Etihad Airways has upgraded its new Abu Dhabi-Gothenburg connection from a seasonal experiment to a year-round service, less than a month after opening bookings for the route.
The airline said the decision followed unexpectedly strong interest from passengers in both Sweden and its international network, prompting it to retain the service beyond its original winter schedule.
Etihad had initially planned to operate the route only between December 17, 2026, and March 21, 2027. It will now continue throughout the year and equally give travellers in western Sweden direct access to Abu Dhabi and onward connections into Asia, the Gulf, and the Indian subcontinent.
The airline’s Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer, Arik De, said the response to the new route had exceeded its initial expectations.
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“Three weeks in, the market has told us we underestimated Gothenburg, and we are glad to be corrected,” De said.
He added that the early booking figures gave the carrier enough confidence to establish the route as a permanent part of its network even before the inaugural flight.
“Western Sweden has been waiting for this connection and the response has come from both ends of the route,” he said.
The commercial response is significant because the service is designed to serve traffic in both directions. Passengers from Gothenburg can use Abu Dhabi as a gateway to destinations across Etihad’s network, while travellers from the Middle East, Asia, and other markets can reach Sweden’s west coast more directly.
The route will also give connecting passengers access to Etihad’s Abu Dhabi Stopover programme which provides eligible travellers with up to two complimentary hotel nights.
For Gothenburg, the extended schedule means the city will be accessible to international visitors throughout the Swedish summer, when its long daylight hours, food markets, parks, cafés, and surrounding coastal islands attract tourists.
Mats Johannesson, chief executive officer of Swedavia Airports, described the rapid change in the service’s schedule as evidence of strong regional demand.
“When this route was announced last month it was warmly received here, and to see it extended to a year-round schedule within three weeks says a great deal about the appetite in West Sweden for direct connections to Abu Dhabi and Etihad’s global network,” Johannesson said.
The first flight is scheduled for December 17, with four weekly services operated by an Airbus A321LR.
The aircraft will carry 160 passengers across three cabins, comprising two First Suites, 14 Business Class seats, and 144 Economy seats.
Etihad said the A321LR gives it the flexibility to introduce long-haul services into markets that may not require the capacity of larger aircraft. The plane will offer fully flat beds and direct aisle access in First and Business Class, while Economy passengers will have 13.3-inch 4K touchscreens.
High-speed Wi-Fi will be available throughout the aircraft.
From Abu Dhabi, passengers will be able to connect to destinations including Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Singapore, Hanoi, Bali, Shanghai, Taipei, Bengaluru, and Colombo.
Gothenburg will become Etihad’s 15th new destination launched in 2026 as the airline expands its international network across Europe, Asia, and Africa.
