Launch of a daily flight from Abu Dhabi to Charlotte
Etihad Airways has announced it is strengthening its operations in the United States by doubling its flights between Abu Dhabi and Chicago to two a day and operating a daily flight between Abu Dhabi and Charlotte from 15 June 2026, boosting its presence in the North American market and offering travelers wider options via Abu Dhabi.
The airline explained that this expansion follows the strong performance of the Charlotte service since its launch on 20 March 2026, adding that the additional flights aim to strengthen connectivity between North America and the fast-growing markets of India and the Asia-Pacific region, as well as improving access to the US domestic network through partner airlines, according to a post on the Etihad Airways website.
Under the new schedule, Etihad will operate two daily flights between Abu Dhabi and Chicago from 15 June 2026 on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, offering travelers greater flexibility and wider connectivity options across the airline's global network.
Chicago Flight Times
Abu Dhabi–Chicago flights include EY9, departing Abu Dhabi at 02:55 and arriving in Chicago at 08:35, and EY11, departing Abu Dhabi at 10:00 and arriving in Chicago at 15:40, daily.
Return flights include EY10, departing Chicago at 14:00 and arriving in Abu Dhabi at 12:30 +1, and EY12, departing Chicago at 21:10 and arriving in Abu Dhabi at 19:40 +1.
Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer at Etihad Airways, explained that Chicago remains a key pillar of the airline's US network, adding that increasing daily flights to two reflects the route's performance and allows greater flexibility for travelers, while strengthening connectivity through Abu Dhabi to key markets in India and the Asia-Pacific region.
In Charlotte, Etihad is increasing its flights from 4 a week to a daily flight from 15 June to 8 September 2026, a step reflecting strong demand on the route since its launch in March.
Charlotte Flight Times
According to the schedule, flight EY15 departs Abu Dhabi for Charlotte daily at 03:35, arriving at 10:45, while the return flight EY16 departs Charlotte at 15:00, arriving in Abu Dhabi at 12:25.
Arik De added that the rapid expansion to a daily service after the launch of the Charlotte route reflects how quickly it has gained strong momentum, noting that the increase strengthens links between the southeastern United States and Etihad's global network, supports passenger and cargo traffic and provides more efficient access to key markets in India and the Asia-Pacific region.
Etihad will operate the new Chicago and Charlotte flights on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, which feature 32 Business Class seats and 271 Economy seats, a total of 303 seats per aircraft.
This expansion is part of Etihad's gradual plan to grow its network by adding capacity in line with demand in key markets, strengthening connectivity between Abu Dhabi and key destinations in the Middle East, India and South Asia, and improving access to the US domestic market through partner airlines.
To view the post on the Etihad Airways website, click here.
