Charlotte Douglas International Airport welcomes Etihad Airways service from Abu Dhabi
Charlotte Douglas International Airport welcomed (20-Mar-2026) the commencement of Etihad Airways service from Abu Dhabi, the airport's first foreign flag airline since 2018 and fourth in total. The route becomes the longest flight operated from Charlotte at a time of more than 14 hours. The service also marks the first scheduled service of the A350-1000 in the airport's history. Airport chief business and innovation officer Ted Kaplan stated: "This route offers our passengers faster, seamless connections to the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia, while reinforcing Charlotte's role as a global gateway and driver of economic growth". [more - original PR]
Background ✨
Etihad Airways began four times weekly Abu Dhabi‑Charlotte services with A350‑1000 equipment on 20-Mar-2026, making Charlotte its sixth US destination after New York, Chicago, Washington, Boston and Atlanta, and it was the only scheduled operator on the route, per OAG.1