DALLAS — On March 31, Etihad Airways (EY), the United Arab Emirates' second-largest carrier, operated its inaugural flight to Boston (BOS). The new route, Flight EY147, was added as part of the carrier's large-scale expansion plans, which include new routes across three continents and increased flight frequency at popular destinations.

The Boeing 787-9, registered A6-BNF, departed Abu Dhabi (AUH) at approximately 3:48 AM Gulf Standard Time, flying for 12 hours and 55 minutes before touching down at BOS at 8:41 AM Eastern Standard Time. The aircraft's arrival marked the first time AY operated a commercial flight to BOS.

Currently, EY is scheduled to operate the AUH-BOS flight four times a week. This is the fourth route connecting the Middle East to the United States, along with EY151 from AUH to Chicago (ORD), EY1 from AUH to New York (JFK), and EY131 from AUH to Washington D.C. (IAD).

Etihad's new route sets a new connectivity standard between the East Coast of the United States and the Middle East. Travel analysts are observing an all-time high in both economic and tourist demand, and the United Arab Emirates has been widely recognized as a capital in both fields.

Cities on the East Coast housing large corporations—most notably New York, Boston, and Philadelphia—have been a large focus of both European and Asian carriers as new routes toward those locations strengthen economic connections between the three continents.

Etihad Plans for Expansion

While BOS was the only American destination EY targeted, the carrier expanded routes in two more continents, bringing forth a gradual yet sustainable plan for the future. In addition, EY introduced a new route to Nairobi (NBO) starting May 1, as well as one to Kozhikode (CCJ) and Thiruvananthapuram (TRV).

Furthermore, EY's expansion plans include increasing flight frequency across numerous locations. Among those cities are Cairo (CAI), with 21 weekly flights; Colombo (CMB), with 7 weekly flights; Islamabad (ISB), with 14 weekly flights; and the Maldives (MLE), with 14 weekly flights.

As Etihad continues its expansion following hardships experienced during the global pandemic, the airline sees a positive outlook concerning passenger traffic, further connecting Abu Dhabi to the rest of the world.