Etihad Airways today announced three new quarantine-free destinations for the coming winter season. This November, the airline will begin flying to Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa, and the beautiful Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar. The new additions to Etihad’s network mean the UAE’s national carrier will be operating to 70 destinations across 47 countries. Etihad Airways has launched a sale on fares to Johannesburg, Cape Town and Zanzibar, valid until midnight on 6 October 2021. Available on a first come, first served basis, guests can enjoy return fares starting from AED 995 in Economy and AED 3995 in Business class. <b>Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad, </b>said<b>:</b> “We’re proud to be launching Etihad’s newest destinations in Africa this winter and we’re confident our guests will find they are all incredible places to visit. “Johannesburg is an important route on our network and offers vital connectivity to and from the southern African region. On the southern coast, Cape Town is a breathtaking part of the world, with something to offer the most discerning traveller. Likewise, the beautiful island of Zanzibar will complement our network to the Maldives and Seychelles offering more choice for leisure travellers looking to enjoy the glorious Indian ocean. “We are also thrilled to offer connectivity for travellers from both countries to visit our home the UAE over the winter months. With the world’s greatest show, Expo 2020, opening now there has never been a better time to visit Abu Dhabi and the UAE.” Etihad will start flights to Johannesburg, South Africa’s biggest city, from 25 November. At the same time, Etihad will launch its operation to the stunning coastal city of Cape Town. Both destinations will operate three times per week on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The route will be serviced by Etihad’s flagship and most-sustainable aircraft, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, with 28 Business Studios, 78 Economy Space seats and 184 Economy seats. The new service to Zanzibar will operate from 26 November giving residents in the UAE the ideal winter holiday. The route will also offer easy connectivity for guests travelling from Europe and North America and transiting through Abu Dhabi. The scheduled flights will operate on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays on the airline’s Airbus A320 aircraft offering 8 seats in Business and 150 seats in Economy. Guests flying with Etihad can fly with complete peace of mind thanks to the Etihad Wellness programme, which includes complimentary COVID-19 insurance, valid for travel until 31 March 2022, for all passengers. The airline’s innovative Verified to Fly service also simplifies the process of authenticating travel documents before travel. With Verified to Fly travellers can validate their documents before arriving at the airport, giving them the confidence that they have met all essential government and airline travel requirements before travelling to the airport. Etihad was the first airline in the world to fully vaccinate its crew on board. The airline also requires 100% of its passengers to show a negative PCR test before boarding which protects the inflight environment, now recognised to be one of the best in the world. Consequently, Etihad was awarded Diamond status at the inaugural APEX Health Safety powered by SimpliFlying audit in January 2021.