Etihad Airways has marked another milestone in the first week of November, launching four inaugural routes to Tunis, Hanoi, Chiang Mai, and Hong Kong within three consecutive days.
The new services further strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as a hub and gateway to the UAE, supporting inbound tourism and trade while delivering nearly 45% of the UAE’s total aviation growth this year.
New routes from Abu Dhabi:
- Tunis (1 November, three weekly flights): Strengthening Etihad’s North African network and supporting growing demand for travel between the UAE and Tunisia.
- Hanoi (2 November, six weekly flights): Linking Abu Dhabi directly to Vietnam’s capital for the first time, enhancing trade and tourism ties between the two nations.
- Chiang Mai (3 November, four weekly flights): Opening Northern Thailand to travellers from the Middle East and Europe through Abu Dhabi.
- Hong Kong (3 November, five weekly flights): Reconnecting Abu Dhabi with one of Asia’s premier business and leisure centres, alongside the relaunch of Etihad’s codeshare with Hong Kong Airlines for enhanced connectivity across Asia.
The four new routes bring Etihad’s network to more than 85 destinations, underscoring its pivotal role in connecting Abu Dhabi to the world and driving tourism and economic growth for the UAE.
New flights to Medina
Etihad Airways has also resumed direct service between Abu Dhabi with Medina, one of the most spiritually significant cities in the world and a key destination for visitors performing religious travel throughout the year. The route will support growing demand from pilgrims and travellers across the world seeking seamless connections to Saudi Arabia’s holy city.
With the launch of flights to Medina, Etihad will operate 93 flights per week to five cities across the Kingdom, flying four times per day to Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, and three services per week to Al Qassim.
Expanding footprint
The launch of Medina marks an important milestone in Etihad’s growth strategy, as the airline significantly expands its network across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. This expansion is part of Etihad’s ambitious growth strategy, announcing 31 new destinations in a year.
In October, the carrier inaugurated flights to Medan in Indonesia, Phnom Penh in Cambodia, Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, and Krabi in Thailand.
Etihad will also launch of flights to Kabul, Afghanistan, starting 18 December 2025.
300 Daily Passenger Flights
Etihad Airways now operates 300 scheduled passenger flights per day as of October 2025.
This milestone has been driven by one of Etihad’s most ambitious years of expansion. In September, the airline’s network capacity rose by 25% year-on-year, supported by fleet growth and new route launches.
In September 2025, the airline carried 1.9 million passengers, a 21% increase compared with the same month last year, maintaining a strong 89% passenger load factor. In the first nine months of 2025, Etihad has flown 16.1 million passengers, up 18% year-on-year, demonstrating sustained demand and effective network deployment.
