Activities & latest news in Madrid

Etihad Double-Daily Flights and Free Stopovers – Summer 2025 is About to Get Sunny!

The Summer 2025 travel schedule just got a glow-up! Etihad Airways is rolling out double-daily flights to some of Europe’s most beloved cities, and guess what? They’re throwing in a free Abu Dhabi stopover to sweeten the deal. Paris, Milan, Barcelona, Madrid, and more—it's like a summer buffet of Europe’s finest, with a side of luxury desert stopover in the UAE.

Twice the Flights, Twice the Fun

Etihad is ramping up services faster than your Wi-Fi on airplane mode. Double-daily flights will soon connect Abu Dhabi to hotspots like Paris, Milan, Rome, Barcelona, Madrid, and beyond. So, whether you’re craving croissants by the Seine or tapas in Madrid, you’ll now have morning and evening flight options to match your every mood. That’s right—want to sleep in a little? Catch the 2 p.m. flight and still be in Europe by dinner. Or, if you’re an early bird, grab the morning flight and land just in time for breakfast in Milan.

And that’s not all! Malaga is getting some extra love too, with five flights per week during the summer, because, clearly, Etihad knows you deserve a little more beach time.

Stopover in Abu Dhabi – The Layover You’ll Actually Enjoy

Layovers used to mean hanging around the airport, drinking overpriced coffee, and counting the minutes. But now, with Etihad’s free stopover program, you can turn that layover into a mini-vacation. Think up to two free nights at fancy hotels in Abu Dhabi, where you can explore the city’s ever-expanding list of must-see attractions.

Fancy a stroll through the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque? Maybe a few spins around Ferrari World? Or how about sipping a cocktail while watching the sunset over the Gulf? Abu Dhabi’s calling, and Etihad’s making sure you get a taste of its charm—for free!

Highlights Etihad Double-Daily Flights and Free Stopovers:

• Double-daily flights to Europe’s hottest cities: Paris, Milan, Rome, Barcelona, Madrid, and more!
• Flexible departure times: Morning or afternoon, whatever suits your travel style.
• More flights to Malaga: Because you can never have too much sunshine.
• Free stopovers in Abu Dhabi: Up to two nights of luxury in the UAE's capital, no extra cost.
• New routes: Welcome to the Etihad family, Warsaw and Prague!
• More global services: Daily flights to Bali and 10 flights a week to Sydney.

Making Travel Even Easier

Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer at Etihad Airways, couldn’t contain his excitement (and neither can we). “We’re expanding faster than you can say ‘summer holiday!’ With double-daily flights, we’re giving travelers more flexibility, allowing you to squeeze every last drop out of your vacation.” Plus, with those **2 p.m. departures**, you get a breezy hotel checkout time, a seamless transition to the airport, and the luxury of not rushing through your morning espresso in Abu Dhabi.

So whether you’re in it for the business perks, the free hotel nights, or just the chance to say “I’ve been to Abu Dhabi,” Etihad’s got your back. Buckle up for a summer full of destinations, double-daily flights, and maybe a few extra days lounging in Abu Dhabi.

It’s official: Summer 2025 is looking sunnier than ever!

Planning a trip to one of these marvellous locations? Let one of our fantastic DMCs help you plan an unforgetable trip. 

From Royal Splendor to Tapas Benders

Madrid, where centuries of royal extravagance meet the sheer joy of stuffing your face with tapas. It’s a city where you can pretend to be classy while secretly just waiting for your next snack. Today, your clients will get a whirlwind tour of palatial splendor, followed by a shameless tapas binge, because history is best absorbed on a full stomach.

Pretend to Be Fancy: The Royal Palace Tour

First up, they’ll step into the Royal Palace, aka the Spanish version of "Extreme Makeover: Monarchy Edition." This place is so big it makes Buckingham Palace look like a starter home. As your clients stroll through rooms dripping in gold and velvet, they’ll wonder how anyone managed to live here without bumping into a chandelier or tripping over a marble statue. But hey, if you’re going to rule a country, why not do it in style? Just don’t let them get too attached—they can’t take the chandeliers with them.

Tapas Time: When in Spain, Eat Everything

After feigning sophistication at the palace, it’s time to get real—real full, that is. The tour takes a delicious detour through Madrid’s old town, where the tapas bars await like little shrines to culinary joy. Think crispy patatas bravas, sizzling chorizo, and ham so good it practically sings to you. Your clients will hop from bar to bar, grazing like food-obsessed royalty, discovering why "siesta" really just means "I ate too much and now I need to lie down."

Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol: The Walk-It-Off Phase

Post-tapas, they’ll waddle over to Plaza Mayor, where the architecture is grand, the street performers are questionable, and the people-watching is prime. It’s the perfect place to sit and digest—err, admire the scenery. Then, it’s off to Puerta del Sol, the beating heart of Madrid, where they can snap a selfie with the famous "Bear and the Strawberry Tree" statue. Because nothing says, "I visited Madrid," like a bear inexplicably hugging a tree.

The Perfect Day in Madrid: Royals, Snacks, and Instagram Glory

By the end of this day, your clients will have gotten their fill of royal history, consumed more tapas than they thought humanly possible, and collected enough Instagram content to last them a week. They’ll leave Madrid with a newfound love for both chandeliers and jamón—and possibly a need for stretchy pants.

From Royal Splendor to Tapas Benders

Ready to book this royally awesome (and delicious) Madrid adventure? Let’s make it happen—crowns optional, tapas mandatory. Contact DMC Madrid. 

American Airlines Expands Routes for Summer 2025 - Get Ready for a European Adventure 

Just as you’re cozying up with pumpkin spice lattes and oversized scarves, American Airlines is plotting something big for your summer 2025 travel plans. Forget raking leaves; it's time to plan your escape to Europe. AA is adding five brand-new routes to its European network, and trust us, you’ll want to pack your bags for these destinations: Edinburgh, Athens, Madrid, Milan, and Rome. Yes, that means more transatlantic flights to whisk you away to dreamy places where carbs don’t count, and the architecture is older than the internet.

Castles, Pasta, and Mythology – Oh My!

Let’s break it down: say you are joining the migratory or traveling population and you are flying out of Philadelphia (PHL), you can say you are the chosen one. The journey does not end there because apart from over 80 domestic points you get to connect, there are about 17 new routes across the Atlantic among them one to Edinburgh in Scotland. Get comfortable because if its currently winter where you are, very soon travellers will be exchanging their cheesesteaks for haggis (or not) as they roam around ancient castles wondering if they are secret beings of royalty.

Going to Italy? Well, it seems like American Airlines has got you covered as it recently introduced Miami (MIA) Rome (FCO) flights and PHL Milan (MXP) flights. By 2025, expect that American will roll out Italian destinations more than you have pasta recipes, making sure that summer leaves you, pizza, art and those dreamlike landscapes that give your instagram followers the worst of FOMO.

Charlotte to Athens anyone? The new route from Charlotte to Athens will get you to Acropolis country before you can utter civilization. And having four daily services to Greece by 2025, American is going to be the airline with the most knowledge on greek mythology.

Tapas, Sun, and Siestas: Chicago to Madrid

If using Atlanta to reach Spain is not your style, then there's nothing to be worried about. The American hub (ORD) located in Chicago is joining the fray emerging from the mumbai heat with its new route to Madrid. Now you can cross the ocean and find yourself in the land of Flamenco and Sangria and Spanish siestas. Should you decide to fly out of Madrid, the American airline’s hubs will allow you to navigate around Europe, Africa and the Middle East for those who want to travel but don’t want to commit.

More Flights, More Fun

If for whatever reason summer 2025 currently lacks plans for lounging with a cocktail in a beach club somewhere in Europe, American Airlines is going all in with over 70 departures per day to more than 20 transatlantic destinations. They will also be working on popular Kosharov routes such as CPH, NAP and NCE after supporting summer 2024, because more time in the land of Danish pastries, Neapolitan Pizzas and French Riviera never hurts anyone.

Ladies and Gentlemen, for the romantics, American’s winter service to Paris from Miami is sticking around for the summer season even. “Great,” said nobody, because now you can plan that picture-perfect Eiffel Tower moment during summer as well.

Bonus: Expanding Premium Offerings to Asia

Oh, and if Europe isn’t enough for you, American is also pumping up its routes to Asia for summer 2025. Bigger planes will connect Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Los Angeles (LAX) to Japan, making sure you’ve got plenty of space to stretch out and dream about sushi as you head to Tokyo and beyond. With easy connections to over 30 destinations across Japan and East Asia, your passport is about to get a serious workout.

American Airlines Expands Routes for Summer 2025

So, what are you waiting for? Summer 2025 is practically begging you to take a European (or Asian) adventure, and American Airlines is making sure you get there with style, convenience, and probably more than one in-flight snack.

Interested in Europe? Check out our marvellous DMCs in Europe who can help plan your next trip.