DUBAI,— Etihad Airways plans to expand its operations at Ben-Gurion Airport with a major increase in flights between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi, according to a report by the Jerusalem Post.

Starting June 15, 2026, the airline will operate six daily flights between Ben-Gurion Airport and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport, bringing total service to 42 weekly flights.

With this schedule, the Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi route will become the most frequently operated route in the carrier’s network.

The expansion comes as Etihad continues to grow its presence in Israel, even as many foreign airlines have not fully resumed service to Tel Aviv.

More than 100,000 passengers traveled between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi in the first three months, marking a 30% increase compared to the same period last year, according to Etihad data.

About 70% of travelers used Abu Dhabi as a stopover for onward connections to Asia.

Etihad also said it has set proposed fares for high demand routes, including round-trip tickets to Bangkok starting at $974 without checked baggage and $1,014 with checked baggage.

The airline said these fares are below an average market price of about $1,200.

Several major international carriers continue to delay or suspend service to Israel due to security concerns. American Airlines said it will not resume flights to Tel Aviv before January 2027.

Delta and United Airlines are not expected to resume service this summer, while British Airways has extended cancellations until August.

Lufthansa Group said it will resume flights to Israel in June, and Wizz Air said it will restart service as early as May 28.

Both announcements followed guidance from the European Aviation Safety Agency, which eased recommendations on flights to Israel after a ceasefire between the United States and Iran held.

Etihad’s expansion highlights increased demand on the Tel Aviv–Abu Dhabi corridor, growing use of Abu Dhabi as a transit point for Asia-bound travel, and differing timelines among global airlines as they adjust flight schedules to Israel.

Carriers continue to modify or delay services as conditions and regulatory guidance evolve in the Middle East region.

(With files from The Jerusalem Post, jpost.com)

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