TAROM and Etihad Airways launch a major partnership. Romania will be connected with Asia, Africa and Australia through Abu Dhabi
Passengers flying from Romania will have access, starting from the end of 2026, to an extensive network of destinations in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Australia, following a codeshare agreement signed between TAROM and Etihad Airways. Tickets will go on sale from July.
TAROM and Etihad Airways are launching a partnership that will connect Romania with Asia, Africa and Australia
The national air transport company TAROM and the operator of the United Arab Emirates Etihad Airways have announced the signing of a commercial codeshare agreement, which will allow the integration of the networks of the two companies and will offer new travel options for passengers from Romania and Eastern Europe.
The agreement was signed during the Annual General Assembly of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), held in Rio de Janeiro.
According to the information provided by the two companies, tickets will be available for sale from July, and the first trips based on the new partnership are scheduled to start from December 17, 2026. The connections between Bucharest and Abu Dhabi will be operated with four weekly frequencies.
Access to dozens of intercontinental destinations
The new partnership will allow TAROM passengers to more easily reach numerous destinations outside Europe, using Abu Dhabi airport as a connection point.
Through the Etihad Airways network, travelers from Romania will be able to continue flights to cities in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Australia, without having to purchase separate tickets for each segment of the journey.
At the same time, the agreement expands the connectivity of the airports served by TAROM. Both domestic destinations operated by the Romanian company, such as Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Iasi, Oradea, Baia Mare, Suceava and Timișoara, as well as cities in the region, including Belgrade, Budapest, Chisinau and Sofia, are targeted.
What a codeshare agreement means for passengers
Codeshare agreements are frequently used in the airline industry to allow airlines to market partner-operated flights, providing passengers with a unified travel experience.
In practice, this means that a passenger can buy a single ticket for the entire journey, even if the flights are operated by different companies.
According to information provided by TAROM and Etihad Airways, passengers will benefit from:
- issuing a single ticket for the entire itinerary;
- check-in to the final destination;
- automatic baggage transfer between flights;
- coordinated connections through Abu Dhabi airport.
These facilities reduce the time required for transit formalities and simplify the organization of long-distance travel.
Romania, better connected to markets outside Europe
The deal comes as demand for travel to Asia and the Middle East has grown in recent years, both for tourism and business purposes.
At the same time, the new connection via Abu Dhabi could represent an alternative for passengers traveling from Romania to Australia, one of the destinations that usually requires several stops.
