Charlotte airport adds airline for first direct route from NC to the Middle East
Flights from Abu Dhabi via Etihad Airways will be touching down at Charlotte’s airport.
“Charlotte represents a strategic addition to our U.S. network, unlocking direct access to one of the country’s most dynamic and fast-growing regions,” Antonoaldo Neves, chief executive officer of Etihad Airways, said in a news release Friday announcing the flights.
This is the first direct flight from Charlotte Douglas International Airport to the Middle East. Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. Direct flights will begin May 4, 2026, the airline said, on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The announcement comes on the heels of President Donald Trump wrapping up a brief visit to the UAE and several other Middle Eastern countries where he was focused on making deals to tout in the U.S.
Costs of a nonstop flight from CLT to Zayed International Airport on Etihad Airways will range from about $2,140 for a basic fare up to $8,865. It would take 13 hours and 45 minutes for the flight, according to the airline website.
Tickets are now on sale and flights are to depart four times a week. Charlotte travelers also would have one-stop connections to other destinations across the Middle East as well as the Indian subcontinent and Asia.
“We look forward to connecting more travelers to Abu Dhabi and beyond,” Neves stated.
Etihad’s other U.S. destinations are New York, Chicago, Washington, Boston, and Atlanta starting on July 2, according to the airline’s news release.
Airport and airline officials held a news conference Friday morning at Charlotte Douglas about the move.
Ted Kaplan, CLT chief business and innovation officer, said the airline will be the fourth international carrier in Charlotte.
“Abu Dhabi is a vibrant hub for business, culture and tourism in the United Arab Emirates, and (Etihad Airways) will expand Charlotte’s global reach and connectivity to the Middle East and beyond,” Kaplan said.
The airline is moving into the world’s sixth busiest airport in terms of takeoffs and landings, and one that serves as a hub for American Airlines. American accounts for about 90% of the flights out of CLT.
Adrià Rabassa Grabalosa, Etihad’s director of network and scheduling, said Charlotte is a great strategic destination with a fast-growing economy.
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About Abu Dhabi and the UAE
Abu Dhabi is on an island connected to the mainland and it’s the second-most populous city in the UAE after Dubai.
More than 10 million people live in UAE, which receives tens of millions of visitors each year.
For tourists, some of the attractions include beaches, desert safaris, museums, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre, Qasr Al Watan — the presidential palace of the UAE, and Yas Island, a major entertainment destination. The island is home to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, a theme park with the world’s fastest roller coaster; Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, a water park with slides and attractions; and Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, an indoor theme park with popular characters from franchises.
Growth continues at Charlotte Douglas
Along with more flight choices, passengers are also seeing new changes at the busy terminal.
In early April, CLT relocated its rideshare drop-off and pick-up area to the inner lane of the departure zone. The airport made the change to improve traffic flow and make better use of curb space.
The Charlotte airport also opened another security checkpoint in March to provide a faster experience for passengers going through the airport. Screening lanes were also expanded at the airport.
There are now three checkpoints and 21 lanes — 11 of which are automated screening lanes. TSA expects to process 600 more passengers per hour with the change.
The projects are a part of the airport’s $608 million Terminal Lobby Expansion plan, which began in 2019. It added 175,000 square feet to the lobby and renovated 191,000 square feet of existing space.
The lobby expansion is part of Destination CLT, an initiative to renovate and expand the facility. The total capital investment is $4 billion.
More on CLT
The Charlotte airport had 596,583 flights last year — an 11% increase from 2023 when the airport was seventh internationally.
Charlotte is the second largest hub for the Fort Worth, Texas-based American Airlines. The airline offers thousands of daily flights to more than 350 destinations in more than 60 countries.
According to the airport, the other providers at Charlotte Douglas are Air Canada, Countour Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, Lufthansa, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Sun County Airlines, United Airlines, Vacation Express, Viva Aerobus and Volaris.
In June 2024, Turkish Airlines expressed interest in expanding service to Charlotte after expanding its network with a new Denver route, according to aviation news reports. But there has not been an update on those plans yet.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
This story was originally published May 16, 2025 at 9:05 AM with the headline "Charlotte airport adds airline for first direct route from NC to the Middle East."
