Calgary Just Got a Nonstop Line to the Persian Gulf

Etihad Airways began flying between Abu Dhabi and Calgary on October 25, a route that is the first nonstop service from any Gulf city to Calgary. The inaugural flight, EY29, landed at Calgary International on Sunday morning, and Etihad says it is also the first direct link between the two cities.

The flights run four times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with 303 seats: 32 in Business and 271 in Economy. EY29 leaves Abu Dhabi at 2:25 a.m. and reaches Calgary at 7:00 a.m., while the return, EY30, departs Calgary at 1:00 p.m.

Etihad plans to move to daily service if demand supports it. Officials framed the route around business as much as leisure, pointing to Alberta’s energy sector and recent provincial trade missions, and Etihad’s operations chief noted that Abu Dhabi offers one-stop connections onward to India and the wider subcontinent.

For travelers, the appeal runs both ways. Calgary gives Gulf residents a gateway to the Canadian Rockies, including Banff and Jasper, while Canadians get a new way to reach Abu Dhabi’s attractions and Etihad’s stopover programme. It is the airline’s second Canadian destination after Toronto.

Sources: Gulf News, Airline Geeks