ABU DHABI, UAE – Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, is the Global Airline Partner at LIVEX 2026, joining Abu Dhabi government entities and more than 30 partner organisations at the emirate's inaugural Liveability and Investment Exhibition. Powered by the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), LIVEX takes place from 29 September to 1 October 2026 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi.
Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said: "Liveability and connectivity go hand in hand. When people decide where to live, work or invest, they look at how easily a city connects them to the world, and Abu Dhabi has built a city worth connecting to.
"As Global Airline Partner of LIVEX, we are proud to show how Etihad's growth is helping bring more of the world to Abu Dhabi, from the visitors we welcome to the talent we attract. We have nearly doubled seats into the emirate in three years, and through Abu Dhabi Stopover and Etihad Escapes, we are giving our guests another reason to stay, and a reason to come back."
Etihad's Chief Executive Officer will deliver a keynote address on the opening day of the exhibition, setting out how Etihad's growth is connecting Abu Dhabi to the world, bringing more visitors and talent to the emirate, and supporting its long-term ambitions. Etihad also has a dedicated presence at the exhibition throughout the three days.
Connectivity as a foundation of liveability
A liveable city is a connected one, and as LIVEX brings together the partners shaping Abu Dhabi's future, air connectivity remains one of the foundations that makes the emirate an attractive place to live, work and invest. Etihad operates more than 300 daily flights connecting Abu Dhabi with around 120 destinations. In 2025, it carried 22 million passengers and more than 700,000 tonnes of cargo, becoming the largest cargo operator between mainland China and the Middle East. Over the past three years, the airline has increased seat capacity into Abu Dhabi by 97%, from 6.4 million seats to 12.6 million, strengthening the emirate's proposition for tourism, trade, investment and talent.
That momentum is set to continue. Etihad is scaling towards a fleet of 200 aircraft and more than 37 million guests a year by 2030, supported by a US$20 billion investment in new aircraft and guest experience, ensuring Abu Dhabi's connectivity keeps pace with its ambitions.
Turning journeys into visits
Liveable cities are also cities people want to discover and return to, and Etihad is helping more travellers experience Abu Dhabi first-hand. Developed in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), the Abu Dhabi Stopover programme offers Etihad guests connecting through Zayed International Airport a complimentary one or two-night hotel stay. More than 310,000 visitors have taken part since 2024, including 170,000 in 2025, and a growing number of stopover guests return for longer stays. The programme now extends to Al Ain, named Capital of Arab Tourism for 2026.
Launching this October, Etihad Escapes, the airline’s new travel platform, will allow guests to book hotel accommodation with their Etihad flight booking directly through etihad.com, with Miral Destinations joining as launch partner to connect guests with Abu Dhabi's leading leisure experiences. Together, these initiatives support Abu Dhabi's ambition to welcome 39.3 million visitors and generate AED 90 billion in tourism GDP by 2030*.
People and talent at the heart of growth
Behind every new aircraft, route and guest is a growing team, and as one of the world's fastest-growing airlines, Etihad's expansion is also a story about people choosing Abu Dhabi. The airline's workforce of over 14,000 employees brings together more than 150 nationalities, drawn by the emirate's world-class infrastructure, high-quality education, modern housing and broad range of leisure and cultural experiences, which give residents an exceptional quality of life and a welcoming place to call home.
Etihad is equally focused on attracting the brightest Emirati minds through cadet pilot, graduate, technical and leadership programmes, supporting the UAE's ambition to empower national talent across key sectors.
Etihad's participation in LIVEX reflects its role as a long-term partner in Abu Dhabi's growth, connecting the emirate to the world and giving more people reasons to visit, stay and build their future in Abu Dhabi.