Dubai: Qatar Airways, which has ordered more than 200 Boeing and Airbus  planes valued in excess of $30 billion, will begin flying three times a week nonstop to Houston on November 10.

The frequency will increase to daily starting in December, Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said in an e-mailed statement.

The carrier expects to increase its fleet to 70 planes by the end of 2008 and 110 in five years, he said.