The newly launched routes are operated using narrowbody aircraft suited for long-range flights. The Medan route operates three times weekly with an A321LR; Phnom Penh is served five times weekly also with an A321LR; Addis Ababa receives daily service on an A320 as part of a codeshare agreement with Ethiopian Airlines; and Krabi gets daily A321LR flights from Abu Dhabi.

Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways, said: “This was an extraordinary week for Etihad as we bring four vibrant new cities onto our global map. We’re showing how Etihad is becoming more agile, more ambitious, and more accessible, and demonstrating how our strategic investments in modern aircraft like the A321LR are enabling us to grow quickly and efficiently.”

The airline currently operates four A321LRs but plans to have ten by year-end and twenty by the end of 2026. The aircraft feature two first-class suites with fully flat beds and privacy doors, fourteen business class seats arranged in a reverse-herringbone layout that convert into beds, and 144 economy seats equipped with individual entertainment screens.

Etihad intends to use these aircraft primarily for launching routes that may not be viable for larger widebody jets. The range of the A321LR allows access to most European, Asian, and African markets from Abu Dhabi.

Further expansion is scheduled for November when six additional routes will be inaugurated: Tunis (Tunisia), Chiang Mai (Thailand), Hong Kong (China), Hanoi (Vietnam), Algiers (Algeria), and Medina (Saudi Arabia). An additional route to Kazan (Russia) will begin service in December.

To promote its network growth, Etihad has introduced the 'Extraordinary Challenge' promotion within its loyalty program. Passengers who travel to multiple new destinations can earn significant mileage bonuses — up to five million miles for flying to fifteen new cities within a specified period.