Etihad Airways is set to become the first Middle Eastern carrier to operate non-stop flights to Canada’s west coast, with a new service linking Abu Dhabi and Calgary launching on 3 November 2026.
The UAE’s national airline will operate four weekly flights between Zayed International Airport and Calgary International Airport, with tickets now open for booking. Departures from Abu Dhabi are scheduled on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays at 08:45, arriving in Calgary at 12:20. Return flights will leave Calgary at 18:05, arriving back in Abu Dhabi at 19:00 the following day.
The route will be served by Etihad’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, featuring the airline’s latest-generation Business and Economy cabins, designed to enhance comfort on long-haul services.
For travellers from the UAE, Calgary provides a key gateway to western Canada and the Canadian Rockies, a region celebrated for its dramatic landscapes and year-round outdoor experiences. The city is also known for its sporting heritage, having hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics.
For Canadian travellers, the new route offers direct access to Abu Dhabi and its cultural attractions, leisure offerings and year-round events. Commenting on the launch, Etihad Airways CEO Antonoaldo Neves said the service opens “direct access to Abu Dhabi’s rich culture and year-round experiences”.
The addition of Calgary further strengthens Etihad’s North American network, which already includes services to Toronto, New York and Chicago, alongside a new route to Charlotte scheduled to launch in March 2026.
Passengers travelling onward to the United States via Abu Dhabi continue to benefit from the airport’s US Customs and Border Protection Preclearance facility, the only such facility in the Middle East. This allows travellers to arrive in the US as domestic passengers, significantly reducing arrival times.
The Calgary announcement follows a series of route expansions for Etihad. The airline has recently revealed plans for the Middle East’s first non-stop flights to Luxembourg from 29 October 2026, as well as the first direct air link between the UAE and Palma de Mallorca, set to launch in June 2026, underlining its strategy of establishing new long-haul and leisure-focused connections.
