6 things to know after CLT landed NC’s first nonstop flight to the Middle East
There’s still plenty to unpack now that Charlotte residents will have direct access to the Middle East via Etihad Airways, starting next year. The airline and the city airport announced plans to connect Charlotte to the city to Abu Dhabi, a popular destination for leisure and business.
Service between Zayed International Airport and Charlotte Douglas International Airport starts May 6, 2026, the airline and airport announced last Friday. The nonstop route to the Middle East destination from North Carolina is a first for the airline based in the United Arab Emirates.
Etihad is the fourth international carrier for Charlotte Douglas and the first to launch in eight years, since Volaris began nonstop flights to Guadalajara, Mexico, in 2018.
Here are six more things to know about Etihad Airways landing in Charlotte.
Available days for CLT flights to Abu Dhabi
Flights will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Etihad will have early morning departures from Abu Dhabi and midway returns, according to the airline.
Tickets are now on sale now at etihad.com for the route starting next year. The cost for a roundtrip ticket to Abu Dhabi is $1,503 for basic economy and close to $8,000 for a business class ticket, according to the airline’s website
The flight will take about 14 hours.
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About the Dreamliner Aircraft
Pilots flying the Charlotte-Abu Dhabi route will be operating a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which will also be a first for Charlotte’s airport.
The plane, with around 300 seats, is Etihad’s flagship aircraft, and the carrier will offer business and economy cabins with more space, comfort, larger windows, and less noise than older planes. Dreamliners are also 25% more fuel efficient than the airplanes they replaced, according to Boeing, due to new engines and the plane being made out of lighter materials instead of aluminum.
In April, Boeing announced that the Dreamliner surpassed 1 billion passengers in less than 14 years after the planes went into service. More than 1,175 airplanes have flown close to 5 million flights and more than 30 million flight hours, the company said in April.
What’s to eat on board Etihad?
Etihad passengers will have a choice of complimentary Emirati dishes or snacks on flight with free drinks. Customers can choose soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, tea and coffee.
According to an economy menu published online, some of the choices include chicken in Japanese curry sauce with steamed rice, pumpkin and carrots; or a fish fillet with mash potato, green beans carrots and herb-caper cream sauce.
Passengers with a dietary requirement may order a special meal at least 24 hours before a flight. Some special meals, including children’s meals, are only available on flights longer than two hours and 50 minutes.
For first-class and business passengers, the options get a little more fancy. Along with drinks, passengers can dine whenever they’re ready on board from an extensive à la carte menu. Examples include beef tenderloin, three cheese ravioli and spiced duck breast, according to an online published first-class menu.
All meals are prepared to meet Halal requirements, which are permitted for Muslims to consume or engage in.
Etihad partner airlines
Etihad partners with several companies including American Airlines, which accounts for about 90% of flights out of CLT.
Adrià Rabassa Grabalosa, Etihad’s director of network and scheduling, said there will be opportunities for passengers to connect through other airports.
American and Etihad did not provide additional information to The Charlotte Observer about working together at Charlotte Douglas.
Some of the other listed partners on the Etihad website include JetBlue, Air Canada, and Air France.
Saving time upon arrival in Abu Dhabi
Passengers traveling to the U.S. will benefit from U.S. Customs and Border Protection Pre-clearance at the Zayed airport in Abu Dhabi, according to a news release from the company.
This will allow passengers to save time by skipping inspections at Charlotte Douglas, especially if they’re trying to catch a connecting flight.
More about Etihad Airways
Etihad was formed in 2003 and is the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates.
The Abu Dhabi-based airline provides passenger and cargo services to the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. Its U.S. destinations are New York, Chicago, Washington, Boston, and Atlanta (starting July 2).
Etihad’s arrival is a milestone for CLT as the airport tries to expand its global reach, stated Haley Gentry, CEO of Charlotte Douglas International Airport, in a news release. CLT is the sixth busiest airport in the world.
“This new route opens the door to the Middle East and beyond, providing our passengers with greater access to international destinations and strengthening Charlotte’s role as a key gateway for global travel,” Gentry said.
Etihad has more than 12,000 employees, according to the airline. It carried 18.5 million passengers last year, a 32% increase from 2023.
This story was originally published May 20, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
