Etihad Increases Sydney-Abu Dhabi To Twice Daily Flights

Etihad Airways will fly twice a day between Sydney and Abu Dhabi from 15 December 2026, adding four weekly services to the ten it currently operates. Flights will be operated by Etihad’s modern Airbus A350-1000, of which the UAE flag carrier has ordered 27, with new deliveries continuing in the coming months.

The additional flights start just as the Australian summer holiday rush kicks off, when fares to Europe are typically at their highest, and seats on popular dates are hardest to find. The service also comes after Etihad went all-suites in Business Class across Australia, making it the only Gulf carrier with privacy doors on every Australian flight.

Etihad has operated to Sydney since 2007, and currently runs a mix of single and double daily flights across the week. From December, every day gets two Sydney flights, taking the route to 14 weekly services and more than 5,000 seats. It also means passengers will no longer need to plan around which days have the extra flight, if it’s their preferred departure time.

Etihad’s increased Sydney flights are already on sale at Etihad.com. Here's how the schedule looks from 15 December 2026.

Etihad Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer, Arik De, said the second daily service is about giving travellers more flexibility.

“The additional service strengthens connectivity through Abu Dhabi, creating more seamless access to destinations across the Middle East and Europe, while making it easier for travellers to experience Abu Dhabi and discover everything the emirate has to offer as part of their journey.”

Summing Up

Etihad Airways will introduce a second daily A350-1000 flight to Sydney from December, offering travellers more departure times and better connections to Europe, right in the middle of peak season.

Etihad's only other Australian destination is Melbourne, served by a daily Boeing 787 flight to Abu Dhabi.