Americans Looking to Go to Petra and Abu Dhabi Are Getting More Flight Options Next Year

Nonstop routes are coming to Atlanta and Washington, D.C.

By Edward Russell Published on November 27, 2024

Close The Treasury at Petra in Wadi Musa, Jordan. Photo:

Sean Arena/Travel + Leisure

Atlanta and Washington, D.C., travelers will have new nonstop flight options to the Middle East beginning next year.

That’s when Etihad Airways will link Atlanta to Abu Dhabi with its dazzling corniche, outpost of the famed Louvre museum and, soon, the capital of the United Arab Emirates’ own Sphere. And Royal Jordanian will connect Washington with Amman and Jordan’s many cultural and historic sites, including Petra and the Jordan Trail.

Etihad will offer four weekly flights to Atlanta on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, on its posh Airbus A350 jets beginning July 2, 2025. 

“Etihad’s expansion is set to bring tens of thousands of new visitors directly to Abu Dhabi, boosting its position as a premier destination for leisure, business, and cultural tourism,” Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves said in a statement. The new Atlanta flights are part of a larger, 10-destination expansion for the airline next year that also includes Hanoi, Hong Kong, and Taipei.

Travelers on Etihad’s new Atlanta flight and connecting on to another destination can take advantage of the airline’s Abu Dhabi stopover program. The offering allows those who book directly on etihad.com to add up to two complimentary hotel nights in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Etihad’s move into Atlanta comes as hometown Delta Air Lines is expanding its ties with Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air and Saudia. Delta has partnerships with both airlines and express interest in adding new flights to Saudi Arabia.

Atlanta is Etihad’s fifth U.S. destination after Boston, Chicago, New York, and Washington, data from aviation analytics firm Cirium Diio shows.

Royal Jordanian will offer two weekly flights to Washington’s Dulles International Airport on Tuesdays and Sundays beginning March 25, 2025. Flights will be onboard a Boeing 787.

“By linking these two dynamic markets, we aim to stimulate tourism, trade and investment opportunities,” Royal Jordanian CEO Samer Majali said in a statement. “This crucial connection provides seamless connectivity to the Gulf, Levant and North Africa.”

Washington is Royal Jordanian’s fourth U.S. destination after Chicago, Detroit, and New York. United Airlines previously flew the Washington-Amman route before suspending flights in August.