Etihad Airways launches direct flights linking Calgary and Abu Dhabi

A new non-stop route between Calgary and Abu Dhabi is set to launch later this year, becoming the only direct flight from Western Canada to the United Arab Emirates. 

Beginning Nov. 3, four flights every week will fly direct between the cities, Calgary Airports announced on Thursday. Etihad Airways, the national airline of the U.A.E., will operate the flights.

“We're not just connecting two cities,” said Chris Dinsdale, president and CEO of Calgary Airports. “We're actually connecting Calgarians, Albertans and Canadians to an entire network.”

Dinsdale said he expects flights to Abu Dhabi will be in high demand given that the city is a major hub for business and leisure activities, and also provides a link to other areas in the Middle East, as well as Africa and Asia.

“We want the world to come and see us, and we want to have our community go see them,” Dinsdale said.

Nearly 20 million passengers travelled through the Calgary International Airport last year, he said.

The new service will help Tourism Calgary reach its goal of doubling visitor spending in Calgary to $6 billion by 2035, said Jeff Hessel, senior vice-president of marketing and destination development with the tourism agency.

“We're becoming a much more global city,” Hessel said. “When it comes to trying to double your tourism spend, it comes from the international long-haul tours. They stay longer, they spend more, and they stay in your destination.”

The announcement comes as Alberta and Canada seek to bolster economic ties with the U.A.E. Last November, Prime Minister Mark Carney signed a historic investment pact between the two countries, while Alberta opened an international office in Abu Dhabi earlier that month in an effort to strengthen economic ties between the province and the Middle East.

Joseph Schow, Alberta’s jobs and economy minister, said the route is a “massive opportunity” to continue building the trade relationship between the regions.

“Whether it be tourism, investment, trade or helping Alberta-based businesses attend major events hosted in the U.A.E., the opportunities are truly endless,” Schow said.

Trade between the two regions exceeded $300 million in 2024, with more than $200 million of that consisting of exports from Alberta, according to a government release.

Given their similarities as “major energy hubs,” establishing a direct flight between the cities was a no-brainer, said Lena Havia, vice-president of alliances and joint ventures for Etihad Airways. 

“Abu Dhabi and Calgary are both global centres of energy innovation and expertise," Havia said. “Both offer fantastic experiences, whether it's the cultural richness or the year-round sunshine of Abu Dhabi, or the natural majesty of the Canadian Rockies.”