Etihad Airways has kicked off its largest summer schedule in the airline’s history, operating more than 300 daily flights with load factors approaching 90 percent as demand through Abu Dhabi’s hub continues to climb.
The carrier added 23 aircraft to its fleet ahead of the season and increased overall capacity 10 percent year-over-year. The expansion sprint was aggressive: between June 11 and June 14, Etihad launched four new international routes in four days — Kraków, Palma de Mallorca, Damascus, and Zanzibar City. Five seasonal favorites also returned, including Mykonos, Santorini, Málaga, Nice, and El Alamein.
The headline add for travelers routing through Abu Dhabi this summer: Etihad has partnered with the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism to offer complimentary medical travel insurance to international visitors flying in on Etihad-operated flights. The coverage runs July through December 2026, providing up to 15 days of medical protection in the UAE — including for passengers on Etihad’s stopover program.
For business travelers connecting through Abu Dhabi, the stopover insurance perk is worth knowing about before you book.
Why It Matters: Etihad is quietly building a serious case as an alternative Gulf hub to Emirates and Qatar Airways. A 90 percent load factor at peak season, 300-plus daily flights, and free medical coverage for stopover passengers are the kind of details that matter when you’re choosing which Middle East hub to connect through this summer.
Source: Emirati Times
