Charlotte's airport to add direct flight to Abu Dhabi in 2026
Etihad Airways will start flying out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport May 4, 2026 to Abu Dhabi.
Why it matters: The roughly 15-hour direct flight will be Charlotte's longest route and the first to the Middle East.
What to expect: The airline will offer four weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays on a 303-seat Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. This will be CLT's first scheduled Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
The plane will have business and economy seating.
Prices start around $1,500.
Between the lines: This will be Charlotte's fourth international carrier and Etihad's sixth U.S. destination. Sun Country Airlines was the last airline to join CLT's roster in 2022. Volaris was the last international airline to add service out of CLT in 2018.
American Airlines remains the dominant carrier at CLT, but adding Etihad gives travelers more options.
By the numbers: CLT saw record passenger traffic in 2024 with 58.8 million people flying into or out of the airport.
Current carriers at CLT are:
Air Canada
American
Contour
Delta
Frontier
Lufthansa
Southwest
Spirit
Sun Country
United
Vacation Express
Viva Aerobus
Volaris
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