Etihad Makes Tel Aviv Its Busiest Route Worldwide in Major Israel Expansion
Etihad Airways is dramatically expanding flights between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv to six daily departures, making Israel the airline’s busiest destination worldwide in a major sign of confidence in the recovering Israeli aviation market.
Etihad Airways announced a significant expansion of its service to Israel, increasing flights to six daily (42 weekly) between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv starting June 15, 2026.
The move marks the highest frequency Etihad has ever operated on any single route in its history. Tel Aviv will now become the airline’s busiest route worldwide, surpassing long-established destinations such as Riyadh, Mumbai, and Bangkok.
The expanded schedule will include both narrow-body Airbus A321 and wide-body aircraft, offering greater capacity and more convenient connections for travelers heading to Asia, the United States, and beyond via Abu Dhabi.
“This is a clear vote of confidence in the Israeli market and reflects strong recovery in demand,” an industry source familiar with the matter told Israeli media.
The increase comes as Israel’s aviation sector continues its return to normalcy following months of regional tensions that severely disrupted flights. Several international carriers have recently expanded or resumed full operations to Ben Gurion Airport, with Etihad’s decision representing one of the most aggressive expansions to date.
Etihad first launched direct flights to Tel Aviv in 2023 following the Abraham Accords and has steadily grown the route since then.
No official comment was immediately available from Etihad, but the airline is expected to release full schedule details in the coming days.
This development is being viewed as another positive indicator of stabilization in Israel’s aviation industry.