Etihad Airways’ New Route

Etihad Airways is continuing with expansion efforts, unveiling a new addition to its regional network.

The Abu Dhabi-based company will launch flights to Kabul, Afghanistan, from December 18, 2025, in response to demand between the UAE and Afghanistan.

Additionally, by opening up this service, there are now opportunities for onward connectivity to markets across Europe, Australia and North America from Kabul for customers.

Kabul is now the 31st new route announced in 2025 alone, a staggering figure that highlights the airline’s strong direction for the coming years, which is focused on expansion.

Flights will depart three times a week, with the Airbus A320 operating as EY310 and EY311 across the service. The return leg from Kabul is scheduled for Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Kabul represents another important step in Etihad’s strategy to expand access to markets within a four-hour radius of Abu Dhabi, while strengthening connections to major destinations across our global network. These flights will serve strong demand for travel, enable trade and investment flows, and reconnect families and communities. Through Abu Dhabi, guests from Afghanistan will enjoy seamless access to Etihad’s expanding network across the GCC, Europe, Australia and North America.

Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer at Etihad Airways

Timings: EY310 departs Abu Dhabi at 1445 with an arrival in Kabul at 1815. The return flight, EY311, departs Kabul at 1910 with a 2210 arrival back into Abu Dhabi, all times local.

With Kabul, one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, Afghanistan has a rich history. It is home to over 6 million people who call this place their home, many of whom live around the world, meaning a deep connection to this part of the world is required.

Additionally, the UAE hosts one of the largest Afghan communities in the Gulf, comprising approximately 300,000 people, according to Etihad Airways and the Afghan Business Council.

Etihad Airways expects the new flights, therefore, to strengthen existing economic and social ties, but more importantly, provide people with greater access to Afghanistan moving forward.

Etihad Airways’ Growth Period

With 31 routes announced in 2025 alone, Etihad Airways has been focused on growth this year, and this momentum is expected to continue as part of its broader Journey 2030 ambitions.

In an effort to establish Abu Dhabi as a hub for trade and mobility, Etihad Airways has already seen a surge of more than 80% in its passenger numbers over the past three years.

With growth forecasting and strong intent to develop its network and fleet, Etihad believes it’s firmly on track to reach 38 million passengers carried annually by as early as 2030.

This growth will see the airline nearly double its fleet, increase passenger figures, and put a strong focus on expanding its route network in the coming years.

The expansion represents the second major attempt in the company’s history, which has been heavily documented; the first took place in the 2010s and contributed to the airline’s downfall, leaving its annual results in a far from ideal position.

Driven by poor investments in airlines and further exacerbated by excessive orders for aircraft, the airline spiralled and began losing billions annually.

After a lengthy turnaround, with routes, aircraft, and employees, the airline is now primed for growth. Journey 2030 is how it plans to achieve this through calculated investment in aircraft and itself, taking the next step forward.

Additions to the business, such as the A321LR this year, have aided that growth, with exciting new routes being launched with this single-aisle plane, allowing for the development of short to medium-haul routes.