Etihad Airways will start flying to Abu Dhabi out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport on May 4, 2026.

Why it matters: The roughly 15-hour direct flight will be Charlotte's longest route and the first to the Middle East.

What to expect: The airline will offer four weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays on a 303-seat Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. This will be CLT's first scheduled Boeing 787-9 aircraft.

• The plane will have business and economy seating.
• Ticket prices start around $1,500.

Between the lines: This will be Charlotte's fourth international carrier and Etihad's sixth U.S. destination. Sun Country Airlines was the last airline to join CLT's roster in 2022. Volaris was the last international airline to add service out of CLT in 2018.

• American Airlines remains the dominant carrier at CLT, but adding Etihad gives travelers more options.

By the numbers: CLT saw record passenger traffic in 2024 with 58.8 million people flying into or out of the airport.

CLT's existing carriers

CEOs from some of the country's largest companies, like American Express, Salesforce, Microsoft and Uber, are urging state leaders to mandate artificial intelligence and computer science classes as a high school graduation requirement.

Why it matters: Students who attend high schools that offer a computer science course end up earning 8% higher salaries than those who don't, regardless of career path or whether they attend college, according to a report by the Brookings Institution.

Zoom in: In 2023, North Carolina passed a law adding computer science to the standard course of study. It's set to go into effect as a graduation requirement starting with the 2026-2027 school year.

• But last week, the state House passed its own bill that would make computer science one of the state's required math classes rather than an elective.
• The bill now goes to the Senate. Some have criticized the new measure because it would remove a requirement for students to take a class known as Math 3, which includes some calculus, WUNC reported.

Go deeper

Scottie Scheffler won the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow yesterday.

Why it matters: This was the second time Charlotte hosted the PGA Championship, one of golf's four majors. For Scheffler, now a three-time major winner, it was his first time hoisting the Wanamaker Trophy.

• It was his first solo major win in Charlotte (he was part of Team USA's win during the Presidents Cup here in 2022).

PGA Championship in photos

⚽️ Carolina Ascent secured the inaugural USL Super League Players' Shield over the weekend during their final home match of the regular season. They enter the playoffs s as the No. 1 overall seed. They'll host a playoff match on June 8. (X)

🏒 The Charlotte Checkers won both of their playoff games over the weekend and lead the Hershey Bears 2-0 in the series. The remaining games will take place in Hershey. Game 3 is Wednesday. (X)

📑 Vaulted Oak Brewing will host "The Office" trivia tonight at 7pm. There will be free chili and a costume contest. (Instagram)

🏁 U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will serve as grand marshal for the Coca-Cola 600 this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. (Instagram)

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It's a week to take in a show, celebrate classic theater and cinema, and top it off with fireworks.

🐕 Monday: Support rescue animals during trivia night at Birdsong Brewing. The event benefits Naughty Donkey Farm Sanctuary. | Free to attend. | 7pm | Details

🎭 Tuesday: Take in "Les Misérables," a timeless musical, at Belk Theater. | $46.39+ | 7:30pm | Details

🪐 Wednesday: Celebrate the 45th anniversary of "The Empire Strikes Back" at Independent Picture House. | $9.25 | 7:20pm | Details

🎲 Thursday: Embrace board game nostalgia when you play Monopoly Lifesized at Blume Studios. | $39.99+ | Times vary | Details

🎆 Friday: Catch a baseball game and fireworks in Uptown as the Charlotte Knights take on the Round Rock Express. | $23+ | 7:04pm | Details

💼 Check out who's hiring in Charlotte.

1. Upper School Chemistry Teacher at Charlotte Latin School.
2. Kitchen Manager at Tap In.
3. Packaging Operator at Sycamore Brewing.

Want more opportunities?Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Post a job.

A new exhibit at the Charlotte Museum of History opens tomorrow, May 20, to celebrate the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence.

Why it matters: Before there was the Declaration of Independence there was the Meck Dec. The exhibit is one of many ways Charlotte is celebrating 250 years of history.

What to expect: "Meck Dec 250" examines Charlotte's role in America's fight for independence through documents and artifacts during American Revolution, plus modern Meck Dec memorabilia, plus an interactive diorama of Charlotte in 1775.

Stop by: The exhibit is on view through early 2026 and is included in the price of museum admission. There will be Meck Dec-themed tours of the museum's 1774 Rock House every hour from 11:30am-3:30pm on Saturday, May 24.

More ways to celebrate the Meck Dec

News you can use from our partners.

• 👋 Goodbye Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, hello Daniel Stowe Conservancy. With new adventure trails, cafés and the same gorgeous gardens, there's something for everyone at Stowe. Plan your visit.
• Embark on a deep-sea adventure in OceanXperience, an immersive exhibition opening May 24 at Discovery Place Science. Navigate an ocean research vessel and choose your own mission: humpback whales, orcas or hammerhead sharks.

Students from 54 schools in the Charlotte area competed in this year's Blumey Awards, an annual high school theater celebration much like the Tony Awards. The winners were announced Sunday night at Belk Theater:

🏆 Weddington High School won Tier 1 Best Musical for its production of "Chicago: Teen Edition."

🏆 North Lincoln High School won the Tier 2 Best Musical for its production of "Pippin."

⭐️ Central Academy of Technology and Arts' Haley Ciaramella won Best Actress for her role as "Eponine" in "Les Misérables School Edition."

🌟 Central Academy of Technology and Arts' Alex Board won Best Actor for his role of "Javert" in "Les Misérables School Edition."

Zoom in: Tiers are based on a school's production budget.

Full list of the winners