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Even before taking off to the world’s busiest airport in Atlanta, Etihad Airways has decided to upgrade its flight to a daily route.
The Middle Eastern carrier announced in November it would fly from Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport to the Georgia capital four times per week starting on July 2.
Ticket sales, particularly to South Asia, have been strong enough to persuade the airline to go daily on Nov. 1, just four months after the flight is set to begin.
The new flight will constitute the only nonstop link between Atlanta and United Arab Emirates, and guests on Etihad will be able to partake in a free stopover program for up to two nights in Abu Dhabi, the national capital and one of seven emirates within the Persian Gulf state.
Beyond its home base, the airline is counting on one-stop access to southern Indian cities like Chennai, Mumbai and Bengaluru, or the Pakistani port city of Karachi, to drive demand.
Fares are on sale now and start at 1,925 Emirati dirhams, or about $520 in economy class, or about 10,010 dirhams or $2,700 in business class.
Zayed International Airport offers U.S. Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance, allowing travelers to be screened in the UAE and land in U.S. domestic terminals, skipping the customs line upon their return home or as they make their way to connecting flights.
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