Etihad Airways is making waves with the announcement of its first-ever direct flights between Abu Dhabi and Atlanta, starting July 2, 2025. This new route, which will operate four times a week on the state-of-the-art Airbus A350-1000, connects the UAE capital to Atlanta, the world’s busiest airport. Atlanta, as Etihad’s fifth U.S. destination, joins an elite lineup that includes New York, Chicago, Boston, and Washington, D.C.
Departure and arrival times for the flight schedule (local times):
- Abu Dhabi to Atlanta (EY13): Departs 9:30 AM, arrives 4:30 PM (15-hour flight)
- Atlanta to Abu Dhabi (EY14): Departs 10:00 PM, arrives 7:30 AM (+1) (13.5-hour flight)
Covering 6,622 nautical miles, this route ranks as Atlanta’s fourth-longest, after Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Addis Ababa.
Onboard Comfort
Passengers traveling on the Etihad Airways Airbus A350 can look forward to a premium flying experience.
Business Class: 44 lie-flat seats with aisle access for privacy and comfort.
Economy Class: 327 ergonomically designed seats for long-haul comfort.
When flying to the US, passengers flying from Abu Dhabi may take US immigration procedures at the Preclearance unit and arrive in Atlanta as domestic travelers.
Etihad’s Focus on Atlanta’s Connecting Markets
Atlanta serves as a vital hub with strong demand for connections to South Asia and Africa. Although direct Abu Dhabi-Atlanta traffic is relatively small, with only 3,500 annual passengers, Etihad aims to tap into major connecting markets, including:
- Mumbai: 55,000 passengers annually
- Delhi: 53,000
- Hyderabad: 36,000
- Johannesburg: 32,000
- Additional cities: Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Nairobi, Dhaka, and Karachi.
Competitive Landscape
Etihad will compete with British Airways, Lufthansa, and Qatar Airways as it becomes Atlanta’s 12th long-haul airline, with Emirates expected to escalate competition in 2025 by launching daily flights using the Airbus A350-900.
Part of Etihad’s Global Expansion
Atlanta is one of ten new destinations Etihad plans to launch in 2025. Other cities include Taipei, Tunis, and Hanoi. The airline will also introduce the Airbus A321LR for seven of these routes, targeting secondary cities that larger aircraft cannot serve efficiently.
By 2025, Etihad aims to:
- Operate 90+ destinations across 50 countries.
- Carry 20 million passengers annually.
- Bring over a million tourists and business travelers directly to Abu Dhabi, advancing the UAE’s vision of being a premier international hub.
Fleet and Route Optimization
Etihad relies on the A321LR to access secondary markets with modest demand, while the A350-1000 handles high-demand, long-haul destinations like Atlanta with efficiency.
What Does This Mean for Travelers?
The new Atlanta route from Etihad opens fresh travel opportunities for passengers in the southeastern U.S., offering seamless connections to South Asia and Africa, including Atlanta to India flights.
- Effortless connectivity.
- Premium onboard experience.
- Time-saving U.S. Preclearance benefits.
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