Etihad Airways is preparing for a transformative year in 2026, unveiling a wave of new routes that will tighten the aviation links between Abu Dhabi and a widening constellation of cities across the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe and North America. At the same time, fellow Gulf and regional carriers such as Emirates, Air Arabia and the fast-rising Riyadh Air are pushing ahead with complementary expansions of their own. Although there is no formal joint network between these airlines, the combined effect of their schedules will give travelers in 2026 an unprecedented level of connectivity across key markets from the Gulf to the Caucasus and beyond, effectively uniting their hubs into a powerful super-corridor for tourism, business and religious travel.

Etihad’s 2026 network push from Abu Dhabi

Etihad Airways has made clear that 2026 will be a milestone year in its strategy to grow Abu Dhabi as a global connecting hub. After several years of restructuring and consolidation, the airline is now firmly in expansion mode, rolling out new destinations in waves that are designed to feed both point-to-point demand and long-haul transfer traffic. By late 2025 the carrier had already added more than 30 destinations in a 12‑month period and was serving over 80 cities worldwide, setting the stage for a more ambitious 2026 schedule.

From March 2026, Etihad will introduce a series of new routes across Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Gulf. Services to Almaty in Kazakhstan, Baku in Azerbaijan, Bucharest in Romania, Tbilisi in Georgia, Tashkent in Uzbekistan and Yerevan in Armenia are all scheduled to launch around mid‑March, creating a dense arc of connectivity across a region that has seen strong outbound and inbound demand from the UAE. Alongside these, flights to Medina in Saudi Arabia will support religious tourism flows, with services ramping up around March after an initial start in late 2025.

The airline is also extending its long‑haul reach. In November 2026, Etihad will inaugurate flights between Abu Dhabi and Calgary, adding a second Canadian destination and giving travelers in western Canada more direct access to the Gulf and onward connections into Asia and Africa. In parallel, the carrier plans to deploy its Airbus A380 on the Abu Dhabi to Tokyo Narita route from June 2026, signaling confidence in premium and leisure demand on one of its key Asian corridors.

A central thread in Etihad’s 2026 expansion is the strengthening of air links within the Gulf Cooperation Council and neighboring Saudi Arabia. Medina’s inclusion in the network underscores the importance of religious tourism as the kingdom continues its broader efforts to welcome more international visitors. The Abu Dhabi to Medina route will cater to pilgrims traveling for Umrah and other religious occasions, while also serving family and business travel between the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

These new Etihad services will sit alongside a growing patchwork of links from other regional carriers. Emirates is expanding its reach into Northern Europe and strengthening flows into Dubai, while Air Arabia is adding more low‑cost point‑to‑point options from Sharjah, including busy trunk routes to the United Kingdom. For travelers, the net result is a tighter mesh of flight options that make multi‑stop itineraries across the Gulf and Saudi Arabia more feasible, whether via Abu Dhabi, Dubai or Sharjah.

The emerging presence of Riyadh Air further reshapes the landscape. Based in the Saudi capital and backed by the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, the carrier has begun operations on a limited basis and expects to open sales to the general public in early 2026, following initial services to London Heathrow and Dubai. As Riyadh Air gradually adds more destinations, its network will complement the existing Saudi hubs and deepen two‑way flows between Riyadh, the UAE and major markets in Europe and Asia, reinforcing the Gulf’s role as a global aviation crossroads.

Riyadh Air’s entry and the rise of a new Saudi hub

Riyadh Air is one of the most closely watched airline launches in recent years. After operating early flights in late 2025 between Riyadh and London on a restricted basis, chiefly for staff and affiliates, the airline is preparing to open its doors more widely. Executives have indicated that commercial sales for the general public are due to start in the first quarter of 2026, once the carrier has at least three aircraft available and operational teething issues have been addressed.

Beyond London and Dubai, Riyadh Air is working on a first wave of additional destinations, widely expected to include key business and leisure markets in Europe and Asia. While specific routes have not all been disclosed, the ambition is clear: to establish Riyadh as a major long‑haul hub that can rival established centers in the wider Gulf. This aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy, which places tourism and aviation at the heart of the kingdom’s economic diversification program.

For Etihad and its neighbors, Riyadh Air’s emergence is more complement than threat. Instead of cannibalizing traffic, a strong Riyadh hub may broaden the region’s overall appeal, increasing total demand for Gulf stopovers, multi‑city itineraries and niche routes. Travelers could, for example, fly from North America to Abu Dhabi on Etihad, connect to Central Asia, and later exit the region via Riyadh Air to Europe, or vice versa. Even in the absence of formal joint ventures, the sheer number of overlapping routes will allow flexible itineraries that effectively weave these carriers’ networks together.

Emirates, Air Arabia and the widening UAE footprint

Emirates continues to play a defining role in the region’s connectivity, using its Dubai hub as a bridge between long‑haul markets. In 2026 the airline is further consolidating its position in northern Europe by adding new services to Helsinki, offering a direct link between Finland and the UAE. This route will give Nordic travelers easier access to Southeast Asia, Africa and Australasia via Dubai, while also sending more visitors in the opposite direction into Scandinavia’s emerging tourism hotspots.

Air Arabia, headquartered in Sharjah, is pressing ahead with its own expansion focused on cost‑conscious travelers and secondary cities. Its twice‑daily non‑stop services between Sharjah and London Gatwick, launching in late March 2026, will deepen UAE connectivity into the United Kingdom’s competitive London market. These flights will appeal to budget travelers, expatriate communities and leisure visitors, and they sit only a short drive away from Abu Dhabi, making them a viable alternative for some passengers originating or ending their journeys in the UAE capital.

