Etihad Airways has accelerated its all Airbus A350-1000 transition on its Sydney-Abu Dhabi route, offering double-daily services, to accommodate increasing demand and guest popularity.
Etihad now operates 10 weekly A350-1000 flights from Sydney, including the double-daily services on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. The airline is working toward increasing A350 services to 14 weekly, or double-daily in future, in line with the ongoing expansion of its A350 fleet – reinforcing its commitment to strengthening connectivity between Australia and Abu Dhabi.
The Melbourne-Abu Dhabi route continues to operate daily with the Boeing 787-9 aircraft, and like Sydney, will feature the latest Business Suites from 1 February 2026.
“Transitioning Sydney to all-A350 reflects our long-standing commitment to delivering a superior experience for Australian guests,” Etihad Airways vice president global sales and distribution Javier Alija said.
“The change sees our Boeing 777-300ER exit Australian skies, with both Sydney and Melbourne being flown with the latest luxury Etihad product across all cabins. And with demand for premium capacity continuing to rise, our new A350 product positions us to deliver more luxury, privacy, comfort and premium service from one of our most important international markets.”
The A350-1000 features 44 private Business Studios with sliding doors, fully-flat 79” beds, 18.5” UHD touch screens and wireless charging, and 327 Economy Smart Seats with enhanced recline and 13-inch touch screens. Guests also have access to high-speed Wi-Fly on all Australian services.
Travellers from Sydney and Melbourne can connect via Abu Dhabi to over 90 destinations worldwide, with 32 new additions announced 2025, including popular European cities such as Copenhagen, Dusseldorf, Geneva, Krakow, Palma and Prague.
