Dubai, UAE — Etihad Airways is entering its largest summer season on record, operating more than 300 flights a day as the Abu Dhabi carrier expands capacity and launches new destinations amid strong travel demand.
The airline said summer capacity has increased 10% from a year earlier, supported by a fleet that has grown by 23 aircraft compared with the same period in 2025.
Flights are operating at close to 90% load factors, reflecting strong demand across Etihad’s network spanning Europe, Asia, North America, Africa and the Middle East.
The airline launched four new routes between June 11 and June 14, connecting Abu Dhabi with Kraków in Poland, Palma de Mallorca in Spain, Damascus in Syria and Zanzibar in Tanzania.
Etihad is also resuming five seasonal services, including Mykonos and Malaga from June 15, Santorini from June 16, Nice from June 19 and Egypt’s Al Alamein from July 16.
“Today, Etihad is flying more guests to more destinations than ever before,” Chief Executive Antonoaldo Neves said in a statement.
“This week alone we have launched four new destinations and welcomed back five seasonal routes, demonstrating both the strength of demand across our network and the pace of our growth,” he added.
The airline said the expansion forms part of its strategy to strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as a global aviation hub and increase connectivity with key leisure and business destinations.
To support tourism growth, Etihad and the Department of Culture and Tourism–Abu Dhabi have launched complimentary medical travel insurance for international visitors flying on Etihad-operated services to Abu Dhabi.
The programme, available from July through December 2026 and administered by Daman, will provide eligible travellers with up to 15 days of medical coverage in the UAE, including passengers using Etihad’s stopover programme.
The airline said the latest route additions strengthen links between Abu Dhabi and destinations across Europe, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean while helping attract more visitors to the emirate.
