Etihad upgrades Gothenburg route to year-round service

Etihad Airways has converted its Abu Dhabi–Gothenburg route from a winter seasonal service to a year-round operation, less than a month after first announcing it. The airline cited stronger-than-expected demand from both ends of the route.

The route was originally announced on a schedule running from 17 December 2026 to 21 March 2027. Bookings opened, and within three weeks Etihad concluded the demand warranted a permanent commitment.

“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,” Arik De, Etihad Airways Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer said in a statement.

Traffic is moving in both directions. Travellers in western Sweden have been booking onward connections through Abu Dhabi to Asia and the Indian subcontinent, while passengers on Etihad’s broader network have been booking into Gothenburg.

Under the original winter schedule, the route would have closed before the Swedish summer; it will now run through it.

Flights operate four times a week on the Airbus A321LR, with two First Suites, 14 Business seats, and 144 Economy seats. First and Business offer fully flat beds with direct aisle access, and Economy features 13.3-inch 4K touchscreens and high-speed Wi-Fi across all cabins.

Onward connections from Abu Dhabi include Bangkok, Singapore, Bali, Bengaluru, and Colombo, among others.

“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,” Mats Johannesson, CEO of Swedavia Airports added.

Gothenburg is the fifteenth new destination Etihad has launched in 2026, a year in which the airline has expanded across Europe, Asia, and Africa.