Etihad Airways to launch year-round Abu Dhabi–Red Sea service

Etihad Airways will launch a year-round service between Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Airport starting October 4, 2026. The route will initially operate one weekly flight every Sunday using an Airbus A320, with a second weekly service on Thursdays scheduled to begin on October 25.

The new service aims to enhance connectivity to the kingdom’s emerging tourism developments, including the Red Sea and AMAALA projects. Red Sea International Airport, operated by daa International, is being developed to serve one million passengers annually by 2030 and serves as a gateway to several luxury resorts currently open or under development along the western coast.

Through Etihad’s network, travelers from the Gulf, the Indian subcontinent, and beyond can access the Red Sea destination via a single connection in Abu Dhabi. The airline's expansion marks its sixth destination in Saudi Arabia, joining Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Medina, and Al Qassim.