Etihad widens Cambodia reach with codeshare

Etihad Airways has launched a codeshare partnership with Air Cambodia, widening its Southeast Asian network and giving travellers a single-ticket connection from Abu Dhabi and beyond to Siem Reap through Phnom Penh.

The agreement allows Etihad customers to book journeys from across its international network to Siem Reap, the gateway to the Angkor Wat temple complex, via the Cambodian capital. The arrangement includes through-checked baggage to the final destination, reducing the complexity of separate bookings and airport transfers for passengers travelling into Cambodia’s main cultural tourism hub.

Air Cambodia passengers will also gain access to Etihad’s Phnom Penh-Abu Dhabi service, strengthening Cambodia’s links with the Middle East, Europe and other markets served through Etihad’s hub at Zayed International Airport. The partnership deepens a route relationship that began when Etihad opened direct services between Abu Dhabi and Phnom Penh in October 2025, marking a step-up in air connectivity between the Gulf and Cambodia.

The codeshare is strategically timed for both carriers. Etihad is expanding aggressively across Asia as part of a wider network and fleet growth plan, while Cambodia is trying to rebuild tourism momentum after uneven visitor flows and pressure on some of its key source markets. Siem Reap remains central to Cambodia’s tourism proposition, with Angkor Wat continuing to anchor international leisure demand despite fluctuations in arrivals.

For Etihad, the partnership gives its passengers a more practical way to reach Siem Reap without requiring the airline to operate its own aircraft into the city. Phnom Penh becomes the transfer point, with Air Cambodia carrying passengers onward to Siem Reap. The arrangement also gives Etihad an expanded footprint in a market where point-to-point demand alone may not yet justify broader direct flying, but where tourism and business links are steadily developing.

Arik De, Etihad Airways’ chief revenue and commercial officer, said Cambodia was an important and growing market for the airline, with rising demand for travel to and from the destination. He said the partnership with Air Cambodia would extend Etihad’s reach and give passengers seamless access between Siem Reap and the wider region through a single booking via Abu Dhabi.

Air Cambodia’s chief commercial officer Eng Molina said the agreement would strengthen connections between Southeast Asia and the Middle East. He said Air Cambodia passengers would gain direct access to Abu Dhabi, while Etihad customers would be able to explore Cambodia’s cultural heritage, including Angkor Wat and destinations beyond the temple circuit.

The partnership also sits alongside an interline arrangement that gives Etihad passengers access to parts of Air Cambodia’s Vietnam network, including Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Phu Quoc. That adds another layer to Etihad’s Southeast Asia strategy by using local partners to reach secondary and leisure-heavy destinations that are often underserved by long-haul carriers.

Cambodia’s aviation market has been reshaped by new infrastructure. Techo International Airport, serving Phnom Penh, began operations in September 2025 and replaced the old Phnom Penh International Airport for commercial flights. The new airport has an initial annual capacity of about 13 million passengers, with longer-term expansion plans designed to support higher tourism and investment flows into the country.

Cambodia received 5.57 million international tourists in 2025, down from 6.7 million in 2024, underlining the challenge facing the country’s travel sector. Angkor Archaeological Park drew 955,131 international visitors in 2025, generating about $44.7 million in ticket revenue. Those figures show both the continuing strength of the Angkor brand and the need for better air access from long-haul markets.

Etihad enters this partnership from a position of growth. The airline carried 22.4 million passengers in 2025, a 21 per cent rise from the previous year, while its operating fleet expanded to 127 aircraft. Its network growth has been supported by new Airbus A321LR aircraft, which allow the carrier to serve medium-haul markets with premium cabins and lower operating risk than wide-body aircraft.

The Phnom Penh route is part of a broader Etihad push into Southeast Asia, including destinations such as Krabi, Chiang Mai, Hanoi and Medan. The airline has used a mix of direct flying and partnerships to build traffic flows through Abu Dhabi, positioning the emirate as a transit and stopover hub for leisure and business passengers.