Etihad brings back Dhaka
Etihad will resume seasonal Abu Dhabi–Dhaka flights from June 26 through October 24, returning a route last served in 2023. (thetraveler.org) The airline is also expanding UAE–China services, adding or boosting links to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Shenzhen as part of a wider network push. (travelandtourworld.com)
Etihad Airways is putting Dhaka back on its map with seasonal Abu Dhabi flights starting June 26, its first service on the route since 2023. (etihad.com) The airline said the Dhaka service will run four times a week between Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi and Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka through October 24, 2026. Etihad announced the route on April 8 and said tickets are already on sale. (etihad.com) (connectingtravel.com) Etihad said the flights are aimed at both passenger demand and cargo demand on the United Arab Emirates-Bangladesh corridor. The carrier described Bangladesh as a market tied to one of the world’s largest diaspora communities. (etihad.com) The Dhaka return lands as Etihad is adding much more flying elsewhere in Asia, especially China. On April 13, the airline said it would expand to 35 weekly mainland China flights across six cities, up from its current daily Beijing service. (etihad.com) That China buildout includes new Abu Dhabi service to Shanghai Pudong from October 1, 2026, then Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Shenzhen in March 2027. Etihad said all of those routes will sit inside its joint venture with China Eastern Airlines. (etihad.com) (etihadhub.com) Etihad’s own network map published this month already shows Dhaka as a 2026 destination and lists Beijing and Shanghai in its East Asia network. The airline’s flight-status page says Etihad is currently serving about 80 destinations overall from Abu Dhabi. (etihad.com 1) (etihad.com 2) The Dhaka move is narrower than the China push: it is seasonal, runs for four months, and restores a city Etihad previously dropped rather than opening a brand-new market. Trade outlets covering the launch said the route had been suspended in 2023 before this summer return. (connectingtravel.com) (aviationbusinessme.com) For Etihad, that means two different plays at once: a temporary South Asia return built around summer demand, and a longer China expansion that starts in October and continues into March 2027. Dhaka is back first, and the rest of the network push follows behind it. (etihad.com 1) (etihad.com 2)
