Etihad Airways continued its north-American push on 30 January by unveiling a new long-haul route that will link Abu Dhabi directly with Calgary from 3 November 2026. Once launched, the flight will be the only non-stop connection between the Middle East and Western Canada.
The service will operate four times per week on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners equipped with Etihad’s latest Business, Economy and Premium Economy cabins. Schedules have not yet been finalised, but the airline says timings will offer convenient onward connections to its growing Asian and African network.
For travellers needing to secure UAE entry documentation, online service provider VisaHQ offers expedited processing and step-by-step guidance; its United Arab Emirates portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) lets passengers and corporate travel teams check requirements, upload documents and track applications in real time, ensuring paperwork keeps pace with Etihad’s new schedules.
![Etihad Announces First-Ever Non-Stop Abu Dhabi–Calgary Service]()
For corporates, the route plugs a strategic gap. Calgary is North America’s energy-tech capital and a gateway to Alberta’s booming hydrogen, petrochemical and AI sectors. Direct flights cut five to seven hours off current itineraries that require transits in Europe or eastern Canada. Logistics firms expect cargo demand for perishables and machinery, while travel-management companies forecast an uptick in executives shuttling between ADNOC, Mubadala and Canadian energy majors.
Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism also sees tourism upside: Canadian leisure travellers will gain one-stop access to the capital’s museums and mangrove coastline, while UAE residents will find Calgary an ideal launch point for skiing in Banff or meetings in Vancouver.
The announcement comes weeks after Etihad revealed new services to Luxembourg and Palma, part of CEO Antonoaldo Neves’ strategy to restore pre-Covid capacity and diversify the network beyond the traditional Europe-Asia corridor. Analysts note that the Calgary launch strengthens Etihad’s competitive stance against Emirates, which already serves Toronto and will add Montreal frequencies in 2026.
Businesses with crews rotating between Alberta oil fields and Middle-East projects should review rotational‐leave rosters; the direct link could shave travel days and lower fatigue. Advance corporate fares are expected to open in GDS systems by mid-February.
The service will operate four times per week on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners equipped with Etihad’s latest Business, Economy and Premium Economy cabins. Schedules have not yet been finalised, but the airline says timings will offer convenient onward connections to its growing Asian and African network.
For travellers needing to secure UAE entry documentation, online service provider VisaHQ offers expedited processing and step-by-step guidance; its United Arab Emirates portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) lets passengers and corporate travel teams check requirements, upload documents and track applications in real time, ensuring paperwork keeps pace with Etihad’s new schedules.
For corporates, the route plugs a strategic gap. Calgary is North America’s energy-tech capital and a gateway to Alberta’s booming hydrogen, petrochemical and AI sectors. Direct flights cut five to seven hours off current itineraries that require transits in Europe or eastern Canada. Logistics firms expect cargo demand for perishables and machinery, while travel-management companies forecast an uptick in executives shuttling between ADNOC, Mubadala and Canadian energy majors.
Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism also sees tourism upside: Canadian leisure travellers will gain one-stop access to the capital’s museums and mangrove coastline, while UAE residents will find Calgary an ideal launch point for skiing in Banff or meetings in Vancouver.
The announcement comes weeks after Etihad revealed new services to Luxembourg and Palma, part of CEO Antonoaldo Neves’ strategy to restore pre-Covid capacity and diversify the network beyond the traditional Europe-Asia corridor. Analysts note that the Calgary launch strengthens Etihad’s competitive stance against Emirates, which already serves Toronto and will add Montreal frequencies in 2026.
Businesses with crews rotating between Alberta oil fields and Middle-East projects should review rotational‐leave rosters; the direct link could shave travel days and lower fatigue. Advance corporate fares are expected to open in GDS systems by mid-February.
