Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline, announced it will add a second daily flight to U.A.E. capital Abu Dhabi (AUH) from Delhi (DEL), India, plus 28 more weekly flights to Abu Dhabi from three new Indian cities.

The new Delhi–Abu Dhabi flights get underway on Jan. 15, 2017. On Feb. 1, the carrier will launch daily flights between Tiruchirappalli (TRZ) and Abu Dhabi, and plans to include daily flights to Abu Dhabi from Kannur and Chandigarh in the second half of 2017, subject to approvals. The addition of the routes provides more global connections with India and strengthens the relationship with Jet’s partner, Etihad Airways, the U.A.E.’s flag carrier.

Gaurang Shetty, whole time director, Jet Airways, said, “Abu Dhabi serves as a convenient air bridge between India and rest of the world, offering our guests ease of transfer and more travel options through multiple frequencies from India to Abu Dhabi and beyond to destinations in Europe, Middle East, Africa, North and South America. Conversely, the strength of Jet Airways’ domestic network offers an exhaustive choice of connections across the country for guests arriving into the country.”

Together, the airline partners carried a record 3.3 million passengers between India and Abu Dhabi last year, a 63 per cent increase over the 2 million passengers in 2014. The new routes indicate a bright future for the two airlines, meaning more convenient travel throughout South Asia and the Middle East.