want to fly SpiceJet to the UAE, Delhi–Dubai is bookable direct on SG 5105 (22:10) and SG 5111 (08:30). SpiceJet did not appear on Ahmedabad–Dubai either.
These are the cheapest direct one-way economy fares Wego found on 5 August 2026, for one adult:
| Route | Airline | One-way from |
|---|---|---|
| Ahmedabad → Sharjah | Air Arabia (only direct operator) | USD 180 |
| Ahmedabad → Dubai | IndiGo | USD 231 |
| Ahmedabad → Dubai | Emirates | USD 373 |
| Delhi → Dubai | SpiceJet | USD 263 |
Airfares move constantly, so treat these as a snapshot rather than a quote. Run the route on Wego for live pricing on your own dates.
More aircraft means more seats on the routes SpiceJet still flies
In July 2026 SpiceJet inducted three damp-leased Airbus A320s, and in June it returned a grounded Boeing 737 MAX to commercial service.
Maharshi said the additions were meant to “add more flights on existing routes, improve connectivity and support the launch of new services.”
Read that against a shrinking base, though: reports in June 2026 put SpiceJet’s operational fleet at just 12 to 14 aircraft, with the rest grounded over maintenance, spare-parts, and lease-payment issues tied to the same cash crunch that hit the Sharjah route. Three extra aircraft help, but they don’t mean the airline’s broader capacity crunch is resolved.
The bigger reach comes through a partner airline. SpiceJet’s interline agreement with Gulf Air, announced in September 2025, opens ticket sales in 2026 — letting SpiceJet passengers book a single itinerary onto Gulf Air’s network across the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Central Asia, and Gulf Air passengers connect onward to SpiceJet’s Indian domestic routes.
A possible Gulf buyout
A report in July 2026 said a Gulf-based airline had run preliminary due diligence, through an advisory firm, on acquiring a stake in SpiceJet — or possibly the carrier outright.
That report hasn’t been independently confirmed by major business outlets, and there’s been no follow-up since naming the carrier, confirming a proposal, or denying the talks.
SpiceJet has faced similar Gulf-carrier rumours before — Qatar Airways and flydubai both denied stake talks back in 2015 — so treat this as an early, unverified signal rather than a deal in motion.
The talks are still at an early, exploratory stage: no formal proposal has been submitted, the Gulf carrier’s identity hasn’t been disclosed, and no regulatory filings exist yet.
If it goes ahead, the appeal for a buyer is straightforward: SpiceJet holds international flying rights, airport slots at major Indian hubs, an existing route network and a recognised brand that would take years to build from scratch.
For passengers, fresh capital from a strategic investor is usually the fastest route to newer aircraft and fewer of the fleet issues covered below; but with talks this early, nothing about schedules, fares or ownership changes yet.
SpiceJet’s defect rate sits close to IndiGo’s, well below Air India’s
On the government’s own numbers, SpiceJet is mid-pack rather than an outlier — a reason to build slack into your itinerary, not to avoid the airline.
In a February 2026 reply to India’s Parliament, the Civil Aviation Ministry confirmed that 16 of SpiceJet’s 43 audited aircraft — about 37% — were flagged for recurring technical defects, a rate close to IndiGo‘s 36.5% (148 of 405) and well below Air India‘s 82.5% (137 of 166).
That backdrop showed up in a handful of publicised incidents this year: a Mumbai T1 meltdown in April cancelled three flights and stranded hundreds of passengers overnight; a Bagdogra–Delhi flight’s diversion and cancellation in June ended in a viral staff dispute and a suspended employee; and a Delhi–Pune flight in July left 180+ passengers stranded for roughly six hours.
For the full detail on any of these and what to do if it happens to you, see Wego’s SpiceJet flight cancellation guide and our deeper look at SpiceJet’s DGCA and AAIB safety record.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has SpiceJet added any new international routes in 2026?
