Qatar expands network

Qatar Airways says it will run flights to more than 150 destinations from June 16, widening its summer schedule through Doha. (qatarairways.com) The carrier said the revised schedule runs through September 15, 2026, and adds both new routes and higher frequencies on existing services. Passengers with confirmed bookings will be notified directly if their flight details change. (qatarairways.com) Qatar Airways had said on April 1 that it expected to serve more than 120 destinations by mid-May 2026. Two weeks later, it raised that figure to more than 150 destinations from mid-June, marking a faster rebuild of its network. (qatarairways.com, qatarairways.com) The schedule matters because Doha is one of the world’s largest long-haul connecting hubs, and Qatar Airways says its network normally spans more than 170 destinations worldwide. A bigger June timetable gives travelers more one-stop options across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas during the peak summer season. (qatarairways.com) The change also lands as Lufthansa Group moves the other way. Lufthansa said on April 21 that it is cutting less than 1% of summer capacity, removing 20,000 short-haul flights through October and trimming unprofitable routes from Frankfurt and Munich. (lufthansagroup.com) Lufthansa said the cuts are tied to higher jet-fuel prices and will save more than 40,000 metric tons of fuel, while some traffic is shifted through Zurich, Vienna and Brussels. The group said short-term cancellations are already in place through May 31, with broader summer revisions due in late April or early May. (lufthansagroup.com) Qatar Airways is still warning that schedules can change for operational, regulatory or safety reasons. The airline said travelers booked between February 28 and September 15, 2026, can seek fee-free date changes up to October 31, 2026, or a refund of the unused ticket value if their flight is affected. (qatarairways.com) For summer flyers, the practical shift is simple: one major Gulf carrier is putting more seats and more city pairs back into the market from June 16, while one major European group is pulling some short-haul flying out. (qatarairways.com, lufthansagroup.com)