Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways is to launch direct flights to Los Angeles, marking the airline’s fourth US destination. The route will be launched from 1 June 2014.

To support the new route, the airline is buying five Boeing 777-200LR aircraft from Air India. A letter of intent was signed in Mumbai earlier this month.

Etihad Airways currently operates flights to New York, Chicago, Washington DC and Toronto in North America and Sao Paulo in Brazil.

The aircraft will be delivered at the beginning of 2014, with the first one entering service in April.