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British Airways pushes its Dubai return to August
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British Airways has pushed its Dubai, Doha and Tel Aviv restart back by a month, to August 1. The carrier had been planning July. The official reason was "the ongoing situation," and the changes were framed as "providing clarity for customers" — which, translated, means BA has decided July is still too messy to commit to. When the routes do come back, the plan is one daily to each of Dubai, Doha, Riyadh and Tel Aviv. Jeddah is being dropped from the map for good. Affected passengers can refund or rebook.
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WHAT TO DO
If you had a BA booking on DXB-LHR for July, check your reservation — the schedule change should already have triggered. Emirates and Virgin are still running the route direct, and bookings later in summer are cheaper than the last-minute window. BA is also permanently dropping Jeddah from its route map, so if you usually transit Saudi for Hajj or family, the BA option is gone for good.
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2
Dubai just made it easier to get on the property visa ladder
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Dubai's restructured the property-linked residency tracks for 2026, and the entry floor is what moved. The two-year investor visa no longer carries any minimum property value if you're the sole owner of a completed property. The AED 750,000 floor that applied last year is gone. Joint ownership still needs each co-owner to hold at least AED 400,000 in share. The five-year retirement visa keeps its three doors open: a property worth AED 1 million, savings of AED 1 million, or a verifiable monthly income of AED 15,000. The ten-year Golden Visa still asks for AED 2 million in property — but the cash gate has loosened. Off-plan and mortgaged property both count now, and the AED 1 million in upfront cash that used to sit alongside the property threshold is gone.
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WHAT TO DO
If you've held off on a property visa because the entry felt too steep, the two-year track is now open to any completed property in your sole name. If you're eyeing the Golden Visa and were waiting to free up AED 1 million in cash, that lock is off — off-plan with a mortgage now qualifies. Verify your specific scenario with DLD or a licensed real estate lawyer before signing anything; this is information, not legal advice.
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3
RTA's Family First scheme: free Salik for some residents, half-price taxis
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The RTA and the Ministry of Family signed a partnership back in April under the National Family Growth Agenda 2031, and the resident-facing benefits are now landing. People of determination get a 50 percent reduction on taxi fares and driver licensing fees, plus a full exemption from Salik tolls, parking charges, public transport fares, and vehicle registration and renewal fees. Senior Emiratis and students get discounted public transport. RTA Director-General Mattar Al Tayer described it as building "a safe, accessible, and inclusive transport system that addresses the needs of all segments of society." On top of that: mobile nursery services for female employees and Year of the Family nol cards.
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WHAT TO DO
If you, or someone in your household, qualifies as a person of determination (registered with the Ministry of Community Development), the exemption package is meaningful — Salik alone can run a few hundred AED a month on a regular commute. Apply through the RTA app or nol services. For students and senior Emiratis, ask at any nol customer service centre about the discounted fare card.
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