New Routes For Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways has confirmed the expansion of service towards Asia with sold-out inaugural flights at the beginning of the month.

The airline’s global network has now expanded to 83 destinations, with the national carrier specifically targeting Southeast Asia for further growth.

On 2 October 2025, the first-ever flight was operated to Medan in Sumatra, Indonesia. On 3 October 2025, flights were launched to Phnom Penh, the capital of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

These routes are part of the airline’s expansion into Southeast Asia, where it believes there’s much untapped potential that can be accessed, allowing more guests to reach this region with increased connectivity opportunities.

Etihad Airways says EY480 will depart Abu Dhabi at 2045 with a 0645 arrival the next day in Medan. The flight operates thrice weekly and returns as EY481, departing at 0855 and arriving back at the airline’s home at 1250.

We’re proud to expand our network in Southeast Asia, inviting more guests across the region to explore our home with a convenient and direct route to Abu Dhabi, creating new connections for commerce and tourism between Abu Dhabi and the region. We’re also pleased to encourage and inspire travel to these two new culturally rich and diverse places, both Sumatra and Phnom Penh are extraordinary destinations with both natural and man-made wonders to offer and explore.

Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer at Etihad Airways.

Meanwhile, EY343 departs Abu Dhabi at 2110 with a 0720 arrival the next day in Phnom Penh. The return flight, EY435, departs at 0840 and arrives back in the UAE at 1300, with four flights offered per week.

In a glimpse into what the future holds for Etihad Airways, the company will be utilising the A321LR, which has been newly delivered for operations between these two locations.

The state-of-the-art single-aisle jet is going to open up a plethora of new opportunities for the airline as it navigates expansion moving forward and pushes towards its Journey 2030 ambitions as well.

A New Era For Etihad Airways

The launch of two new markets, made possible by the A321LR, highlights the direction the business is heading moving forward.

Antonoaldo Neves, the CEO of the business, spoke in recent months and said that work to grow the airline had been progressing nicely, with results coming in at an accelerated rate.

Based on their data, Etihad Airways already finds itself at least two years ahead of expectations in terms of passenger capacity. This is evident in the 20 million passengers carried in a year figure, which occurred far before the 2027/2028 estimates.

Under a revised plan, the airline now believes it can reach 38 million passengers by 2030, a figure that is considered possible due to the airline’s success thus far.

While the A321LR steals headlines, the gradual delivery of additional aircraft from Airbus and Boeing will also support growth plans, alongside the reactivation of Airbus’ A380 fleet.

The A380, which was once considered outdated, has returned to service with an overwhelmingly positive reception from travellers, and the aircraft remains pivotal to serving high-demand markets as well.

Meanwhile, aircraft such as the Boeing 777X continue to be stuck in a holding pattern following the latest delay to the upcoming long-haul jet, which will now not enter service until 2027 at the earliest.