Travelers from the UAE, whether in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, will soon enjoy greater flexibility in their air travel options. Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways are broadening their interline agreement to enable travelers to arrive in one emirate and depart from the other at no extra cost for the service.

For example, an individual flying from New York can arrive in Dubai via Emirates and depart from Abu Dhabi with Etihad on their return journey.

This arrangement, revealed in a memorandum of understanding at the Arabian Travel Market, also grants customers the convenience of one-stop ticketing for their entire trip and hassle-free baggage check-in.

Emirates stated that during the initial phase of the enhanced interline agreement, both airlines would concentrate on luring tourists to the UAE by expanding inbound interline traffic from specific locations in Europe and China.

With this new agreement, travelers, mainly tourists, can explore Abu Dhabi, Dubai, or any other Emirate while saving time by avoiding the need to return via their arrival airport. Additionally, this gives travelers more flexibility and a greater choice of available timings.

The carriers are leveraging its strengths to expand customer offerings and boost UAE tourism, said Sir Time Clark, President of Emirates Airline.

“We believe this new agreement provides a strong foundation to develop further opportunities between both airlines and is an example of our commitment to the UAE’s visit for continued economic diversification.”

Meanwhile, Antonoaldo Neves, CEO, of Etihad Airways, called it a win-win proposition for travelers to the UAE. He says, “Our interline agreement will make it more convenient for our guests to experience the best of Abu Dhabi and Dubai on one ticket while promising to deliver an exceptional flying experience, whether they fly with Etihad Airways or Emirates.”

The alliance aims to assist the UAE in promoting tourism and solidifying its standing as a sought-after destination. Before this, the two airlines teamed up in 2018 to enhance aviation security.