Etihad Airways is to resumes twice daily flights from Dublin to Abu Dhabi from April 2026 as demand from Irish travellers grows by 19pc.
The carrier will operate ten weekly services from 29 March 2026 and adding a third daily flight from 6 April.
During an update for the Irish travel trade at the Dylan Hotel in Dublin Jeremy Pollock general manager for the airline in London said forward bookings were strong and Irish passenger numbers up 19pc year on year.
The expansion restores pre-pandemic capacity on the route which Etihad launched in 2007 and deploys Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 787-9 aircraft with no plans to introduce the A321 LR model on Dublin services despite acquiring several from Airbus.
Alpna Matthews regional general manager Etihad noted the carrier received 15 aircraft in 2025 including Boeing deliveries and works on a retrofit programme for its Boeing fleet while expanding to 160 aircraft by 2030 from 115.
The briefing highlighted new destinations for Irish customers in 2026 with Etihad connecting to over 100 points in Asia Australia and the Indian Ocean via Abu Dhabi and predicts greater flexibility for passengers and cargo.
Dublin Airport capacity constraints do not hinder the plans as Etihad receives clearance to proceed with the increase which adds seats for business and economy travellers. The airline reports no disruptions from global supply chain issues this year and attributes growth to upgraded products and seamless connections.
Irish travel agents received details on booking incentives and promotional support for the route with Etihad committing to partnerships in the market. The update follows frequency rises to ten weekly flights from late July 2024 to 26 October 2024 and aligns with winter expansions by other Gulf carriers at Dublin.
Matthews shared that Irish customers book routes to emerging Asia-Pacific points while Pollock adds the move creates options for leisure and business travel. Etihad positions the service as a gateway for Irish passengers to Abu Dhabi and beyond with the carrier handling cargo growth alongside passenger demand.
Jeremy Pollock shared, “This marks the full restoration of our pre-pandemic capacity.”
Alpna Matthews shared, “Irish customers were booking new destinations that the airline planned to add next year.”
