Etihad Airways is increasing its presence in China with five new routes and 28 additional weekly flights.

The expansion will lift Etihad’s mainland China operations to 35 weekly flights across six destinations, including its existing daily service to Beijing Daxing, marking one of the airline’s largest capacity additions in a single market in recent years.

Flights will connect Abu Dhabi with Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Shenzhen, with services rolled out between October 2026 and March 2027. All routes will be operated using Boeing 787-9 aircraft, maintaining a consistent widebody offering across the network.

“The ties between the UAE and China continue to flourish, with today’s announcement reflecting the enduring strength and growing promise of our cooperation," said Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of Etihad Airways. "The expanded network, made possible by our long-standing partnership with China Eastern, connects unique tourism destinations with burgeoning trading hubs, delivering shared and lasting economic prosperity and value to our people.”

Capacity and connectivity rise together

The additional flights are expected to improve access to key Chinese cities that sit at the centre of manufacturing, technology and financial activity, while also increasing cargo capacity across major export corridors.

“China is a strategically important market for Etihad and a key pillar of our network growth. This expansion represents a significant increase in capacity and a clear signal of our long-term commitment to the market," said Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways. “By adding five new destinations and increasing frequencies, we are strengthening connectivity across one of the world’s most important economic corridors. This will support growing demand for travel and trade, while creating new opportunities for cargo, business and tourism.”

Joint venture drives expansion

All new routes will be integrated into Etihad’s joint venture with China Eastern Airlines, enabling coordinated schedules and broader network access for passengers travelling between the two countries.

China Eastern currently operates routes linking Shanghai, Kunming and Xi’an with the UAE, allowing for deeper connectivity across multiple entry points into China.

Etihad’s cargo partnership with SF Airlines will further support freight movement across key trade lanes, particularly for high-value and time-sensitive goods.

Source: Gulf News