Etihad increases its China operations with new routes and expanded weekly flight capacity.
Dubai: Etihad Airways is expanding its presence in China with five new routes and an additional 28 weekly flights.
The expansion will increase Etihad’s mainland China operations to 35 weekly flights across six destinations, including its existing daily service to Beijing Daxing, marking one of the airline’s largest capacity increases in a single market in recent years.
The new services will connect Abu Dhabi with Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Shenzhen, with flights scheduled to roll out between October 2026 and March 2027. All routes will be operated using Boeing 787-9 aircraft, ensuring a consistent widebody experience across the network.
“The ties between the UAE and China continue to flourish,” said Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of Etihad Airways. “Today’s announcement reflects the enduring strength and growing promise of our cooperation. The expanded network, made possible by our long-standing partnership with China Eastern, connects unique tourism destinations with burgeoning trading hubs, delivering shared and lasting economic prosperity and value to our people.”
Capacity and connectivity rise together
The additional flights are expected to improve access to key Chinese cities at the centre of manufacturing, technology, and financial activity, while also increasing cargo capacity across major export corridors.
Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves said China remains a strategically important market and a key pillar of the airline’s network growth. “This expansion represents a significant increase in capacity and a clear signal of our long-term commitment to the market,” he said. “By adding five new destinations and increasing frequencies, we are strengthening connectivity across one of the world’s most important economic corridors. This will support growing demand for travel and trade, while creating new opportunities for cargo, business and tourism.”
Joint venture drives expansion
All new routes will be integrated into Etihad’s joint venture with China Eastern Airlines, enabling coordinated schedules and expanded network access for passengers travelling between the two countries.
China Eastern currently operates routes connecting Shanghai, Kunming, and Xi’an with the UAE, enabling deeper connectivity across multiple entry points into China.
Etihad’s cargo partnership with SF Airlines will further enhance freight movement across key trade corridors, particularly for high-value and time-sensitive goods.
