Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways just dropped flight schedules for 14 brand-new places in 2026. The expansion kicks off March next year and runs through December, covering everywhere from American cities to Russian winter escapes.
Here’s where you’ll be able to book tickets and when these routes actually start flying.
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March 2026: Seven Cities Go Live
Almaty, Kazakhstan Kazakhstan’s biggest city sits right at the base of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains, offering mountain views alongside urban exploration. Flights launch in March.
Baku, Azerbaijan Weekly departures to Azerbaijan’s capital begin March 2026. Perfect timing if you’re chasing the Formula One calendar—Baku hosts a street race every year.
Bucharest, Romania Romania’s capital gets added to the route map come March. Flight time clocks in at just a few hours from Abu Dhabi.
Medina, Saudi Arabia The historic western Saudi city becomes directly accessible starting March with new weekly service.
Tbilisi, Georgia Georgia’s capital joins the list alongside Almaty, Baku, Bucharest, Medina, Tashkent, and Yerevan during Etihad’s big March rollout. Cobblestone streets and mountain backdrops make this one worth considering for a spring trip.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan Central Asia opens up further with direct Tashkent flights launching March. The Uzbek capital offers Silk Road history without the connection hassles.
Yerevan, Armenia Armenia’s capital rounds out the March launches. Ancient monasteries, Soviet-era architecture, and surprisingly good food scene await.
May 2026: Breaking Into Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina – May 4 The North Carolina connection starts in May 2026 making Etihad the first Gulf carrier serving this market. Four flights weekly means decent flexibility for business or leisure trips.
June 2026: Beach Season Kicks Off
Palma, Mallorca – June 12 Three weekly flights to the Balearic island run from mid-June through mid-September. Etihad’s using its new Airbus A321LR for the seasonal summer route.
Damascus, Syria – June Four weekly services to Damascus begin operations in June 2026, marking Etihad’s return to Syria after years away.
Zanzibar – June 14 The Tanzanian island gets four flights weekly running from June 14 until September 6. Previous Etihad service to Zanzibar stopped years ago, so this marks a proper comeback.
Summer 2026: Two More Added
Krakow, Poland Poland’s second city joins the network during summer months. Exact start date still pending, but expect flights to align with peak European travel season.
Salalah, Oman Summer departure timing makes sense here—Salalah’s monsoon season turns the southern Omani city green while the rest of the Gulf bakes. Flight dates not yet confirmed.
December 2026: Russia Joins the Mix
Kazan, Russia Kazan becomes accessible in December, right when snow blankets the Tatarstan capital. Winter travelers get direct access to one of Russia’s historic cities.
What Changed This Year
Etihad went aggressive in 2025 with route announcements. The airline now claims 30 new destinations revealed this year alone—these 14 represent the tail end of that expansion spree.
Charlotte stands out as genuinely new territory. No Middle Eastern carrier currently flies there directly, giving Etihad a clean shot at both business traffic and connecting passengers headed deeper into the American Southeast.
Damascus remains controversial. Syria’s civil war drastically reduced international flights, but Etihad says demand between UAE and Syria has been rising justifying the June restart.
How Often These Actually Fly
Most routes won’t run daily. Here’s what we know about frequencies:
- Charlotte: 4 flights weekly
- Damascus: 4 flights weekly
- Zanzibar: 4 flights weekly
- Palma: 3 flights weekly (seasonal only)
- Baku: Weekly
The rest haven’t had specific frequencies confirmed yet. Typically, new routes start with lower frequency and add flights if demand justifies it.
When Can You Book
Etihad typically opens bookings 330 days ahead. March routes should become bookable any day now. Summer destinations like Palma and Zanzibar will follow a few months later.
Peak summer dates to Mallorca and Zanzibar might sell fast—beach destinations always do. If you’re eyeing those, don’t sleep on booking once the system opens.
What This Costs
Pricing hasn’t been released yet. Typically, new route introductions come with promotional fares to stimulate demand. Watch for launch sales once booking opens.
Charlotte will likely price competitively against one-stop options through European hubs. Etihad needs to convince passengers that paying slightly more for a direct flight beats cheaper connections.
Beach destinations tend to see dynamic pricing—expect higher fares during peak summer weeks and school holidays.
The Bigger Picture
14 new destinations in one year represents the most aggressive expansion Etihad’s attempted in over a decade. The airline spent years cutting unprofitable routes after financial struggles. This signals confidence that demand has recovered.
Abu Dhabi’s airport capacity plays a role too. Recent terminal upgrades can handle more traffic, removing a previous bottleneck.
Whether all 14 routes survive long-term depends entirely on passenger numbers. Airlines regularly test new markets and cut those that underperform. Some of these will stick, others might vanish after a year or two.
For now, residents of the UAE have more options than ever for getting out of the region without connections. That’s worth something, whether you’re chasing business deals in Charlotte or beach time in Zanzibar.
