Etihad Expands To 76 Destinations With Airbus A320s To Saudi Arabia’s Al Qassim

In most parts of the world, Etihad Airways is known for its ultra-luxurious long-haul flights across continents, but it also has a thriving short-haul network served mainly by Airbus A320 Family aircraft. Last Friday, the full-service carrier announced adding a new route from Abu Dhabi to Al Qassim in Saudi Arabia, which will commence in June.

Etihad is gearing up for summer

Etihad Airways (Etihad) also announced increasing service frequencies to several key destinations and will start flights to Antalya in Turkey and Jaipur in India. The latest expansion is part of an overall 33% increase in the airline’s weekly flights, growing from 642 last summer to 855 in 2024, and extends the network from 56 to 76 destinations.

Photo: Etihad Airways 

Etihad added the new route to Al Qassim to broaden its network and enhance connectivity within the Middle East. Al Qassim is Etihad’s fourth destination in Saudi Arabia. From June 24, 2024, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates will connect Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport (AUH) directly to Al Qassim’s Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz International Airport (ELQ).

Etihad flight EY0627, operated with an Airbus A320, will depart Abu Dhabi at 08:00 on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and arrive in Al Qassim at 09:10. The return flight EY0628 departs ELQ at 10:15 and arrives in Abu Dhabi at 13:20, with the route designed to meet the needs of both business travelers and tourists.

Etihad’s Chief Revenue Officer, Arik De, said that launching the new service to Al Qassim this year is not just about introducing a new destination; it’s also a celebration of Etihad’s 20 years of connecting Abu Dhabi with the rich culture and economic opportunities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“This move is aligned with our mission to deliver extraordinary experiences and the opportunity to explore the unique allure of both Abu Dhabi and our new destinations, like Al Qassim. We’re proud to expand our services within the Kingdom and look forward to welcoming passengers to experience our renowned hospitality and service.”

Al Qassim offers a blend of traditional Saudi culture and contemporary attractions and is celebrated for its lush date palm groves, rich cultural heritage and lively markets. Arik De also pointed to the exceptional experience guests will enjoy in Terminal A at Zayed International, the new home of Etihad that “redefines the benchmarks for travel comfort and service excellence, ensuring a memorable journey from start to finish.”

More expansion as the network grows

Etihad is also increasing service frequency to five destinations and said that the previously announced routes to Antalya and Jaipur will start on June 15. The five destinations to receive more services are Thiruvananthapuram (India), Amman (Jordan), Cairo (Egypt), Karachi (Pakistan) and Colombo (Sri Lanka).

Photo: Airbus

The weekly flights to Thiruvananthapuram and Amman will be increased by three to bring the weekly services to 10 and 14, respectively. Three more flights will be added to Cairo for a total of 24, Karachi increasing to 17 and Colombo to 20 weekly flights, with these services taking Etihad’s total weekly flights to 855.

According to fleet data from Planespotters.net, Etihad has a fleet of 89 aircraft, including 14 Airbus A320s, nine A321s, five A350s, four A380s, nine Boeing 777s, 33 787-9 Dreamliners, 10 787-10 Dreamliners and five Boeing 777F freighters. With a passenger fleet of 23 single-aisle jets and 61 twin-aisle aircraft, it is well-balanced to serve its 76 destinations with a mix of short and long-haul services.