Etihad Airways has announced that it will launch new seasonal flights to Malaga in Spain, to meet strong customer demand from across the UAE and GCC for flights to the popular gateway to the province of Andalucía. Three weekly flights will operate via the Moroccan capital, Rabat, from 26 June until 13 September next year.

Robin Kamark, chief commercial officer of Etihad Aviation Group said: “Malaga has been on our wish list for some time and we are tremendously pleased to announce summer season services to the Costa del Sol, a region which for decades has been popular with travellers from across the UAE. This will be the only service between the UAE and the main gateway to Andalucía.”

Together with Madrid and Barcelona, Malaga will be Etihad’s third destination in Spain, further boosting its operations to the Iberian Peninsula. The new flights will be operated by next-generation 787 Dreamliners. The number of visitors from the UAE to Spain has been rising rapidly, thanks in part to a successful Schengen visa waiver programme introduced for UAE nationals in 2015.

Malaga, famed as the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, is the major entry point for travellers visiting Andalucía. After Barcelona, Malaga is the second busiest cruise port on the Iberian Peninsula.