Etihad Airways and Emirates have signed a memorandum of understanding at the Arabian Travel Market that will expand their interline agreement. This means that travellers who fly to the country will have the option to arrive in one emirate and leave from the other. There will be no extra airfare for the service.

For example, someone flying from London can choose to land in Dubai with Emirates and then fly out of Abu Dhabi with Etihad on the way back. The idea behind the agreement stems from offering travellers the opportunity to see as  much as possible when visiting the UAE, as well as to also save time by not having to  fly back via their arrival airport. This also allows travellers more flexibility with  timings when it comes to flying. “We are pleased to be working again with Etihad Airways — this time to allow each carrier to offer a new range of seamless travel options in and out of the UAE. Emirates and Etihad  are leveraging on our strengths to expand our respective customer offerings and boost UAE tourism,” said Tim Clark, president of Emirates.

“We believe this agreement provides a strong foundation to develop further opportunities between both airlines and is an example of our commitment to the UAE’s vision for continued economic diversification.” Antonoaldo Neves, chief executive of Etihad Airways, added: “We’re delighted to partner with Emirates in our shared mission to support inbound tourism to the UAE and facilitate travel to our vibrant cities.

“With two world-class airlines supporting UAE tourism, our interline agreement will make it more convenient for guests to experience the best of Abu Dhabi and Dubai on one single ticket, while promising to deliver an exceptional flying experience whether they fly with  Etihad Airways or Emirates. It’s a win-win proposition for travellers to the UAE.”

The two airlines previously collaborated in 2018 when they signed an MoU to strengthen aviation security within and outside the Emirates.