Etihad Airways is expanding its European footprint with a new codeshare agreement with TAROM, creating fresh links between the UAE and one of Eastern Europe’s fastest-growing travel markets. Signed during the IATA Annual General Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, the partnership will connect Etihad’s global network with destinations across Romania and Eastern Europe while providing Romanian travellers easier access to Abu Dhabi and beyond.
The agreement comes ahead of Etihad’s planned launch of direct flights between Abu Dhabi and Bucharest on 17 December 2026, a route that signals the airline’s growing interest in Eastern Europe as both a source market and a destination for leisure and business travel.
Under the codeshare agreement, Etihad passengers will be able to book a single itinerary from Abu Dhabi through Bucharest and onward to six Romanian cities: Baia Mare, Cluj-Napoca, Iași, Oradea, Suceava, and Timișoara. The partnership also extends Etihad's reach into neighbouring Eastern European capitals including Belgrade, Budapest, Chișinău, and Sofia, giving travellers easier access to a region that is becoming increasingly popular for city breaks, heritage tourism, and business travel.
For travellers looking beyond Europe's traditional hotspots, the agreement opens up destinations ranging from the medieval towns of Transylvania and the Carpathian Mountains to the wetlands of the Danube Delta, one of Europe's most biodiverse regions.
Why Eastern Europe matters now
The partnership reflects a broader trend within global aviation. As competition intensifies across Western Europe, airlines are increasingly targeting Eastern European markets, which continue to record strong economic growth, rising disposable incomes, and growing outbound travel demand.
Romania, in particular, has emerged as one of the region's fastest-growing economies while simultaneously attracting greater international tourism interest. For Etihad, Bucharest provides an entry point into a market of more than 19 million people while strengthening Abu Dhabi's role as a global connecting hub linking Europe with Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Middle East.
What Romanian travellers gain
The benefits flow both ways. Romanian travellers will gain direct access to Abu Dhabi, a destination increasingly recognised for its blend of culture, luxury, and leisure. Visitors can explore attractions including the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the museums of the Saadiyat Cultural District, and the emirate's growing collection of beaches, resorts, and entertainment attractions. Beyond Abu Dhabi, passengers will gain seamless onward access to destinations across Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Gulf through Etihad's expanding network.
Talking about the partnership, Arik De said: “TAROM gives Etihad real depth in Eastern Europe: a flag carrier shaped by more than seven decades of European aviation, and an established network reaching across the country and the wider region. Launching this codeshare ahead of our own Bucharest service means we enter a fast-growing market with genuine scale from day one.”
Mircea Nicolae Cotoros added: “This codeshare with Etihad Airways extends TAROM’s international reach and gives passengers a new connection between Bucharest and Abu Dhabi. It strengthens the link between Romania and the Middle East, supports the continued growth of our network and fosters cultural and economic exchanges.”
The TAROM agreement further strengthens Etihad's extensive partner network, which now includes 47 codeshare partnerships and more than 130 interline agreements — the largest network of any airline operating outside a global alliance. For Etihad, the strategy continues to provide access to hundreds of destinations without launching its own services, while supporting Abu Dhabi's ambitions to become one of the world's most connected aviation hubs.
As airlines increasingly compete on connectivity rather than simply capacity, partnerships such as this are becoming critical tools in unlocking new markets and expanding travel flows between emerging regions.
