Etihad Flies to Atlanta Nonstop Amid Expansion

DALLAS — Etihad Airways (EY) has unveiled an ambitious network expansion strategy for 2025, announcing the launch of 10 new destinations in a single day set to take off from its Zayed International Airport (AUH) hub.

Starting July 2025, the UAE carrier will introduce four weekly flights to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). The airline will then expand to daily flights to Taipei, Taiwan in September. From October 2, 2025, EY will commence thrice-weekly services to Medan, Indonesia, and five weekly flights to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Atlanta is a significant addition to EY's North American network, its fifth in the US. Gulf News cites Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer at Etihad Airways, saying that ATL is the only nonstop flight from the AUH to the US and that all US-bound flights will benefit from the new US pre-clearance facility in Abu Dhabi.

However, the new routes focus mainly on Asian-Pacific routes. On October 9, 2025, daily flights to Krabi, Thailand, will commence. Thrice-weekly flights to Tunis are scheduled for November 1, 2025, and EY will introduce four weekly flights to Chiang Mai, Thailand, starting November 3, 2025, alongside five weekly flights to Hong Kong.

Additionally, six weekly flights to Hanoi, Vietnam, will launch on November 3, 2025. Four weekly flights to Algiers, Algeria, will commence on November 7, 2025.

Etihad's A321LR Nonstop Possibilities

De highlighted that in 2025, EY will introduce a total of 13 new destinations, including three previously announced earlier this year: Warsaw, Poland; Prague, Czech Republic; and Al Alamein, Egypt.

Many of the new destinations announced on Monday will feature the sole nonstop flights from the UAE. For instance, there are no nonstop flights from the UAE to Medan, Phnom Penh, or Chiang Mai, making EY's service from Abu Dhabi "a unique offering."

Overall, these routes are designed to connect with the airline’s European network. For instance, traveling from Hanoi to Paris with EY will be faster than with any other airline in the region, as pointed by the airline executive, who added the Airbus A321LR, which has a range of 4,000 nautical miles, made possible the announced expansions.

Antonoaldo Neves, Etihad’s Chief Executive Officer, said, "The launch of these ten destinations is supported by our impressive hub, Zayed International Airport, which boasts the ‘wow’ factor and ample space to accommodate our rapid growth, further enhancing the exceptional guest experience,”

Neves adds, “2025 marks a pivotal year for Etihad, with more than 90 destinations in over 50 countries, a fleet of more than 110 aircraft – including our amazing new A321LRs – welcoming over 20 million guests onboard. Most importantly, it will support us in bringing over a million visitors to Abu Dhabi to enjoy our home."

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