Etihad's new Gothenburg route introduces direct flights to Asia for Swedish travellers

Etihad Airways will launch its first direct service from Gothenburg to Asia this winter, offering new connections to Bangkok, Phuket, Bali, and beyond, transforming travel options for Swedish holidaymakers.

Etihad Airways is set to give holidaymakers from Sweden’s west coast a new winter option to Asia, with a seasonal Abu Dhabi-Gothenburg service due to begin on 17 December 2026. For travellers, the most notable change is simple: Gothenburg will gain its first direct air link to Asia through Etihad’s Abu Dhabi hub, cutting out the need for lengthy one-stop routings through other European airports.

The airline plans to fly the route four times a week until 21 March 2027, with departures on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Etihad says the service will be operated by its Airbus A321LR, with two First Suites, 14 Business seats and 144 Economy seats, giving passengers a full three-cabin choice on a route that is aimed at both leisure and onward-connection demand. Bookings are already open.

For travellers heading to Thailand, the new service could be particularly useful because Abu Dhabi will offer connections to Bangkok, Phuket and Krabi, alongside other Asian destinations such as Singapore, Hanoi and Bali. That makes the Gothenburg route a potentially more convenient winter escape for Swedish passengers planning beach trips or city breaks, while also broadening options for those visiting friends and family elsewhere in Asia. Etihad’s chief executive, Antonoaldo Neves, said the A321LR would allow the airline to offer its three-cabin product on the service, while Swedavia Airports’ chief executive, Mats Johannesson, said the route would improve links for West Sweden with the Middle East, India and south-east Asia.