ABU DHABI / RankWire.AI / – Etihad Airways is set to introduce year-round flights connecting Abu Dhabi with Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast starting on Oct. 4, 2026. The new service will link Zayed International Airport to Red Sea International Airport in Tabuk Province. Initially, the airline will operate one flight per week, increasing to two weekly flights from Oct. 25. The journey lasts just over three hours and marks the addition of a sixth destination within Saudi Arabia to Etihad’s route network.
The airline plans to operate this route using an Airbus A320 equipped with eight Business Class seats and 150 Economy Class seats. According to Etihad, travelers from across its global network will be able to reach the Red Sea with a single connection in Abu Dhabi, including passengers arriving from the Gulf region and the Indian subcontinent. Tickets for the route are already available via Etihad’s booking platform for travel starting on the launch date. This new route joins Etihad’s existing Saudi destinations of Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Medina, and Al Qassim.
This service creates a direct link between Abu Dhabi and a Saudi coastal location that has expanded its scheduled international flights since opening. Red Sea International Airport, which commenced domestic operations in 2023, added international services in 2024. Qatar Airways began flights from Doha to the airport in October 2025, following flydubai’s inaugural international flight from Dubai in April 2024. Red Sea Global developed the airport to serve as the primary aviation gateway for The Red Sea destination.
Route broadens Etihad’s Saudi Arabia network
Located along Saudi Arabia’s northwestern coastline, the Red Sea destination encompasses islands, reefs, lagoons, mangroves, and inland mountain terrains. According to Red Sea Global, the broader area welcomed its first visitors in 2023. The company, a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, is responsible for developing The Red Sea and AMAALA tourism projects. Red Sea International Airport functions as the main air gateway to The Red Sea development, operating with renewable energy sources for its airside activities, including key lighting and navigation systems.
Etihad’s current Saudi routes include Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Medina, and Al Qassim, with Red Sea International Airport poised to become the sixth destination. The airline emphasizes Saudi Arabia as one of its most significant regional markets, with consistent business, family, and religious travel throughout the year. The addition of the Red Sea route introduces a leisure-focused destination to the network, maintaining Abu Dhabi as the central hub. Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves highlighted that the new route places islands and reefs within a short flight from Abu Dhabi.
Airport extends another direct Gulf connection
The airport was developed and delivered by Red Sea Global, with daa International operating it. Domestic flights commenced in September 2023, followed by the first international route from Dubai in April 2024. As airlines expanded scheduled services, Red Sea Global added more routes, emphasizing the airport’s role in serving visitors to resorts across the coastal development. Transfers to individual resorts can be made via electric vehicle, boat, or seaplane from the airport.
The inaugural Abu Dhabi to Red Sea International flight from Etihad is scheduled for Oct. 4, with the twice-weekly service commencing three weeks later. The airline’s website already offers bookable tickets for the route. The Airbus A320 aircraft configuration will provide 158 seats per flight. Etihad intends for the route to operate year-round, with no announced seasonal end date. With this launch, the airline adds another nonstop connection linking the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.