Etihad Airways is set to increase its European presence in the northern hemisphere summer season next year by boosting its frequencies to two of the continent’s capital cities in 2026. Dublin Airport (DUB) in the Republic of Ireland and Václav Havel Airport Prague(PRG) in Czechia are the destinations in question.
The UAE flag carrier has a diverse European offering, with which it aims to connect the continent’s travelers not just to its main hub at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) as a destination in its own right, but also with those further afield via transiting itineraries. Let’s take a closer look at Etihad’s upcoming European expansion.
Double-Daily Dublin Departures
According to recent reporting by Aero Routes, Etihad is planning to increase its frequencies on the route from Abu Dhabi International to 
Dublin Airport from 10 per week to 13 when the 2026 IATA Northern Hemisphere Summer Schedule kicks off at the end of March. The change will apply from March 29, and will be the first step of a two-phase incremental increase on the route to the Republic of Ireland.
Indeed, the second boost will see the route’s weekly frequency grow to 14 from April 6, meaning that it will be served by two round trips a day from then on. These will be operated one apiece by the Boeing 777-300ER and 787-9. Dublin has long been a key European destination for Etihad, which celebrated its 15th anniversary at the airport in 2022. At the time, Etihad Airways’ Martin Richard Drew explained that:
“Our direct service from Dublin Airport has been a gateway for Irish travellers to explore hundreds of international destinations, including our home in Abu Dhabi, as well as Sydney, Melbourne, Bangkok, the Maldives, and the Seychelles. Our team in Ireland works closely with local partners to ensure a seamless journey and great customer service.”
Prague Will See Daily Etihad Flights Next Summer
Elsewhere in Europe, Etihad Airways also has big plans for its route from Abu Dhabi to Prague. Served by the 
Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, Aero Routes notes that, as of March 29 next year, the corridor’s weekly frequency will jump from four flights to six, with a further flight being added as of April 7.
This will mean that, from then on, Etihad Airways will serve the capital of Czechia on a daily basis from Abu Dhabi International Airport. Data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, shows that the 787-9s it will deploy have 290 seats. According to aeroLOPA, this total consists of 28 in business and 262 in economy.
This is also the configuration that will be used on the Dreamliners that Etihad plans to use on one of its two daily rotations between Abu Dhabi and Dublin next summer. As previously mentioned, the other round trip will be served by the Boeing 777-300ER, with the examples used having 28 business and 374 economy seats.
Asian Alterations
As it happens, the two European boosts aren’t the only alterations that have been revealed by recent scheduled changes filed by Etihad Airways. Indeed, Aero Routes notes that the Abu Dhabi-based flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates has also recently filed aircraft changes on two Asian corridors.
Specifically, the site reports that, as of April 2 next year, the Monday and Thursday rotations of Etihad flights EY372 and EY373 on the route from Abu Dhabi to Male (MLE) in the Maldives will be operated by its new Airbus A321LR twinjets. These will replace its older A320s, offering an enhanced onboard experience.
Meanwhile, as of April 1, the Airbus A321LR will also replace the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on Etihad flights EY414 and EY415 between Abu Dhabi and the Thai resort gateway of Phuket (HKT). Initially, it was planned that this alteration would take place on May 1, but it has now been brought forward by a month. Overall, Etihad will serve Phuket four times a day next summer, with two A321LRs and two 787-9s.
