Etihad Adds Calgary As First Western Canada Destination

Etihad Airways will launch the first-ever nonstop service between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Calgary in November, opening a new long-haul link between the Middle East and Western Canada.

The carrier will begin 4X-weekly flights between Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport and Calgary International Airport on Nov. 3 using Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The route will become Etihad’s westernmost destination in North America.

“The launch of our Abu Dhabi-Calgary service is both a significant and historic step in Etihad’s global expansion,” Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves says. “By creating the only nonstop link between the Middle East and Western Canada, we are opening new opportunities for trade, tourism and investment, while giving travelers direct access to two distinctive and globally important destinations.”

The Calgary service adds to Etihad’s growing North American footprint, which currently includes daily flights to Toronto, Atlanta, Chicago, Boston and Washington Dulles, alongside 2X-daily service to New York John F. Kennedy. The airline is also set to enter the southeastern U.S. market in summer 2026 with 4X-weekly flights to Charlotte. According to OAG Schedules Analyser data, Etihad will offer more than 36,000 two-way weekly seats on North American routes at the height of the 2026 summer season, up nearly 30% year on year.

From Calgary, the new route is expected to support both point-to-point demand and onward connectivity via Abu Dhabi to destinations across the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, Africa and Asia. Chris Dinsdale, president and CEO of Calgary Airports, says the service will significantly enhance the region’s global reach.

The launch follows the expansion of Canada’s bilateral air transport agreement with the UAE, announced by Transport Canada in December 2025. The revised accord increased passenger flight entitlements to 35 weekly frequencies per country and removed limits on all-cargo services, creating additional headroom for long-haul growth between the two markets.

For Etihad, Calgary becomes the latest addition to a network expansion strategy that has recently included new destinations such as Luxembourg and Palma de Mallorca.