Jordan’s aviation year in review
2025 was a strong year for air connectivity to Jordan. The Jordan Tourism Board reported arrivals approaching pre-2019 levels for the first time, and airline confidence in the Amman route reflected that improvement. As we enter 2026, several new routes have launched or are confirmed for the year ahead.
This post covers what’s new, what remained from 2025, and how to use the expanded route network to get to Jordan at better prices.
Queen Alia International Airport: the main hub
Nearly all international long-haul and medium-haul flights to Jordan arrive at Queen Alia International Airport (AMM), 35 kilometers south of Amman. The airport is modern, efficiently run, and has improved connectivity to the city center significantly with the express bus service (around 1.25 JOD to Amman’s 7th Circle area).
Royal Jordanian (RJ) is the national carrier, based at Queen Alia. It operates an extensive network and is the primary way Jordan connects to the global aviation system.
Royal Jordanian: new routes and expanded frequency in 2026
Royal Jordanian made several significant route announcements for 2026:
Athens (ATH): A new direct seasonal service launched in March 2026, operating three times weekly in the summer season. Athens is an important connection point — many travelers combine Greece and Jordan in a Mediterranean trip, and the direct route eliminates the previous need to connect via Beirut or Dubai.
Berlin (BER): RJ resumed direct Amman-Berlin service in February 2026, after a gap of several years. The route operates four times weekly and is already drawing strong German-speaking market demand.
Madrid (MAD): Spain is one of the fastest-growing source markets for Jordan tourism, and the new Amman-Madrid direct route (launched January 2026, three times weekly) reflects this. Previously, Spanish travelers had to connect through Casablanca, Frankfurt, or London.
Lisbon (LIS): A new Amman-Lisbon service began March 2026, twice weekly. Portugal-Jordan travel was growing steadily before the route launched.
These new routes complement RJ’s existing European network, which includes daily services to London (LHR), Paris (CDG), Frankfurt (FRA), Rome (FCO), Milan (MXP), Amsterdam (AMS), and Vienna (VIE).
Air France: daily Amman service
Air France operates daily Paris CDG — Amman AMM flights year-round. In 2025, the airline upgraded several frequencies from A320 to A321, adding capacity on the route. The Air France connection gives access to Air France’s global network from Charles de Gaulle, including convenient transatlantic connections for North American travelers.
Travel time: approximately 4 hours 30 minutes from Paris to Amman.
Lufthansa: Frankfurt hub access
Lufthansa maintains daily Frankfurt (FRA) — Amman service, providing connections from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Lufthansa’s extensive Star Alliance network. The Frankfurt hub handles strong historical German and Central European visitor numbers to Jordan.
Lufthansa’s Amman service also handles connections for travelers from North America connecting through Frankfurt — a popular routing from the US East Coast and Canada.
Emirates: the Dubai hub
Emirates operates multiple daily Dubai (DXB) — Amman flights, making Jordan accessible from virtually any point on the globe via the Emirates hub. For travelers from Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and many African countries, the Dubai connection is the standard routing to Amman.
The Dubai connection also provides a useful option for travelers who want to combine Jordan with a UAE stopover.
Budget and low-cost options
Ryanair Aqaba: the southern gateway
Ryanair operates seasonal service to Aqaba’s King Hussein International Airport (AQJ) from multiple European bases. This is an underused entry point for travelers whose primary destination is Wadi Rum, Petra, or the Dead Sea — all of which are significantly closer to Aqaba than to Amman.
Current Ryanair Aqaba routes include services from various UK and European airports. The schedule is seasonal (peak operating March-October) and frequencies vary by route.
Why Aqaba entry works for Jordan travel: Aqaba is 1 hour from Wadi Rum and 2 hours from Petra. For visitors whose itinerary is Wadi Rum + Petra + Dead Sea (without Amman), flying into Aqaba and out of Amman (or vice versa) creates a natural one-way route and eliminates backtracking.
Aqaba airport is small and efficient — immigration typically takes 15-20 minutes compared to potential queuing at Queen Alia.
Note: the Jordan Pass can still be used for visa purposes when entering through Aqaba, but verify current entry procedures with the pass information at jordanpass.jo.
