Etihad Airways to Increase Abu Dhabi-Kabul Flights to Daily from May 1, 2026

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (Afghan Verified) — Etihad Airways announced plans to increase its flights between Abu Dhabi and Kabul to daily services starting May 1, 2026, due to strong passenger demand since the route launched.

The Kabul-Abu Dhabi route began operations on March 20, 2026, with four weekly flights. The services are operated using Airbus A320 aircraft configured with eight business class seats and 150 economy class seats.

Arik De, Etihad’s Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer, attributed the expansion to robust demand. He stated that the increase would benefit the Afghan diaspora and strengthen economic links between the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan.

"The strong demand for our Abu Dhabi-Kabul route has prompted us to enhance frequency to daily flights," De said. "This will improve connectivity for Afghan travelers to Etihad’s global network, including destinations in Europe and North America."

The daily schedule will feature flights departing Abu Dhabi at 1445 local time and arriving in Kabul at 1815. Return flights will depart Kabul at 1920 and arrive in Abu Dhabi at 2210.

The route expansion is expected to support growing travel needs and foster economic ties.