Etihad Airways, the UAE's national carrier, announced its intention to increase flight frequencies to key destinations in the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. The expansion includes more flights to Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Amman in Jordan, Beirut in Lebanon, Colombo in Sri Lanka, and Kolkata and Bangalore in India. This initiative is part of Etihad's ambitious plan to broaden Abu Dhabi's global connectivity, offering passengers greater flexibility in their travel options, as stated by the airline.

Etihad's Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer, Arik De, stated that the recent upticks in flight frequencies complement the airline's seamless connections at Abu Dhabi. The expanding global network aims to offer passengers greater flexibility in choosing travel times and facilitates enjoyable layovers or visits in Abu Dhabi as an integral part of their journey. The improved flight schedules include plans for Etihad to operate 28 weekly flights to Jeddah and Riyadh starting from March 15, along with 11 weekly flights to Amman beginning June 15. There will also be increased frequencies to Beirut (7 per week), Colombo (17 per week), Kolkata (8 per week), and Bangalore (17 per week).

In the earlier part of the year, Etihad announced the introduction of new flights to Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram in India, Boston in the United States, and Nairobi in Africa. Commencing February 22, the airline is set to provide 17 weekly flights to Bangkok, Thailand, and 14 to Colombo (starting May 1). Etihad also recently launched a brief three-day sale, allowing passengers to secure round-trip Economy class flights for as low as Dhs835. The sale, applicable to selected destinations, covered travel dates from January 23 to June 15, providing travelers with economical options for holiday plans, including those during Ramadan. Return flights to the newly-added city of Kozhikode, in the Etihad Airways flash sale, were available starting at Dhs745.