The Atlanta route will initially be served by Etihad four times a week. Photo: Etihad
The Atlanta route will initially be served by Etihad four times a week. Photo: Etihad
The Atlanta route will initially be served by Etihad four times a week. Photo: Etihad
The Atlanta route will initially be served by Etihad four times a week. Photo: Etihad

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Etihad Airways launches direct flights between Abu Dhabi and Atlanta, its fifth US destination

Capital of Georgia is the first of 10 new routes announced last year

David Tusing

July 03, 2025

  • English
  • Arabic

Etihad Airways's first direct flight from Abu Dhabi to Atlanta has taken off, making the US city the airline's fifth destination from Abu Dhabi.

Flight EY13 took off from Zayed International Airport at 9.20am local time on Thursday, landing at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport at 4.20pm local time.

The flight is serviced by Etihad’s Airbus A350-1000, a fuel-efficient, environmentally advanced aircraft offering a quieter ride. There are 327 economy seats, each with 13-inch touch screens and bluetooth headset pairing. Each of the 44 business class seats feature a sliding door for suite-like privacy, 18.5-inch TV screens, noise-cancelling headphones and seats that convert into a fully flat bed of 79 inches in length.

The Atlanta route will initially be served four times a week – on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays – with daily flights set to be launched by November, Etihad said.

Etihad's A350 has winglet-type devices to reduce aerodynamic drag. Photo: Etihad
Etihad's A350 has winglet-type devices to reduce aerodynamic drag. Photo: Etihad

“Atlanta is a dynamic city with deep cultural, economic and aviation significance,” said Etihad Airways chief executive Antonoaldo Neves.

“This new service enhances access to the southeastern United States while offering seamless connections across the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Asia.

“With US pre-clearance at Zayed International Airport, guests can enjoy the convenience of arriving in Atlanta as domestic travellers.”

Zayed International Airport is the only airport in the Middle East that offers pre-clearance facilities to travellers flying to the US. These allow travellers to enter the US as domestic passengers, having cleared international immigration before leaving the UAE.

Atlanta is Etihad's fifth US destination, joining New York City, Chicago, Washington DC and Boston. The Atlanta route is the first of 10 new direct rotes announced in November last year. Other destinations are in Asia and Africa.

Flights to Taipei in northern Taiwan will start in September, followed by new routes to Medan, Phnom Penh and Krabi in October and Tunis, Chiang Mai, Hong Kong, Hanoi and Algiers in November. Tickets for each destination are already on sale.

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Citizenship-by-investment programmes

United Kingdom

The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).

All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.

The Caribbean

Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport. 

Portugal

The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.

“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.

Greece

The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.

Spain

The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.

Cyprus

Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.

Malta

The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.

The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.

Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.

Egypt 

A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.

Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties

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Updated: July 03, 2025, 3:55 PM`
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