Etihad will launch flights between Boston and Abu Dhabi
There's a new opportunity to redeem miles on one of the world's most luxurious airlines.
Etihad Airways announced on Wednesday that it will begin flying to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) next spring.
The Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates-based airline will operate the service between its home hub and Boston beginning March 31, 2024, with four flights in each direction per week.
Flights to Abu Dhabi will depart from Boston at 3:55 p.m. on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, arriving at noon local time the next day. Flights to Boston will depart Abu Dhabi at 3:10 a.m. on the same days, arriving at 8:55 a.m.
Etihad will operate the flight with a Boeing 787-9 aircraft. While these planes don't have the airline's famously luxurious first-class cabins, they offer a solid business-class product with Etihad's staggered Business Studio seats.
The airline has introduced a new business-class product on its recently delivered 787-9s — the front cabins on these new planes feature 32 seats. However, the airline is advertising the older product's seat map for the new Boston service, which includes 28 business-class suites. It was not immediately clear whether that would change.
Etihad, like Persian Gulf rivals Qatar Airways and Emirates (which both fly to Boston), offers one-stop connections across the globe via its hub, servicing destinations throughout the Middle East, Africa and the Indian subcontinent.
Although the airline is not a member of any of the major alliances, it partners with several carriers and their frequent flyer programs, including American Airlines AAdvantage and Air Canada's Aeroplan.
The airline is perhaps best known for its ultra-luxurious first class and its extravagant Residence, a three-room suite only found at the front of the first-class cabin on Etihad's Airbus A380.
Still, even without first class, the new connectivity from Boston means new potential mileage redemption opportunities for U.S.-based travelers.