Royal Jordanian is extending its network in Europe and the Middle East this summer with new destinations in Bahrain, Germany, Saudi Arabia and Sweden set to join the airline’s route map.

The carrier, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, has confirmed the launch of flights between Amman (AMM) and Stockholm Arlanda (ARN) from May 29 using Airbus A319 aircraft. The 3381-km (1,826-nm) route will be served twice a week.

Royal Jordanian last served the Stockholm market in 2017 and 2018 with a route from Aqaba (AQJ), but the Swedish city has remained absent from its network ever since.

A second new European route will start on Sept. 23, linking Amman and Dusseldorf (DUS). Flights will also be twice a week onboard A320s.

Data provided by OAG Schedules Analyser shows that Dusseldorf will be Royal Jordanian’s second point in Germany alongside Frankfurt (FRA). The carrier previously offered flights to Berlin (BER) but the last of those operated in October 2022.

In the Middle East, the oneworld alliance member said service to Bahrain would return in June after being suspended since 2004. In addition, the first scheduled flights between Amman and Al-Ula (ULH) in Saudi Arabia will start in September in collaboration with The Petra Development & Tourism Region Authority and the Royal Commission of Al-Ula. Service to the city, which is home to the UNESCO World Heritage site Hegra, will be twice a week.

“The company’s route expansion comes in line with the strategic plan to modernize our narrowbody fleet of aircraft that would serve core destinations in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe,” Royal Jordanian chairman and CEO Samer Majali said Feb. 20.

“The fleet renewal plan also includes growing the current fleet of widebody aircraft, followed by the scheduled replacement of the existing fleet in the near future," he added. "We plan to increase the total fleet size from today’s 24 to over 40 aircraft in the coming 3-5 years.”

CAPA Fleet Database shows Royal Jordanian operates 13 A320-family aircraft, seven Boeing 787-8s, two Embraer E175s and two E195s.

Alongside the new route announcements, the airline said it will resume nonstop service to Algiers (ALG) from March 16. Seasonal routes to Sharm El Sheikh, Antalya and Trabzon are scheduled to start in April this year.

The network plans came as the carrier posted a full-year net loss of JD79.1 million ($112 million) for 2022, compared with a loss of JD74.3 million during the previous 12 months. Management blamed the result on a 69% increase in fuel prices, accounting for a JD97.8 million rise in fuel expenditure.

However, the number of passengers carried in 2022 reached 3 million, compared with 1.6 million in 2021. Load factors increased from 68% to 77% over the same time period. Revenues also rose JD357 million in 2021 to JD612 million last year.