Etihad Airways is expanding its new direct route between Gothenburg and Abu Dhabi to year-round service even before the first departure. The airline cites strong booking demand since sales opened in August. The premiere will take place on December 17, 2026.
The new route from Gothenburg Landvetter to Abu Dhabi was announced in August and was initially scheduled to operate for a limited period. After just a few weeks of sales, Etihad has now decided to maintain the service year-round.
The route has four departures a week and is operated with an Airbus A321LR. The aircraft has 160 seats divided into First, Business and Economy Class.
Demand from both directions
According to Etihad, bookings have been strong both from Western Sweden and from travelers in the airline's international network.
For Swedish travelers, Abu Dhabi provides access to Etihad's onward connections to the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia and Australia, among other destinations. At the same time, the airline sees demand for travel to Gothenburg from other parts of the network.
“Three weeks after booking opened, the market has shown that we underestimated Gothenburg, and we are pleased to have revised our view. The fact that we were able to confirm a year-round route at such an early stage in the sales period is a strong signal,” says Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer at Etihad Airways.
Swedavia: High demand has existed for a long time
Swedavia sees the decision as a sign that there is a large base for long-haul travel from Western Sweden.
– The fact that Etihad is expanding even before the start of traffic is excellent news and a clear sign that there has long been a high demand for a direct connection between Gothenburg and the United Arab Emirates, says Swedavia's CEO Mats Johannesson.
He also points to Western Sweden's trade relations with Asia and the demand for private travel to the region.
Etihad's first flight between Gothenburg and Abu Dhabi will depart on December 17. After that, the route will be operated four times a week all year round.
