Etihad Makes New UAE-Sweden Route Year-Round Following Strong Booking Demand.
Dubai: Etihad Airways will operate its new Abu Dhabi-Gothenburg service year-round, extending the route just three weeks after bookings opened following what the airline described as exceptionally strong demand from both markets.
The inaugural Abu Dhabi-Gothenburg flight is scheduled for December 17, 2026.
The service was initially announced as a winter route, operating from December 17, 2026, to March 21, 2027. It will now operate year-round, including through the Swedish summer, giving travellers from the UAE a new direct option for reaching Sweden’s west coast.
The route will operate four times a week from December 17, using Etihad’s Airbus A321LR.
Demand grows
Etihad said bookings have been strong in both western Sweden and across its wider global network. Gothenburg is the 15th new destination the airline has launched in 2026, as part of an expansion that has added cities across Europe, Asia and Africa.
Arik De, Etihad Airways Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer, said the airline had underestimated demand for the new route.
“Three weeks in, the market has told us we underestimated Gothenburg, and we are glad to be corrected,” he said.
He added that the strong booking response ahead of the inaugural flight had given Etihad the confidence to operate the route year-round.
Under the original schedule, the service was due to end before the start of the Swedish summer season.
For UAE travellers, the year-round service provides direct access to Gothenburg beyond the winter season. Passengers can also connect via Abu Dhabi to destinations including Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Singapore, Hanoi, Bali, Shanghai, Taipei, Bengaluru and Colombo.
Travellers transiting through Abu Dhabi can also take advantage of Etihad’s Abu Dhabi Stopover programme, which offers up to two complimentary nights at participating hotels.
Mats Johannesson, CEO of Swedavia Airports, said the decision to extend the route just three weeks after bookings opened demonstrated strong demand in western Sweden for direct connections to Abu Dhabi and Etihad’s wider global network.