SpiceJet launched a non-stop Ahmedabad–Sharjah service on 5 February 2026, scheduled five days a week (excluding Tuesdays and Wednesdays) on a Boeing 737.
However, SpiceJet reportedly discontinued the route around May 2026 amid a broader cash crunch, and it was still not bookable in Wego’s flight search as of 5 August 2026. Check directly with SpiceJet before planning around it.
How much is a flight from Ahmedabad to Sharjah or Dubai?
On 5 August 2026, the cheapest direct one-way economy fares on Wego were around USD 180 to Sharjah on Air Arabia, and USD 231 to Dubai on IndiGo.
Airfares change constantly, so search your own dates for live pricing.
Is SpiceJet being bought by a Gulf airline?
Not confirmed, and based on a single, unverified report. A Gulf-based carrier reportedly ran preliminary due diligence on a possible stake in July 2026, but no formal proposal, buyer name, or regulatory filing has surfaced since.
Foreign airlines can already hold up to 49% of an Indian carrier under existing rules — a full, controlling buyout is what would require a change in India’s foreign-ownership policy.
How many aircraft has SpiceJet added in 2026?
At least four: three damp-leased Airbus A320s inducted in July, plus one previously grounded Boeing 737 MAX returned to service in June.
Is SpiceJet reliable in 2026?
Government data from February 2026 put 37% of audited SpiceJet aircraft on a recurring-defects list, similar to IndiGo (36.5%) and well below Air India (82.5%). The airline also had a handful of publicised cancellation and delay incidents through the year, most tied to fleet and crew scheduling constraints.
What are my rights if my SpiceJet flight is delayed or cancelled?
DGCA rules entitle you to a refund or alternate flight, plus cash compensation in some cases — see the table above or Wego’s full DGCA passenger rights guide for every threshold.
Sources
- Khaleej Times — SpiceJet to launch Ahmedabad–Sharjah flights in February
- Travel And Tour World — SpiceJet enhances UAE-India travel with new Ahmedabad-Sharjah service
- ANI — SpiceJet inducts three damp-leased Airbus A320 aircraft into its fleet
- Business Standard — SpiceJet plans to induct 3 Airbus A320 planes, ungrounds a Boeing 737 MAX
- ANI — SpiceJet signs interline agreement with Gulf Air
- DeshGujarat — SpiceJet to suspend Mumbai, Delhi flights from Ahmedabad; Dubai and Sharjah services discontinued
- The Federal — SpiceJet seeks emergency funds amid salary delays, shrinking fleet
- Inshorts — SpiceJet receives ₹150 cr from Bank of India under ECLGS
- Sharjah Airport — official flight timetable (accessed 5 August 2026)
- Travel Radar — Gulf carrier explores acquisition in SpiceJet
- Pillsbury Law — Foreign airlines permitted to hold equity stakes in Indian carriers (India’s FDI policy)
- Business Standard — Government data on recurring aircraft technical defects, SpiceJet/IndiGo/Air India
- Khaleej Times — SpiceJet cancels flights, hundreds stranded at Mumbai airport
- Free Press Journal — SpiceJet staffer suspended after Bagdogra dispute
- Business Today — SpiceJet flight delayed, 180+ passengers stranded at IGI airport
- DGCA — Civil Aviation Requirement, Section 3 Series M Part IV: passenger rights on denied boarding, cancellation and delay
- Wego — DGCA Passenger Rights in India
- Wego — Is SpiceJet Safe?
- Wego Flights — Ahmedabad to Sharjah live fare and availability search (accessed 5 August 2026)
- Wego Flights — Ahmedabad to Dubai live fare and availability search (accessed 5 August 2026)
Disclaimer: We’ve worked hard to make sure the information in this article is as accurate and up to date as possible at the time of publishing. Travel details such as prices, schedules, visa rules, and entry requirements can change at short notice, so it remains your responsibility to verify the current details with official sources before you book or travel. Wego accepts no liability for any loss or inconvenience arising from the use of this content.
