Luxair, Etihad Airways to battle it out on flights to Abu Dhabi
The two airlines' announcements came within a week of each other.
In quick succession, Etihad Airways and Luxair have both announced new flights from Luxembourg to Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Etihad Airways was the first to announce that, starting from October 29, 2026, it would begin flying three times per week between Abu Dhabi Zayed International Airport (AUH) and Luxembourg Airport (LUX). The airline continues to push the envelope with its A321LR fleet, opening up new unserved markets where a widebody would be uneconomic.
Antonoaldo Neves, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Etihad Airways, said the route “is about more than connectivity – it is about building new bridges between Europe and the UAE, unlocking opportunities for business, tourism, and cultural exchange.”
Luxair’s route announcement to AUH
Etihad Airways’ already unexpected choice to launch the route was quickly followed by Luxair’s announcement that it would launch its own service from LUX to AUH. The Luxembourgish airline will operate the winter seasonal route once-per-week with Boeing 737 MAX 8s.
The Monday-only departures are scheduled to arrive at AUH at 17:25 local time (UTC +4) and depart from AUH at 09:00 on Tuesdays, resulting in the aircraft spending over 15 hours on the ground in AUH.
Meanwhile, Luxair’s LUX-Dubai World Central (DWC) flights depart on Wednesdays and Saturdays, returning to LUX on Thursdays and Sundays.
Luxembourg to UAE capacity development
Before the pandemic, Luxair was the only airline flying between Luxembourg and the UAE, offering once-per-week flights from LUX to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport (RKT), which lasted until March 2020.
In March 2021, the carrier resumed flights to the UAE, opting to fly to Dubai International Airport (DXB), before switching to DWC in March 2023.
Barring April 2025, when Luxair operated four flights between LUX and AUH, the only connection between Luxembourg and the UAE had been the airline’s services from/to DWC with up to twice-weekly departures.
The launch of the two airlines’ new AUH service will almost triple capacity between Luxembourg and the UAE. Luxair will likely benefit from established distribution in its home market, particularly with local tour operators, while Etihad Airways will be able to offer onward connections across its network.
Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether there will be sufficient demand to sustain six-weekly services between the two countries.
Comments ()