Etihad Airways expands route network with seven new destinations

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Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is continuing its expansion strategy and adding seven new direct routes to its route network.

With the new destinations, Etihad aims to further strengthen Abu Dhabi’s role as an international transport hub and promote both tourism and trade.

The expansion includes the following cities: Almaty (Kazakhstan), Baku (Azerbaijan), Bucharest (Romania), Medina (Saudi Arabia), Tbilisi (Georgia), Tashkent (Uzbekistan), and Yerevan (Armenia). This selection represents a mix of culturally significant metropolises with strong growth potential and historical centers.

The booking window for the new flights opens in the coming days. Flights are scheduled to begin in March 2026, with service to Medina beginning in November 2025. Etihad’s expansion plans fit into a larger expansion plan that includes a total of 27 new destinations in 2025—in addition to the year-round and seasonal routes already launched.

“Our focus is on offering guests from all over the world more direct connections to Abu Dhabi,” explains Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways. “With these new connections, we are tapping into rapidly growing markets and connecting the UAE capital with culturally and economically important regions.”

Destinations and unique features

The seven new destinations each have unique characteristics. Medina is considered a spiritual center for Muslims worldwide and an important pilgrimage site. Cities like Tbilisi and Yerevan offer rich historical and cultural backgrounds, while Baku and Almaty are recognized as modern, dynamic metropolises with vibrant economies.

Etihad’s ever-growing route network not only promotes exchange between the UAE and various regions of Eurasia, but also supports Abu Dhabi’s economic diversification. Travelers benefit from flexible connection options and the first-class service for which Etihad is known.

In addition to these six new destinations at the Abu Dhabi hub, Etihad has already launched four more inaugural flights this year to destinations such as Prague, Warsaw, Sochi, and Atlanta. A further 13 new routes are planned for the end of the year, further expanding the network.

New seasonal summer destinations

In addition, three new seasonal summer destinations for 2026 were recently announced: Krakow (Poland), Salalah (Oman), and Kazan (Russia). These loops serve the peak travel season and expand the seasonal options in Etihad’s offering.

The phased expansion demonstrates Etihad’s clear vision to position Abu Dhabi as one of the leading aviation hubs in the Middle East, providing travelers with a broad, global network of connections. Improved direct flights will reduce waiting times, streamline connecting flights, and make travel more convenient overall.

This growth strategy aligns with Abu Dhabi’s goals of achieving international prominence as a multicultural, economic, and tourism center. Thanks to these new connections, Etihad is opening new doors and opportunities for people from diverse cultures and industries.

Customer proximity, service quality and global networking

In summary, the expansion of the route network to include seven new destinations from 2026 represents an important milestone in Etihad’s network development. It underlines the airline‘s role as an innovative pioneer in the industry, focusing on customer proximity, service quality, and global connectivity.

Travelers and business partners can therefore look forward to a greater variety of destinations, improved connections, and the continued high quality of service that Etihad guarantees on all flights. These innovations also reflect Abu Dhabi’s potential and attractiveness as a center for international mobility.

With the launch of the new routes, Etihad will further expand its global presence and continue to play a key role in connecting East and West – for the benefit of all travelers and the economy in the region.

The new era of air service from Abu Dhabi will begin in November 2025 and March 2026, driven by a comprehensive strategy covering both culturally significant and economically relevant cities. This places Etihad at the forefront of aviation development in the Middle East and successfully builds bridges to emerging markets in Eurasia and beyond.