The stunning destinations you can fly to from Cardiff Airport next year

In 2018 Cardiff Airport welcomes its first-ever scheduled long-haul flight following the deal with Qatar Airways earlier this year .

The flights will fly between the Rhoose airport and the capital of the Gulf country Doha.

From the Middle Eastern hub of Hamad International Airport passengers will be able to fly onto a number of other destinations.

And a number of the current operators from Cardiff Airport have made changes or added routes to their schedules:

Flybe has added a twice weekly flight to Venice for the next year.

Iberia Express announced that it will once again operate flights to the Spanish capital, starting from June 14th, 2018.

The Tour operator Super Break has two short breaks to Iceland and Seville

Thomas Cook triples capacity to Turkey from Cardiff for summer

TUI flights to Hurghada in Egypt will return for winter 2018/19

Here are 10 destinations you can fly to direct - or with a connection in Doha - from Cardiff Airport:

1. Sydney - Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways will be flying out of Cardiff, so a trip to the southern hemisphere will need just one change of aircraft. That means getting to the party city of Sydney is now a lot easier.

A flight to Sydney will be just under seven hours to reach the Qatari capital and then just over 14 hours for the trip to Sydney.

Read More 2. Amsterdam - KLM (Image: Travelpix Ltd)

There's plenty of art and culture on offer in Amsterdam. Schiphol Airport is the hub for KLM and offers the opportunity for global flights. Passengers with a long lay-over at the airport can do tours into the city.

3. Madrid - Iberian Express (Image: Getty Images)

Following the success of its first season at Cardiff Airport, Iberia Express has announced that it will once again operate flights to the Spanish capital, starting from June 14, 2018.

Famous for its art, gastronomy and, of course, its football – not to mention it's the home of Welsh football hero Gareth Bale - Madrid is also a shopper's paradise, boasting both name-brand stores and independent boutiques.

Read More 4. Dalaman - Thomas Cook (Image: iStockphoto)

Dalaman is a cultural jewel in the heart of the Turquoise Coast that combines adrenaline-fuelled adventure with unique access to some of the country's best historical treasures.

Flights from Cardiff, with Thomas Cook, are on Mondays and Fridays. The operator also has weekly flights, on a Friday, to Antalya.

5. Venice - Flybe (Image: publicity picture)

Cardiff customers will be able to fly direct to Venice from Cardiff for the first time next summer. The historic capital city of Northern Italy's Veneto region is a World Heritage Site with rich and diverse architecture.

Venice serves as a popular port for a number of cruise operators and is an ideal destination for customers who wish to embark on a cruise around the Mediterranean, with flight times scheduled to suit the needs of cruise customers.

6. Beirut - Qatar Airways Beirut (Image: Ahmad Moussaoui/Flickr/Creative Commons)

The city dubbed the 'Paris of the Middle East' gives visitors plenty of opportunity for cafe culture and people watching.

For food lovers, Lebanese cuisine is a fusion of Turkish, Mediterranean and Arab influences, and for shoppers there are plenty of designer stores and boutiques. The flight to Qatar is just under seven hours and then from Qatar it is 3 hours and 45 mins.

Read More 7. Tehran - Qatar Airways Tehran rug seller (Image: Kamyar Adl/Flickr/Creative Commons)

British nationals need a visa to travel to Iran, but the country is now more open to tourists.

The FCO does warn against travel to certain parts of the country, namely along the border with Iraq and Afghanistan, but for visitors there are 21 Iranian sites and landscapes on Unesco's World Heritage List. After the approximately seven hour flight to Doha it is just over two hours to reach Iran.

8. Berlin - Flybe Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom) at famous Museum Island (Image: Getty/Istock)

You can discover the dramatic history and non-stop nightlife of Berlin with flights from £29.99 with Flybe. The city is now as famous for its diverse architecture, museums and commitment to the arts as for its once infamous wall.

Flights to Berlin Tegel operate twice a week on a Wednesday and Saturday from £29.99.

9. Alicante - Vueling and Thomson Alicante in Spain. (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Fly to this airport to enjoy all that the Costa Blanca has to offer. It might not be top of your list if you're looking for a quiet escape, but you can find traditional villages and towns if you head inland.

The flight takes around two hours and 25 minutes.

Read More 10. Palma Majorca - Vueling, Thomson and Thomas Cook. Cathedral Santa Maria in Palma, Majorca (Image: iStockphoto/Getty)

The most popular destination from Cardiff Airport last year. After an influx of visitors in the 1960s and 1970s, the largest of the Balearic Islands has shaken off its reputation as a generic package holiday destination.

Lonely Planet describes the island as having "a big sunny personality thanks to its ravishing beaches, remote mountains and soulful hill towns." Flight take around two hours and 25 minutes.

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