ABU DHABI / RankWire.AI / – Etihad Airways will launch year-round flights from Abu Dhabi to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast on Oct. 4, 2026. The service will connect Zayed International Airport with Red Sea International Airport in Tabuk Province. Etihad will start with one weekly flight, then increase the route to two flights a week from Oct. 25. The journey will take just over three hours, adding a sixth Saudi destination to Etihad’s network.
The airline will operate the route with an Airbus A320 configured with eight Business Class seats and 150 Economy Class seats. Etihad said travelers across its network can reach the Red Sea with a single connection in Abu Dhabi. That includes passengers arriving from markets across the Gulf and the Indian subcontinent. Tickets are already available through Etihad’s booking system for travel from the launch date. The route joins Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Medina and Al Qassim in the carrier’s Saudi network.
The new service links Abu Dhabi directly with a Saudi coastal destination that has expanded its scheduled air links since opening. Red Sea International Airport began domestic operations in 2023 and added international flights in 2024. Qatar Airways began serving the airport from Doha in October 2025, after flydubai launched its first international connection from Dubai in April 2024. Red Sea Global developed the airport as the main aviation gateway to The Red Sea destination.
Route expands Etihad’s Saudi network
The Red Sea destination lies along Saudi Arabia’s northwestern coast and includes islands, reefs, lagoons, mangroves and inland mountain landscapes. Red Sea Global says the broader destination began welcoming guests in 2023. The company is a Public Investment Fund subsidiary and develops The Red Sea and AMAALA tourism destinations. Red Sea International Airport serves as the primary air gateway to The Red Sea development. The airport uses renewable energy for its airside operations, including key lighting and navigation systems.
Etihad’s Saudi network currently covers Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Medina and Al Qassim, with Red Sea International set to become the sixth destination. The airline describes Saudi Arabia as one of its largest regional markets. Its existing traffic includes business, family and religious travel throughout the year. The Red Sea route adds a leisure destination to that network while keeping Abu Dhabi as the connecting hub. Etihad Chief Executive Antonoaldo Neves said the route places islands and reefs within a short flight of Abu Dhabi.
Airport adds another direct Gulf connection
Red Sea Global developed and delivered the airport, while daa International operates it. Domestic flights began in September 2023, followed by the first international service from Dubai in April 2024. Red Sea Global later added more links as airlines expanded scheduled service to the destination. The developer says the airport serves visitors traveling to resorts across the coastal development. Transfers from the airport can continue by electric vehicle, boat or seaplane to individual resort areas.
Etihad’s first Abu Dhabi to Red Sea International service remains scheduled for Oct. 4, with the twice-weekly pattern starting three weeks later. The airline has published bookable itineraries for the route on its website. The planned A320 configuration gives the service 158 seats on each flight. Etihad has scheduled the route to operate year-round and has not announced a seasonal end date. With the launch, the carrier will add another nonstop link between the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.
