Malaga Airport regains direct flight connection to Abu Dhabi for summer 2024

Malaga Airport and the Costa del Sol will regain a direct flight connection to Abu Dhabi for next summer after the route was suspended four years ago.

Etihad Airways confirmed the news to the Junta de Andalucía delegation at the Routes World trade fair, which brought together airlines, airports and aviation stakeholders from across the globe in Istanbul. The major UAE carrier said it would return to operate to the gateway of the Costa del Sol duirng the high season of 2024, from June to September. It will fly the route four times a week, one more than it did previously. Etihad Airways previously operated at Malaga Airport in 2019 with three weekly flights.

At the travel fair, meetings involving the regional delegates were also held with other long-haul airlines that currently do not operate flights to Andalucía, such as the Chinese Hainan Airlines, Emirates, Fly Dubai and American Airlines.

British airline Jet2.com will fly to Malaga Airport from its new base in Liverpool, in addition to connections which already fly to the Costa del Sol from the carrier's ten other bases in the UK. Meanwhile, BA EuroFlyer, a subsidiary of British Airways which flies from London's Gatwick airport to Malaga and Seville, will also look at bettering its connection to Andalucía.

Emerging markets

The Andalusian delegation also had conversations Air Serbia, which already operates a flight from Belgrade to Malaga, and which has confirmed that it will continue to operate in the winter season. Positive talks were also had with Wizz Air, which has a strong presence in emerging European markets such as Hungary, Romania, Albania and Poland. The Hungarian low-cost airline already operates in Malaga and Seville and is considering new connections in the region after acquiring 500 aircraft.

Andalusian representatives also held meetings with managers of the Routes World fair to push for the region to host the major international event in 2025.