Etihad Airways, the United Arab Emirates’ second biggest airline, has concluded a week of global growth with all four of its inaugural flights selling out, with Krabi, Thailand marking Etihad’s 11th new route this year and bringing the airline’s total number of destinations served to 86, with eight additional routes due to launch in the next two months.
Etihad Sells Out Four Inaugural Routes
Etihad Airways launched four new routes from its hub in the UAE this week, with the airline now flying to the destinations of Krabi (Thailand), Medan (Sumatra, Indonesia), Phnom Penh (Cambodia) and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). These four routes, which were all sold out, were operated using Etihad’s new Airbus A321LR aircraft, which come with First Suites, lie-flat Business and next-generation Economy classes.
The introduction of these new routes marks a milestone for Etihad Airways, which has began serving 31 new destinations in the last 12 months, with routes to Kabul, Damascus, Palma de Mallorca and Zanzibar launching in the first half of 2026, in addition to the routes already announced.
Etihad Airways Celebrates Landmark Expansion
Etihad Airways CEO, Antonaldo Neves, gave the following statement on Etihad’s new and improved selection of destinations:
“This was an extraordinary week for Etihad as we bring four vibrant new cities onto our global map, a clear demonstration of our vision in action. We are here to connect people, cultures, and economies. By launching four new routes in four different countries in just one week, we’re showing how Etihad is becoming more agile, more ambitious, and more accessible. These route launches demonstrate how our strategic investments in modern aircraft like the A321LR are enabling us to grow quickly and efficiently, supporting us in our mission to reach over 125 destinations by 2030, taking us beyond the borders of what people thought possible.”
The schedule for the new services is as follows:
- EY480: Abu Dhabi (20:45) — Medan (06:45 +1), operating Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday;
- EY481: Medan (08:55) — Abu Dhabi (12:50), operating Wednesday, Friday and Sunday;
- EY434: Abu Dhabi (20:45) — Phnom Penh (06:55 +1), operating Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday;
- EY435: Phnom Penh (08:30) — Abu Dhabi (12:50), operating Monday, Tuesday, Thurday and Saturday;
- EY787: Abu Dhabi (09:00) — Addis Ababa (12:35), operating daily;
- EY728: Addis Ababa (13:55) — Abu Dhabi (19:15), operating daily;
- EY424: Abu Dhabi (08:45) — Krabi (18:35), operating daily;
- EY425: Krabi (20:55) — Abu Dhabi (00:45 +1), operating daily.
Will you be taking advantage of Etihad Airways’ new routes to exciting new destinations? Let us know in the comments!
