ETIHAD A321NEO aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport. Photo: Achia Balmes Etihad Airways continues to expand its operations in North America, with two significant updates to its route network to the United States: increasing the frequency of flights to Chicago and expanding operations to Charlotte.
The company announced that, starting June 15, 2026, the route between Abu Dhabi and Chicago O'Hare International Airport will switch to two daily flights, while the route to Charlotte will be upgraded from four weekly flights to a daily flight, after the official launch in March 2026.
This is a move that significantly expands the company's presence in the US and strengthens connectivity between North America and growth markets, primarily in India and the Asia-Pacific region, through the company's operations center in Abu Dhabi.
According to the company, the new flight schedule will allow greater flexibility for passengers, along with more convenient connections to key destinations in the US and beyond to Etihad's global network. Both routes will be operated using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, which include 32 business class seats and 271 economy seats.
Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Office, noted that "hicago continues to be a cornerstone of our U.S. network. Moving to double-daily flights reflects the sustained performance of the route and enables us to offer guests greater flexibility while deepening connectivity through Abu Dhabi, strengthening links to key markets across India and Asia-Pacific."
Regarding Charlotte, he noted that the high demand since the launch of the route in March led to the decision to quickly increase the frequency.
Chicago. Photo: Shutterstock