Etihad Airways is expanding its route map into Delta’s backyard with the launch of flights between Abu Dhabi and Atlanta. The new route is one of ten announced by the Abu Dhabi based carrier in its largest route expansion ever.
Etihad has quite a few planes on order and, as part of the airline’s Journey 2030 plan, you can expect to see even more route announcements in the coming years. Etihad has plans to expand its network to over 125 destinations while doubling its fleet to over 160 aircraft. The primary focus of Journey 2030 involves connecting short and medium-haul destinations in the GCC, India, and Asia with long-haul destinations in Europe and North America.
Antonoaldo Neves, Etihad’s Chief Executive Officer, said this about the new routes:
“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.”
Etihad will operate its Airbus A350-1000 on the route between Zayed International Airport (AUH) and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) beginning on July 2, 2025. The flight will operate 4x weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays on the following schedule:
Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Atlanta (ATL)
EY13 Departs: 9:30a Arrives: 4:30p
Atlanta (ATL) to Abu Dhabi (AUH)
EY14 Departs: 8:00p Arrives: 7:30p (+1)
The route is currently on sale via the Etihad website though, at the time of publication, I’m not seeing the flights on Google Flights yet.
While I haven’t flown on Etihad’s A350-1000, I have flown on the carriers Boeing 787-9 and 787-10, both of which were very pleasant. The A350 is one of my favorite planes and hopefully I’ll have the chance to try Etihad’s version on this route at some point.
With Etihad planning such a large expansion, and the launch of flights to Atlanta, I have to wonder if the airline is planning a partnership with Delta at some point in the future. American and Qatar Airways are both members of the OneWorld alliance while United and Emirates also have a partnership.
Etihad is by far the smallest of the ME3 carriers and Delta has announced a partnership with the new Saudi Arabian carrier Riyadh Air so, it will be interesting to see how this develops, if it does at all.
Summary
Etihad Airways just announced its largest single expansion ever with ten new routes. One of those routes will see the Abu Dhabi based carrier flying 4x weekly between it’s home and the home of Delta Air Lines in Atlanta. Is this the first move towards a partnership between the two carriers?
