Etihad Airways Achieves Record Nine-Month Profit Of AED 1.7 Billion In 2025

Etihad Airways has achieved its best-ever nine-month performance, showcasing growth in all core areas. The airline's profit after tax reached AED 1.7 billion (U.S.$ 463 million) for the first nine months of 2025, marking a 26% increase from the previous year. This boosted the profit margin to 8%, up from 7% last year. Total revenue rose by 18% to AED 21.7 billion (U.S.$ 5.9 billion), driven by strong passenger and cargo segments.

Passenger revenue saw a significant rise of 20% year-on-year, reaching AED 18.2 billion (U.S.$ 4.9 billion). This was due to increased capacity and an enhanced network. Cargo revenue also grew by 8%, amounting to AED 3.2 billion (U.S.$ 875 million), thanks to improved capacity and higher volumes, which increased by 6% compared to last year.

The airline's fleet expanded significantly, reaching a total of 115 aircraft by September's end, with an addition of nine new planes in the third quarter alone. This included the introduction of the Airbus A321LR in July, followed by more A321LRs, Boeing 787s, Airbus A350s, and an A320. These additions contributed to a more than 20% increase in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) for the quarter.

Etihad launched inaugural flights to Atlanta and Al Alamein during this period and announced new destinations like Salalah, Kazan, and Krakow. This expansion strengthens its presence across the Middle East, Europe, and Central Asia. In Europe alone, over half a million seats were added in 2025 to support Abu Dhabi’s tourism growth.

The airline maintained strong operational performance with EBITDA rising by 27% year-on-year to AED 4.3 billion (U.S.$ 1.2 billion). This resulted in an improved EBITDA margin of 20%, up by one percentage point from last year. Operating cash flow also saw a substantial increase of over 40%, reaching nearly AED 6 billion (more than U.S.$1.5 billion).

Customer satisfaction has been on the rise throughout the year with Net Promoter Scores improving across all cabins, particularly in premium classes. The new A321LR fleet has set new standards for comfort on narrow-body aircraft, enhancing guest experiences significantly.

Recognition and Partnerships

Etihad was named a Five-Star Global Airline for 2026 by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX), acknowledging its commitment to service excellence and innovation. The airline also strengthened partnerships with Vietnam Airlines through loyalty programs and expanded its cargo partnership with Atlas Air.

The dedication of Etihad’s workforce is evident as over 2,600 new employees were hired in the first nine months of the year, including more than 200 pilots and over 1,500 cabin crew members. Additionally, over 1,500 employees received promotions during this period.

"Etihad’s performance this year has set a new benchmark," stated Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways. "It’s a clear validation of our strategy... We’re expanding... maintaining our focus on efficiency." He expressed gratitude towards team members for their contributions and guests for their continued support.

The introduction of the A321LR fleet began on August 1st with its first flight to Phuket. This marked a milestone as it brought wide-body luxury features into narrow-body operations within the region for the first time.

Etihad carried a record-breaking number of passengers—16.1 million—in the first nine months of this year alone; an impressive increase supported by higher capacity (+17%) alongside an improved load factor at around eighty-eight percent (+1pp). The airline also reached another milestone in July when it transported twenty million passengers on a rolling twelve-month basis.

With inputs from WAM