Starting June 15, 2024, Etihad Airways will offer direct flights between Nice and Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates). The airline first served Nice Côte d’Azur in June 2023, enhancing connectivity between the Côte d’Azur and the Middle East, thus contributing to the economic and tourist dynamism of the region.
Frequency and Schedule of Flights
The service will operate twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Flights will depart from Nice at 11:15 AM and land in Abu Dhabi at 7:15 PM. The airline has already put tickets for these flights on sale, with the first departure scheduled for June 15, 2024.
Impact on Tourism and Business
These direct flights will promote the development of business tourism and strengthen ties between the French Riviera and the United Arab Emirates.
In July and August 2023, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport reported passenger traffic similar to 2019, reaching 3.3 million travelers, but with 675 fewer aircraft movements. This efficiency is due to better utilization of aircraft capacity and the success of long-haul flights.
The airport witnessed the opening of 26 new routes, including three long-haul to Atlanta, Doha, and Riyadh, enhancing its international positioning. Traffic with the United States has particularly increased, while the United Kingdom remains the top international market.
Meanwhile, cross-country connections within France continued to grow, accounting for 40% of domestic links, catering to specific transportation needs.
This performance reflects the airport’s strategy of combining sustainable development with operational efficiency.
International – Nice Côte d’Azur France
- Twin Jet new routes Nice–Olbia and Nice–Menorca summer 2026
- Nice Côte d’Azur Airport Terminal 2 extension: 23,000 sq m and capacity increased to 18 million passengers
- Nice Côte d’Azur Airport summer 2026: a record network of 130 destinations
- Cork–Nice: Direct Aer Lingus service from May 2026
- €2.8 billion in economic impact in 2024 for Nice Côte d’Azur and Cannes-Mandelieu Airports
- The Côte d’Azur is emerging as a testing ground for decarbonised air mobility
- United Airlines reactivates the Nice–Washington route in summer 2026
- Nice Côte d’Azur: Second Place in Quality of Life Among Major French Metropolises in the 2025 Arthur Loyd Barometer
