Middle Eastern carrier Etihad Airways announced Monday it will fly to Atlanta from its hub in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, starting in July 2025.
Etihad, a national flag carrier of the UAE, called Atlanta “a bustling metropolis and a major business and transportation hub,” according to Monday’s news release. The Atlanta-Abu Dhabi route will launch July 2 with four flights a week on Airbus A350 wide-body jets.
Etihad already flies to New York, Chicago, Boston and Washington, D.C., from its hub at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi.
Etihad joins a roster of about 15 foreign carriers with passenger flights at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, with Scandinavian Airlines launching service this year.
Middle Eastern aviation connections to Atlanta are also growing. Hartsfield-Jackson already has Qatar Airways service to Doha, Qatar’s capital. Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines this year announced a partnership agreement with Saudi Arabian startup carrier Riyadh Air and a code-share marketing agreement with Saudi Arabian national flag carrier Saudia.
When asked during a media briefing if Etihad may partner with Delta or join its global SkyTeam airline alliance, Etihad Chief Commercial and Revenue Officer Arik De said “we have a firm belief that we or any destination should be able to stand on its own feet.”
Partnerships are “icing on the cake, but we don’t really focus on that when we make our decisions,” De added, according to a transcript of the media briefing. The Atlanta-to-Abu Dhabi route also could serve to improve Georgia’s connections to India.
“Atlanta is one of the five fastest-growing regions in the U.S.,” De said. “The metropolitan Atlanta and wider Georgia area is significant in terms of Indian diaspora, and we would be the fastest link between India and Atlanta.”
He said there are many multinational companies in Atlanta, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Preclearance system to clear U.S. Customs in Abu Dhabi before flying to the U.S. is also “a big advantage.”
“Our commitment to Atlanta is a reflection of the diversity and economic presence of the city, more than anything else at this time,” De said.
Etihad is growing its fleet and has increased its passenger traffic by more than 80% since 2022. The announcement Monday included Atlanta as one of 10 new Etihad destinations, with the rest in other countries around the world.
Atlanta is “one of the wealthiest cities in the West,” and Etihad’s flight will be the only link from the UAE, Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves said.
Etihad said the expansion adds new destinations for customers and will also bring “tens of thousands of new visitors directly to Abu Dhabi.” The company cited the city’s weather, cuisine, theme parks and beaches.
Etihad also has a free stopover program through a partnership with the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, allowing customers to add a stopover in Abu Dhabi with a complimentary hotel stay.
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