Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will begin flights to the US city of Chicago from Wednesday 2 September, 2009. The route will be served initially three times a week and will increase to daily flights from Thursday 1 October, 2009.
Chicago, the third largest city in America and the biggest in the state of Illinois, will be the Abu Dhabi-based airline's second US destination joining its popular daily flight to New York.
It will also strengthen Etihad's network in North America, which includes Toronto, and enjoys an average seat factor of more than 80 per cent.
James Hogan, Etihad Airways' chief executive, said: "Starting flights to Chicago is a very proud moment in the history of Etihad Airways and upholds our ambitious plans to link Abu Dhabi with key strategic cities around the world.
"The new service will provide a daily flight for business and leisure travellers as well as enhance commercial and cultural ties not only between Abu Dhabi and Chicago but also between the UAE and US."
The new service to Chicago's O'Hare airport will increase the airline's global flight network to 55 cities and follows confirmation that Etihad will also begin flights to Melbourne, Athens and Istanbul during 2009.
The US Ambassador to the UAE, Richard Olson, said: "It's very fitting that Etihad's second destination in the US is to the home of America's 44th President. The inauguration of this new service, linking the UAE and the US, is another very positive example of the strong and expanding commercial relationship that Emiratis and Americans share."
Chicago is the third largest US market for air travel to the Middle East and GCC, after New York and Washington, and the state of Illinois is home to one of the largest Arab American communities in the US with an estimated Arab American population of more than 230,000.
The famed "windy city" is home to 2.5 million residents and the Chicago metropolitan area has a population of more than 9.5 million people.
Chicago attracts more than 44 million visitors each year and the city's main airport, O'Hare, witnessed nearly 70 million passengers in 2008 making it the second busiest airport in the world.
Chicago has been rated as having the most balanced economy in the United States, due to its high level of diversification, and the city is also home to three major financial and futures exchanges, including the Chicago Stock Exchange, the Chicago Board Options Exchange and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.
The city is also the major sporting capital in America and Chicago is home to two Major League Baseball (MLB) teams, the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox. The Chicago Bears are the city's National Football League (NFL) team while the Chicago Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Etihad will operate a three cabin Airbus A340-500 wide body aircraft on the Abu Dhabi to Chicago service which is configured to carry 240 passengers with 12 in first class, 28 in business class and 200 in economy class.
From Wednesday 2 September, Etihad Airways flight EY151 will depart from Abu Dhabi airport on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 10.20am and arrive in Chicago O'Hare airport at 4.40pm. Return flight EY150 will depart from Chicago on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 8.30pm and arrive in Abu Dhabi at 7.55pm the following day. From Thursday 1 October, 2009 Etihad flights EY151 and EY150 will operate daily.
About Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways flies 21 services a week from London Heathrow and seven services per week from Manchester to its home base in Abu Dhabi.
Etihad Airways is the national airline of the United Arab Emirates based in the UAE's capital, Abu Dhabi. Currently Etihad Airways offers flights to 50 destinations in the Middle East, Europe, North America, Africa and Asia.
For tickets and reservations, call 0870 241 7121. For further details, visit www.etihadairways.com.