Qatar Airways will launch direct daily flights to Cardiff commencing 1 May 2018, making the airline the first Gulf carrier to service Wales and Southwest England.

Cardiff, the capital of Wales, is one of the most compelling tourist destinations in the UK, with countless museums and exhibitions, a thriving music scene and world-class sporting events.

The new service will be served by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with 22 seats in Business Class, offering passengers direct aisle access with its 1-2-1 configuration, and 232 seats in Economy Class.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner features lower altitude-equivalent pressure, improved air-quality and optimal humidity, large electronically dimmable windows and full-spectrum LED lighting.

Cardiff is one of 26 new routes announced by Qatar Airways planned for the remainder of this year and 2018, including Chiang Mai, Thailand; Canberra, Australia and San Francisco, US, to name a few.

The airline now connects travellers to more cities in Europe than ever before, with recent launches to Kyiv, Prague, Skopje and Dublin, to name just a few.

Qatar Airways currently serves London Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh, with Cardiff to be the airline's fifth destination in the UK.