Wizz Air
Wizz Air operates seasonal Amman routes from several Eastern European cities and occasionally from other European bases. Route network is variable — check current Wizz schedules close to your travel date as they tend to announce seasonally.
FlyJordan and regional carriers
FlyJordan, Jordan’s private airline, operates regional routes including domestic Amman-Aqaba service (approximately 1 hour versus 4 hours driving). For travelers who want to fly into Amman, visit the north, then fly to Aqaba to start a southern circuit, this domestic route saves significant time.
Amman-Aqaba domestic flight
Royal Jordanian also operates the Amman-Aqaba route, typically multiple times daily. At approximately 35-60 JOD (50-85 USD) one way, the domestic flight is significantly more expensive than the 11 JOD JETT bus — but it saves 3+ hours of road time.
For a 7-day itinerary where time is the binding constraint, the domestic flight is often worth the premium. A common pattern: fly into Amman, visit Amman and Jerash (2 days), fly Amman-Aqaba (1 hour), work north from Aqaba through Wadi Rum and Petra.
Getting from the airport to Amman
Queen Alia International Airport is 35 kilometers south of Amman’s city center. Options:
Express bus (Airport Express): Approximately 1.25 JOD, runs from outside the arrivals hall to Amman’s 7th Circle / Abdali area. Clean, frequent, air-conditioned. Takes 45-75 minutes depending on traffic. The cheapest option by a significant margin.
Licensed taxi: Should be approximately 18-25 JOD metered. Use the official taxi desk inside the arrivals hall — not the informal drivers who approach outside. Careem also operates from the airport.
Pre-booked hotel transfer or private driver: The most comfortable option for first-time arrivals or late-night landings. Typically 25-40 JOD depending on the vehicle. Book through your hotel.
Airport transfer to and from AmmanFinding the best fares to Jordan
A few practical notes on booking:
Book early for new routes: The new RJ routes to Athens, Berlin, Madrid, and Lisbon will have introductory pricing in their early months that typically gets higher as the route establishes. If you know you want to visit Jordan in summer 2026, booking the Madrid or Athens route in January is likely to yield better fares than waiting until April.
Consider the Aqaba entry option: If Ryanair serves your home airport, the budget Aqaba route can be significantly cheaper than full-service Amman routing. Factor in the overall trip cost — you save on flights but the accommodation in Aqaba (a resort city) is slightly higher than Amman at equivalent standards.
January and February pricing: These are historically Jordan’s lowest-demand months. Post-New Year flights can be significantly cheaper, and the January-February travel experience (cold but often beautiful, uncrowded) is legitimately excellent.
Multi-city versus round-trip: If your Jordan circuit ends in a different city than it begins (e.g., fly into Amman, fly out of Aqaba), booking as a multi-city itinerary is usually cheaper than a round-trip plus a one-way. Some search engines handle this better than others — Google Flights is generally good for multi-city Middle East searches.
Jordan Tourism Board 2025 arrivals data
The JTB reported approximately 4.1 million international visitor arrivals in 2025, representing near-complete recovery from the 2019 pre-pandemic peak of 4.5 million. The recovery has been driven primarily by European markets (German, French, British, and Spanish visitors all at or above 2019 levels) and Gulf Arab visitors (significant year-round), with North American arrivals still building back more slowly.
The expanded European direct network for 2026 is designed to capture continued European demand growth and to reduce the friction that connecting flights add to the decision to visit.
FAQ
Which airlines fly direct to Amman?
Royal Jordanian (most routes), Air France (Paris daily), Lufthansa (Frankfurt daily), Emirates (Dubai, multiple daily), British Airways (London), Turkish Airlines (Istanbul), and various others. New in 2026: direct RJ routes from Athens, Berlin, Madrid, and Lisbon.
Can I fly budget to Jordan?
Ryanair operates seasonal service to Aqaba airport. Wizz Air operates some Amman routes seasonally. Budget options are more limited than for Mediterranean destinations, but they exist.
Is it cheaper to fly into Aqaba than Amman?
Sometimes significantly, depending on your departure city and travel dates. Aqaba works logistically if your Jordan itinerary focuses on the south (Wadi Rum, Petra, Dead Sea).
How far is Amman airport from the city center?
35 kilometers. The express bus takes 45-75 minutes and costs 1.25 JOD. Licensed airport taxis cost approximately 20-25 JOD.