Etihad Airways to Launch Direct Abu Dhabi Flights to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan in 2026

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced plans to launch direct flights from Abu Dhabi to Almaty, Kazakhstan, and Tashkent, Uzbekistan, beginning in 2026.

The service to Almaty will start on March 16, 2026, with flights operating eight times a week, while flights to Tashkent will commence on March 17, 2026, with six weekly flights. Tickets for both routes are expected to go on sale soon, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Aviation Group, highlighted the airline’s growth strategy:

“Our goal is clear: we want to bring more people directly to Abu Dhabi. These new routes connect us to fast-growing, culturally rich regions and will help stimulate demand for tourism and trade in the UAE’s capital.”

This expansion comes in the wake of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s recent decision to suspend all operations starting September 1, 2025, as part of a strategic restructuring by its parent company, Wizz Air Holdings. Etihad’s new routes into Central Asia are seen as a timely response to fill the gap left by Wizz Air’s withdrawal from the region.

Further indicating rising interest in Central Asia, Singapore-based Chan Brothers Travel has announced plans to bring hundreds of tourists to Uzbekistan through direct charter flights starting in December 2025.