Etihad Airways launches historic 6 daily flights between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi
In 2025, over 300,000 passengers traveled from Israel to Abu Dhabi, with an average occupancy rate of around 90 percent
Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, announced Tuesday that it will operate a historic six daily flights between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi, marking the first time in the airline’s history that a route to Israel surpasses five daily flights.
The service, which began on June 15, will provide a total of 42 weekly flights.
The Israeli station, managed by Ran Pollak under Maman Aviation, ranks fifth among European countries in terms of activity volume, following Germany, France, Spain, and Italy. In 2025, over 300,000 passengers traveled from Israel to Abu Dhabi, with an average occupancy rate of around 90 percent.
Approximately 30 percent of travelers stayed in Abu Dhabi for vacation, while the remaining 70 percent continued on connecting flights across the East.
Popular connecting destinations this year for Israeli travelers include Thailand, which saw a 30 percent increase in visitors compared to last year; Tokyo, up 250 percent; South Korea, up 80 percent; and the Philippines, with a 70 percent rise.
The sixth daily flight will be operated by an Airbus A321 with 188 seats. The new schedule includes a 15:00 departure from Tel Aviv, arriving in Abu Dhabi at 19:15, and a return flight leaving Abu Dhabi at 08:45, landing in Tel Aviv at 11:00. Etihad also noted that tickets for early June flights to Bangkok are available from $960, compared with the average market price of around $1,200 for flights with one stopover.
“The decision to operate six daily flights to Israel for the first time in Etihad’s history is a significant milestone,” Pollak said. “It reflects our commitment to strengthening the air link between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi and connecting Israel to the world through Etihad’s global network.”