Etihad Airways expands its Saudi Arabia network with launch of flights to Medina

Etihad will operate five weekly flights to Medina using its Airbus A321 aircraft, increasing to six weekly flights later this year.

Etihad Airways has commenced flights from Abu Dhabi to Medina this week, further expanding the airline’s strong footprint in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The resumed direct service connects Abu Dhabi with Medina, one of the most spiritually significant cities in the world and a key destination for visitors performing religious travel throughout the year. The route will support growing demand from pilgrims and travellers across the world seeking seamless connections to the Kingdom’s holy city.

Medina becomes the latest addition to Etihad’s operations in the Kingdom, reinforcing the UAE’s national carrier as a major facilitator of travel to and from Saudi Arabia. With the launch of flights to Medina, Etihad will operate 93 flights per week to five cities across the Kingdom, flying four times per day to Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, and three services per week to Al Qassim. This expansion is part of Etihad’s ambitious growth strategy, announcing 31 new destinations in a year.

Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer at Etihad Airways, said: “The launch of Medina reflects our commitment to strengthening connectivity from Abu Dhabi to Saudi Arabia, one of our most important markets. Medina carries profound cultural and spiritual significance for millions of people, and we are honoured to provide convenient travel through Abu Dhabi to this culturally and spiritually important city. With this new route, we look forward to supporting religious travel and providing guests with greater access, choice and convenience through our home in Abu Dhabi.”

The launch of Medina marks an important milestone in Etihad’s growth strategy, as the airline significantly expands its network across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. In October, the UAE’s national carrier inaugurated flights to Sumatra (Medan), Phnom Penh, Addis Ababa, and Krabi, while this November the airline has already launched flights to Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Hong Kong and Tunis.