New Delhi, June 25 -- Air India Express will become the first airline to offer direct flights between Northeast India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with new services from Guwahati to Dubai and Abu Dhabi beginning in August.

The Guwahati-Dubai route will start on August 4, followed by the Guwahati-Abu Dhabi service on August 7. The airline said the launch marks its first international operations from Guwahati and will strengthen connectivity between Northeast India and West Asia.

The new routes are expected to boost tourism, trade and business travel while providing passengers with direct access to two of the UAE's key commercial hubs.

Guwahati is one of the largest stations in the Air India Express network, with around 120 weekly...