Travel between the Gulf and China is getting easier. Etihad Airways starts daily flights from Abu Dhabi to Shanghai Pudong on 1 October 2026, and adds four more Chinese cities in March 2027.
| Route | Starts | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi – Shanghai Pudong | 1 October 2026 | Daily |
| Abu Dhabi – Guangzhou | 4 March 2027 | Daily |
| Abu Dhabi – Hangzhou | 4 March 2027 | 5 a week |
| Abu Dhabi – Chengdu | 5 March 2027 | 4 a week |
| Abu Dhabi – Shenzhen | 7 March 2027 | 5 a week |
With Beijing, that makes 35 flights a week to six Chinese cities, all on Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
Riyadh Air has also been approved to fly Riyadh–Beijing and Riyadh–Shanghai. It has not yet announced a start date.
What this means for your trip
- More one-stop options from the Gulf, and from Southeast Asia via Abu Dhabi.
- Open-jaw trips are easier: fly into Shanghai and home from Guangzhou or Chengdu.
- Entry: UAE and Qatar passports enter China visa-free for up to 30 days. Saudi, Omani, Kuwaiti and Bahraini passports can too, until 31 December 2026. See entry rules by passport.
Halal food on arrival
Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou and Chengdu all have mosques and halal restaurants. Our city guides list them, and our Muslim-friendly journeys plan halal meals and prayer times into every day.
