Abu Dhabi: Daily flights between Berlin and Abu Dhabi began on October 15, adding a direct link between the UAE capital and Germany as airlines continue to navigate disruption across the Middle East amid the US-Iran war.
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German carrier Condor is operating the year-round service using an Airbus A320neo, with the route forming part of its codeshare partnership with Etihad Airways. The airlines say passengers can connect through Abu Dhabi to destinations across the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Australia.
The service is the first scheduled direct connection between Berlin and Abu Dhabi on Condor’s network, according to the airline.
The launch comes as the regional aviation sector faces continued uncertainty over security risks, airspace restrictions and flight cancellations linked to the conflict. The new route adds capacity and connectivity between Germany and the UAE, although its launch does not indicate that wider regional operations have returned to normal.
Daily flights and onward connections
Condor is operating the Berlin-Brandenburg Airport to Zayed International Airport service daily in both directions. The aircraft used on the route is an Airbus A320neo configured with 180 seats.
Flights depart Berlin at 4.40pm and arrive in Abu Dhabi at 1am the following day. Return flights leave Abu Dhabi at 2.15am and arrive in Berlin at 7.15am.
Timings will change from October 25, when Germany switches to winter time. Departures from Berlin are scheduled for 10am, arriving in Abu Dhabi at 7.20pm, while the return service is due to reach Berlin at 6.20am.
Carsten Nørland, chief commercial officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, said the service would strengthen direct connectivity between the two capitals and create opportunities for tourism, business and trade.
Meanwhile, Haitham Ali Khamis, acting director of tourism products development at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said Germany remained an important source market for visitors to the emirate.
UAE-Germany flight links
The new service adds to existing air links between the UAE and Germany, one of Europe's major travel markets.
Emirates operates flights between Dubai and four German cities: Frankfurt, Munich, Düsseldorf and Hamburg. Etihad also serves the German market through Abu Dhabi, while Condor's services and codeshare arrangements broaden the options available to travellers between the two countries.
Condor's wider Abu Dhabi operation includes its Frankfurt route, launched in May 2026, alongside the Berlin service. The partnership is intended to combine Condor's German network with Etihad's connections beyond the UAE capital.
For travellers, the Berlin route adds a direct option for journeys between the German capital and Abu Dhabi, as well as a connecting point for trips to destinations across Asia and Australia.
Flight disruptions
The new service is launching against a backdrop of continued disruption to air travel in the Middle East following the US-Iran conflict.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has maintained conflict-zone advisories covering several parts of the region. Its most recent advisory lists included active notices for Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. EASA is advising airlines to avoid these routes until November 16.
Separately, attacks on Saudi Arabia's King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh have led to widespread schedule changes, with airlines suspending or cancelling services to the Saudi capital and other destinations in the kingdom.
Air India, IndiGo, Etihad Airways, Lufthansa Group and other international carriers have been among those affected by Saudi-related disruptions, according to the airlines.