Together with Etihad’s new routes, the Emirates and Air Arabia schedules create a tri‑hub system along the UAE coast. Passengers can choose to enter or leave the region via Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah depending on preferences for timing, pricing and cabin product. For many itineraries, especially those involving open‑jaw or multi‑city travel, this de facto network union significantly widens the range of options available in 2026.

Central Asia and the Caucasus: Etihad’s new near‑frontier

Etihad’s decision to prioritize Central Asia and the Caucasus in its 2026 plans reflects a surge in demand for mid‑haul destinations that blend nature, culture and relatively easy visa regimes for Gulf residents. Cities such as Baku, Tbilisi, Almaty, Tashkent and Yerevan have already seen growing visitor numbers from the UAE, supported by a mix of leisure and business travel as investors, digital nomads and tourists discover new landscapes and lifestyles.

From March 2026, Abu Dhabi will be linked to these cities with multiple weekly frequencies, often eight or more flights per week on narrow‑body aircraft tailored to regional demand. This high‑frequency approach is aimed at creating more convenient connections onward to Etihad’s long‑haul network, shrinking total journey times for travelers heading to and from Europe, North America, India and Southeast Asia. It also supports short breaks from the Gulf, where residents can escape for long weekends to mountain scenery, ancient city centers and cooler climates.

These routes also intersect with the wider web of services offered by other carriers. Travelers from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain or Oman may find it easier to route via Abu Dhabi on Etihad into Central Asia, while those originating in Dubai or Sharjah can connect overland to Etihad’s hub to take advantage of specific timings or fares. Meanwhile, Emirates and other Gulf airlines are also expanding in similar directions, meaning that by late 2026 the region will offer one of the densest collections of flights into Central Asia and the Caucasus anywhere in the world.

While much attention is focused on regional and mid‑haul growth, Etihad’s 2026 plans also mark a notable push into North America. The launch of flights to Calgary in November 2026 will bring a new Canadian gateway into the airline’s map. The service, expected to operate four times weekly, will connect Abu Dhabi with western Canada and provide an additional option beyond existing services to Toronto.

For travelers in North America, this strengthens the logic of using Gulf carriers as a bridge to Asia and Africa. Calgary’s extensive domestic and regional links mean that passengers from cities across western Canada and parts of the United States will gain a one‑stop ride to Abu Dhabi and onward to destinations ranging from Tokyo and Seoul to Nairobi and Johannesburg. The move also highlights Etihad’s strategy of targeting high‑value secondary cities rather than competing head‑to‑head in every major hub.

At the same time, new partnerships between Western and Gulf carriers are altering the competitive landscape. Alignments such as the partnership between a major US airline and Riyadh Air on routes to Saudi Arabia demonstrate that Gulf hubs are no longer seen purely as rivals but as essential gateways that can complement existing alliances. Travelers in 2026 are likely to encounter more codeshares and interline options that quietly link networks, even when the airlines involved remain distinct brands.

What travelers can expect in 2026

For passengers planning trips in 2026, the proliferation of new routes by Etihad, Emirates, Air Arabia, Riyadh Air and other regional players will translate into more choice, more competition and often more attractive fares. Key flows such as religious travel to Medina, leisure breaks to Central Asia, city escapes to northern Europe and long‑haul journeys between North America and Asia will all benefit from additional capacity and better schedules.

Abu Dhabi’s role as a connector will be especially pronounced. With Etihad’s new network additions feeding into its long‑haul services, itineraries that once required two or three stops may be consolidated into a single change of aircraft. Combined with the proximity of Dubai and Sharjah, travelers will find that the wider UAE behaves almost like a single multi‑airport system, with numerous flight combinations across three major airlines and their partners.

At the same time, travelers should be prepared for a dynamic environment. New airlines such as Riyadh Air are still refining their early operations, and some routes announced for 2026 may see adjustments to frequencies or timings as demand patterns become clearer. Flexibility, careful scrutiny of schedules and a willingness to consider alternative hubs within the region will help travelers make the most of the expanded options.

A new Gulf‑centered super‑corridor takes shape

By the end of 2026, the combined effect of Etihad’s route launches from Abu Dhabi, Emirates’ continuing expansion from Dubai, Air Arabia’s growth from Sharjah and Riyadh Air’s progressive roll‑out from the Saudi capital is likely to redefine how travelers move between continents. The Gulf region will function more than ever as a super‑corridor, with multiple parallel networks intersecting and overlapping.

Etihad’s new services to cities such as Tashkent, Yerevan, Almaty, Medina and Calgary may, on paper, belong to a single airline’s timetable. In practice, though, they will plug into a far broader tapestry of flights across the Middle East and beyond, offering passengers the ability to mix and match carriers, hubs and stopovers according to price, preference and purpose. Even without formal alliances binding them together, these airlines are collectively building one of the most interconnected regional aviation systems in the world.

For TheTraveler.org readers, the message is clear: 2026 will be a year to reimagine what is possible in a single trip. A journey that begins in North America could, in the space of a few flights, combine a stop in Abu Dhabi’s modern waterfront districts, a side excursion to the medieval streets of Tbilisi or the bazaars of Tashkent, and a final leg into Riyadh or Dubai. As Etihad and its regional counterparts press ahead with their ambitious plans, the skies over the Gulf are becoming not only busier, but also richer with opportunities for discovery.