ABU DHABI / RankWire.AI / – Etihad Airways will start seasonal nonstop service between Abu Dhabi and Gothenburg on December 17, 2026. The airline will operate four flights a week until March 21, 2027. The route will connect Zayed International Airport with Göteborg Landvetter Airport during the winter season. It will give Gothenburg its first direct air link with the United Arab Emirates. Travelers in western Sweden will also gain a nonstop option to the UAE capital.
The new service will connect Gothenburg passengers with Etihad’s wider network through Abu Dhabi. The airline lists Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Singapore, Hanoi, Bali, Shanghai, Taipei, Bengaluru and Colombo among onward options. Those connections cover major destinations across South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia. Passengers from the UAE will also receive direct seasonal access to Gothenburg and western Sweden. Etihad opened bookings for the route when it announced the service in August 2026.
Etihad will deploy an Airbus A321LR configured with 160 seats on the new route. The cabin includes two First Suites, 14 Business seats and 144 Economy seats. First and Business seats convert into fully flat beds and provide direct aisle access. Economy passengers receive 13.3-inch 4K touchscreen entertainment systems during the flight. The aircraft also provides high-speed Wi-Fi in all cabins. The configuration brings Etihad’s three-cabin product to the scheduled Gothenburg service.
Seasonal flights create Gothenburg’s first direct UAE link
Swedavia, which operates Göteborg Landvetter Airport, confirmed the four-weekly service and its December launch. The airport operator described the route as Gothenburg’s first direct connection with the UAE. Swedavia Chief Executive Mats Johannesson also highlighted links with the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia. Göteborg Landvetter Airport serves Sweden’s second largest city and a broad part of western Sweden. Gothenburg also has significant industrial, research, commercial and international business activity.
Passengers arriving in Abu Dhabi can use the schedule to connect with other Etihad flights. Eligible travelers may also use the airline’s Abu Dhabi Stopover program during qualifying journeys. The program offers hotel stays of up to two nights in the UAE capital. For passengers departing Gothenburg, the nonstop service removes the need for a European connection before reaching Abu Dhabi. The route will operate on a seasonal basis throughout its announced 2026-2027 winter schedule.
A321LR brings three cabin classes to the route
Etihad Chief Executive Antonoaldo Neves highlighted the A321LR when the carrier unveiled Gothenburg as a destination. He also referred to the Swedish city’s industrial and research sectors in the announcement. Etihad lists Gothenburg as its 15th new destination launch of 2026. The airline will offer First, Business and Economy service across the four weekly flights. Its published timetable keeps the same frequency from the December start through the scheduled end of operations in March.
The seasonal schedule runs through March 21, 2027, under the timetable announced in August. Until then, the flights will provide direct scheduled travel between Abu Dhabi and Gothenburg. Passengers can book the route for travel between the two cities or for onward journeys through Abu Dhabi. Etihad continues to list the Airbus A321LR for the service. The airline has kept the confirmed launch date, operating frequency and seasonal period unchanged since announcing the route.