Abu Dhabi, UAE – Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will fly to Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast from 4 October 2026. The year-round service to Red Sea International Airport puts a new holiday destination on our map just over three hours from Abu Dhabi.
More than ninety islands lie off Saudi Arabia's north-western coast in Tabuk Province, in shallow turquoise water above reefs that form part of one of the largest coral systems in the world. Turtles, dolphins and rays move through the lagoons, mangroves line the shore, and inland, where the desert of the Hejaz begins, lava fields and mountains rise within a short drive of the beach.
The resorts are small and spread along the coast rather than gathered in one place. For guests that means diving, sailing, desert and an empty stretch of beach within minutes of where they are staying, in a destination where seclusion is by design rather than by chance.
The flight takes a little over three hours: leave Abu Dhabi mid-morning and be on the beach by early afternoon. Red Sea International Airport (RSI) sits inside the destination itself, so guests reach their hotel soon after landing rather than facing a long transfer at the end of the journey.
Guests across Etihad's network can reach The Red Sea with a single connection in Abu Dhabi, including from across the Gulf and the Indian subcontinent, in any season as the route operates year-round.
For visitors from further afield, the new route also opens up an easy two-destination holiday. Through Etihad’s Abu Dhabi Stopover programme, guests can spend a few days discovering the UAE capital’s islands, beaches, culture and entertainment before continuing to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.
The Red Sea is Etihad's sixth destination in Saudi Arabia, alongside Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Medina and Al Qassim. Saudi Arabia is among the airline's largest markets in the region, carrying business, family and religious travel throughout the year, and The Red Sea adds a holiday destination to that mix.
Antonoaldo Neves, Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer, said: “The kind of holiday people normally take a long-haul flight for - islands, reefs and relaxation - is now a short flight from Abu Dhabi and a single connection from anywhere across our network.
“We are always looking ahead to where our guests will want to travel next and making sure we are there early. The Red Sea is exactly that kind of destination, and it is an easy one to reach: the holiday starts on the day guests arrive, not the day after.”
Abu Dhabi–Red Sea begins on 4 October 2026 with one flight a week, rising to two a week from 25 October 2026. The route is operated by the Airbus A320 with eight seats in Business and 150 in Economy.
Flights are available to book now at etihad.com.
