Etihad announces ten new routes… with a lot of Airbus A321LR action

After playing secret squirrel for a week, Etihad Airways has announced its planned expansion, with 10 new destinations joining the network.

Etihad Airbus A350-1000 landing at Chicago O’Hare. Image, Economy Class and Beyond.

They are:

• Algiers: The capital of Algeria.
• Atlanta: The state capital of Georgia, Atlanta in the USA
• Chiang Mai: Northern Thailand
• Hanoi: The capital of Vietnam,
• Hong Kong: The Special Administrative Region.
• Krabi: Southern Thailand
• Medan: The gateway to the island of Sumatra, Indonesia
• Phnom Penh: The capital of Cambodia
• Taipei: The capital of Tawain
• Tunis: The capital of Tunisia

The new routes will be operated with a mixture of Airbus A350-1000, Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A321LR aircraft.

The new route map – Image, Etihad Airways.

The planned deployment is below with frequencies and operating dates – with a number of these routes operating seasonally. Note the aircraft type – We’ll get back to them later.

The new routes will complement Etihad’s previously revealed new destinations for 2025: Prague, Warsaw, and Al Alamein.

This announcement, part of the airline’s rapid expansion programme, fulfils its promise to provide guests with a route map featuring destinations they want to fly to, with connections and frequencies that suit their needs. It also allows Abu Dhabi to extend its renowned hospitality to more visitors from around the globe as a world-class tourism and business hub.

In Quotes

Antonoaldo Neves, Etihad’s Chief Executive Officer, said:

“This expansion reflects our commitment to listening to our valued guests. We’ve carefully chosen cities that embody the experiences, adventures, and opportunities that matter to them. Whether seeking inspiring landscapes, vibrant cultural experiences, reuniting with family and friends, pursuing business growth, or educational journeys, our new routes will help make their travel dreams a reality.

“This moment is not just about expanding our network; it’s about sharing Abu Dhabi with the world. With its endless sunshine, diverse cuisine, rich culture, exhilarating family theme parks, and safe, beautiful beaches, Abu Dhabi offers something for everyone. Our expanded network will make it easier than ever for guests to experience everything our home city has to offer.

“Launching ten new destinations in a single day underscores our unwavering commitment to growing our airline with a fantastic route network and world-class, customer-focused service. This incredible milestone would not have been possible without the extraordinary efforts of our team and the ongoing support of our guests.”

He adds

“The launch of these ten destinations is supported by our impressive hub, Zayed International Airport, which boasts the ‘wow’ factor and ample space to accommodate our rapid growth, further enhancing the exceptional guest experience,” 

“2025 marks a pivotal year for Etihad, with more than 90 destinations in over 50 countries, a fleet of more than 110 aircraft – including our amazing new A321LRs – welcoming over 20 million guests onboard. Most importantly, it will support us in bringing over a million visitors to Abu Dhabi to enjoy our home

Enter the Airbus A321LR

It’s interesting to see that Etihad is putting a lot of faith in the incoming Airbus A321LR aircraft that are due to join its fleet, with seven of the new routes using the type – on pretty reasonable length routes to Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam – not short distances. Working through the Great Circle Mapper and distances:

• Hanoi – 3,252 miles
• Phnom Penh – 3,401 miles
• Chiang Mai – 2,866 miles
• Medan – 3,273  miles
• Krabi – 3,134  miles
• Algiers – 3,141 miles
• Tunis – 2,754 miles

It shows the flexibility of the type to get passengers from A to B, whilst also working on the “thin and long” routes that the type can achieve.  Although these segments might feel long, with up to six hours in the air.

We’ll have to see if Etihad can push the passenger experience forward in its Airbus A321LR fleet – and if it drives growth so that larger aircraft and frequencies can serve these new destinations.

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