Etihad Airways will operate its newly announced Gothenburg service year-round. Announced just three weeks ago originally as a winter route running from 17 December 2026 to 21 March 2027, Abu Dhabi–Gothenburg will now continue beyond the season as a year-round part of the network, following exceptional demand since bookings opened.
Demand has come from both ends of the route. Travellers in western Sweden have booked travel to Abu Dhabi and the wider Gulf, on to Asia and the Indian subcontinent. In the other direction, guests across Etihad’s global network are seizing the chance to discover Sweden’s west coast.
Arik De, Etihad Airways Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer, said: “Three weeks in, the market has told us we underestimated Gothenburg, and we are glad to be corrected. The strength of demand this early gives us the confidence to make Gothenburg a year-round service before the first flight has even taken off.
“Western Sweden has been waiting for this connection and the response has come from both ends of the route. Sweden’s biggest gem is being discovered, and we are pleased to be the airline opening Gothenburg to Abu Dhabi and beyond.”
For travellers from western Sweden, the new year-round service puts Abu Dhabi within direct reach in every season. Beyond its beaches, dining, culture and entertainment, the capital is also a gateway to Etihad’s wider network across Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Guests connecting through Abu Dhabi can turn their journey into a visit of its own, with up to two complimentary hotel nights through Etihad’s Abu Dhabi Stopover programme.
In the other direction, year-round service opens up a different side of Gothenburg. Summer brings long, light evenings, cafés and food markets, parks and open water in the heart of the city, and a coastline of islands that begins where the tram line ends. Under the original schedule, the route would have closed before the Swedish summer began. It will now operate through it.
Gothenburg is the fifteenth new destination Etihad has launched in 2026, in a year that has added cities across Europe, Asia and Africa. It also demonstrates what the Airbus A321LR makes possible: bringing Etihad’s full three-cabin long-haul experience to new markets with an aircraft that provides the right capacity and economics to sustain direct connectivity.
Mats Johannesson, CEO of Swedavia Airports, said: “When this route was announced last month it was warmly received here, and to see it extended to a year-round schedule within three weeks says a great deal about the appetite in West Sweden for direct connections to Abu Dhabi and Etihad’s global network. Travellers and companies in the region can already book and plan around this service in any season, and we look forward to welcoming the first flight in December.”
Abu Dhabi–Gothenburg begins on 17 December 2026 with four flights a week, operated by the Airbus A321LR with two First Suites, 14 Business seats and 144 in Economy. First and Business feature fully flat beds with direct aisle access, and Economy has 13.3-inch 4K touchscreens. High-speed Wi-Fi is available across all cabins. From Abu Dhabi, guests connect to Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Singapore, Hanoi, Bali, Shanghai, Taipei, Bengaluru and Colombo among others.
Bookings are open at etihad.com.
