Etihad Airways will launch three weekly flights to Kabul in December in response to growing demand for travel between the UAE and Afghanistan. The service will be onboard the carrier’s Airbus A320 aircraft, seating eight in business class and 150 in economy.
Kabul is the latest destination in Etihad’s fast-growing network and a point it hasn’t served since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. With over 30 new routes announced this year, Etihad recently posted soaring profits and record passenger numbers.
Etihad Brings Back Abu Dhabi-Kabul Service
The carrier will commence this service on December 18, with flights running every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Etihad said the flights will facilitate “trade, investment and cultural exchange,” as well as giving Afghans access to its huge global network out of Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH). It has been more than four years since Etihad last served Kabul. Like other international carriers, the airline suspended its services to the airport in August 2021 as the Taliban reclaimed power in Afghanistan.
A handful of airlines have since resumed service to Kabul Airport (KBL), including flydubai and Turkish Airlines. Having suffered heavy damage during the fall of Kabul, the airport was temporarily closed before reopening for domestic and cargo flights. Operations at the airport are dominated by the country’s two largest carriers — Ariana Afghan Airlines and Kam Air — as well as several Iranian airlines.
|
Flight No. |
Route |
Departure |
Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|
|
EY310 |
Abu Dhabi – Kabul |
14:45 |
18:15 |
|
EY311 |
Kabul – Abu Dhabi |
19:10 |
22:10 |
Antonoaldo Neves, CEO at Etihad Airways, commented,
“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.”
Airbus A320 Service
The airline will use its Airbus A320-200 fleet on this route, which can accommodate up to 158 passengers in two cabin classes. The business cabin is located at the front of the plane and offers eight seats in a 2-2 configuration. Seats come with a generous 45 inches of pitch and eight inches recline, as well as HD in-flight entertainment touchscreens.
The economy cabin features 150 seats in a 3-3 configuration. Instead of entertainment screens, economy seats have their own tablet holders, with passengers able to stream the airline’s entertainment system through their devices.
Etihad has a total of 14 Airbus A320-200s in its fleet, as well as a solitary A320neo. The majority of its A320s are configured eight in business and 150 in economy, although it has a small number of premium-heavy A320s with 16 in business and 120 in economy.
31st New Route This Year
It has been a period of intense growth for Etihad in 2025, with the carrier adding over 30 new destinations to its impressive network. It recently began its first-ever flights to Medan in Indonesia, followed by a new service to Phnom Penh in Cambodia, flown by the carrier’s brand-new A321LR fleet. It also made its debut in Ethiopia with the launch of flights to Addis Ababa on Thursday.
Several other new routes in Asia will be commencing in the coming weeks, including Thailand’s Chiang Mai and Krabi, along with Hanoi and Hong Kong. This will help Abu Dhabi International to cement its position as a global travel hub. According to the airline, passenger numbers have gone up by more than 80% since 2022, with Etihad looking to serve up to 38 million passengers annually by 2030.
Afghanistan also stands to be a major winner in this. With an Afghan diaspora of around six million people living around the globe, Afghans can now easily access Etihad’s network of over 100 destinations in 40 countries. The UAE is home to one of the largest of these overseas communities, with roughly 300,000 Afghans living in the country.
