Etihad Airways to launch flights to Nice in France

Hayley Skirka

Travellers planning summer holidays from the UAE may want to consider a trip to Nice, one of France’s most popular tourist destinations.

That’s because Etihad Airways is launching new seasonal summer flights to the hotspot on the French Riviera in June, in time for peak summer travel.

Twice-weekly flights will operate between Abu Dhabi and Nice Cote d’Azur Airport from June 15, with services departing the UAE on Wednesdays and Sundays.

“As one of the most popular destinations on the French Riviera, Etihad Airways is delighted to add Nice to its summer network in 2022,” said Martin Drew, senior vice president global sales and cargo at Etihad.

Nice is famed for its scenic seven-kilometre walkway the Promenade des Anglais. Unsplash

“This is the first time Etihad will be operating flights to Nice and Etihad is confident it will appeal to a broad range of leisure travellers looking to satisfy their wanderlust this summer.”

Famed for its seaside location and pretty seven-kilometre-long Promenade des Anglais, Nice has been a tourist magnet since the 1700s and a Unesco World Heritage site since 2021.

Long a place where artists, writers and poets would gather for lunch, picnics and lavish parties, Nice’s cobbled streets and turquoise shallow waters continue to appeal to holidaymakers.

Travellers flying Etihad to Nice will first touch down in Rome, before continuing to the French city that was a haven for creatives, from Picasso to Bonnard.

Return flights operate direct to Abu Dhabi from Nice.

France is the third most popular European destination for travellers planning summer trips from the UAE this year, according to recent data from online travel agency Skyscanner. The country ranked behind the UK, which is the most popular destination, and Turkey, which was the second most popular place for UAE travellers.

Etihad’s flights to Nice are the airline’s fifth seasonal summer route to be announced.

The national airline of the UAE will also fly to the popular Greek holiday island of Crete for the first time from June 15.

It is then relaunching seasonal flights from Abu Dhabi to Zanzibar, Santorini and Malaga, from mid-June.

Scroll through the gallery below for five more top European summer holiday destinations from the UAE