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Etihad Airways

Aviation

Latest Etihad Airways DevelopmentsAI Insights

Etihad's passenger numbers rose by 16 percent to 5 million in the first quarter of 2025. The fleet grew by 10 percent to 98 aircraft concurrent with the addition of new destinations. The company delayed its planned initial public offering until at least next month5.

US trade tariffs have not yet affected Etihad, according to its CEO. The company maintains strong seat occupancy and aims to expand its fleet to over 170 planes by 2030. New acquisitions for the year include Airbus A321LRs, Airbus A350s, and Boeing 787s4.

Etihad Airways has no intention to invest in any Indian airlines at present. The company confirmed this strategy while exploring partnerships to boost passenger numbers at Abu Dhabi Airport. It already partners with Akasa Air to facilitate flights connecting Bengaluru and Ahmedabad to Abu Dhabi. The company has also requested that the Indian government consider expanding seat capacity because of increased demand1.

Etihad is set to receive more than 100 aircraft from Boeing over the next five years to fuel its route expansion. The company anticipates an annual delivery of 20 planes during this period. The fleet includes Boeing 787 and 777X jets, involved in a recent $14.5 billion order2.

James Hogan, the former CEO, plans to take a stake in the UK's Global Airlines. Hogan's advisory firm will assist with fundraising and strategic guidance for Global Airlines3.

Etihad Airways Overview

Etihad Airways is the national airline of the UAE. “Etihad” means “union” or “unity” in Arabic and is intended to represent the unity of the UAE’s seven emirates.

Based in Abu Dhabi, Etihad is owned by the Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADQ, and the Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company, which also owns other aviation entities like Abu Dhabi Airports and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi.

Etihad is planning to invest $7 billion over the next five years and to double the size of its fleet by 2030 as it prepares to go public in an IPO.

Etihad has around 90 passenger aircraft and five Boeing 777 cargo freighters. It has ordered a further 95 – 12 were scheduled for 2024 and a further 23 in 2025.

Etihad flies to more than 80 destinations. New additions scheduled for 2025 are Algiers, Atlanta, Chiang Mai, El Alamein , Hanoi, Krabi, Phnom Penh, Prague, Taipei, Tunis and Warsaw.

In 2025 Etihad also plans to double its routes and frequencies to Africa and offer daily services to Dusseldorf and Copenhagen.

Etihad Airways News

Etihad passenger and destination numbers are on the up: Algiers is one of 12 new destinations that Etihad has started flying to since May 2024. Others include Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Phnom Penh, Taipei and Tunis

Etihad passengers up 17% as fleet and route networks grow

Passenger numbers on Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways rose 17 percent year on year in the first five months of 2025 as the Emirati carrier increased its fleet and route network. The total number of Etihad passengers carried from January to May reached 8.4 million, according to a statement. The average passenger load factor increased to […]

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Etihad has teamed up with Indian low-cost carrier Akasa Air but says it will not invest further

Etihad rules out investments in Indian airlines

Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways has no plans to invest in Indian airlines, CEO Antonoaldo Neves confirmed in an interview this week. “The answer is a clear no,” he told Economic Times, an Indian financial daily. Under its former CEO James Hogan, Etihad acquired stakes in several global airlines. In 2023 it purchased a 24 percent stake in […]

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Gulf aviation and politics intersect at 30,000 feet

As headlines swirled around Qatar’s reported gifting of a private jet to President Donald Trump, the real political theatre last month unfolded in the skies above the Gulf.  Within days of each other, regional carriers Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways revealed a combined 238-jet order from Boeing, the troubled US manufacturer, highlighting how aviation serves […]

Etihad Boeing Antonoaldo Neves

Etihad comfortable with Boeing deliveries as profit rises

Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways, which posted record profit in the first quarter, said it expects to take delivery of at least 100 planes from US plane maker Boeing over the next five years, helping to equip its route expansion plans. “We’re getting more than 20 planes a year for the next five years,” Etihad Airways […]

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Ex-Etihad CEO James Hogan takes stake in UK’s Global Airlines

James Hogan, the former Etihad Airways chief executive who was at the helm during the airline’s loss-making expansion, is set to become a shareholder in the UK’s Global Airlines, a startup attempting to bring the Airbus A380 back into commercial service. Hogan’s advisory firm, Knighthood Global, will take a stake in Global Airlines and advise […]

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Qatar Airways announces record profit but risks remain

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Flydubai CEO says demand exists to quadruple India flights

Flydubai believes it has the capacity to quadruple its flights to India, saying the demand is there. However, Delhi’s protectionist aviation policies remain a stumbling block to the Gulf’s biggest low-cost carrier by fleet size, as well as other UAE airlines. Flydubai currently operates 30 flights a week from Dubai to eight Indian cities.  “India […]