Etihad to add second daily Sydney service from December

Etihad Airways will add four weekly flights on its Abu Dhabi–Sydney link from 15 December 2026, taking the route to 14 frequencies a week, or two departures a day. The carrier has served Sydney since 2007 and says the extra capacity will make more than 5,000 seats a week available between the two cities.

All services on the route will use Airbus A350 aircraft, fitted with the airline's latest cabins and high-speed Wi-Fi throughout. Business class features private suites with sliding doors, 79-inch lie-flat beds, wireless charging and 18.5-inch individual screens. Economy seats are 17.4 inches wide with 13.3-inch 4K touchscreens and Bluetooth audio connectivity.

The second daily departure from New South Wales is timed to connect with Etihad's morning and evening banks at Abu Dhabi International Airport, which the airline says will allow same-day connections to destinations in Europe including Zurich, Geneva, Milan, Rome, Frankfurt, Munich, Düsseldorf, Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid, Barcelona, London, Manchester and Dublin. Links are also offered to points across the Gulf, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and Africa.

For travellers heading beyond Australia, the added frequency widens options to the rest of Australia and to New Zealand through the carrier's interline agreements with Qantas, Jetstar and Air New Zealand. Etihad's Australian network is further supported by its regular operation of other services in the market, according to the airline.