Etihad Airways has signed a new joint venture (JV) with Ethiopian Airlines, featuring a codeshare agreement and new flight routes, set to improve connectivity between Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Ethiopian Airlines will be launching direct flights to Abu Dhabi from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) to Zayed International Airport (AUH), starting from July 15, 2025. It will operate the new route using its modern fleet of Boeing 777s and Airbus A350-1000s.

Etihad will follow with daily flights on the same route from October 1, 2025, strengthening ties between the regions and providing new travel opportunities for passengers across the networks.

The Etihad-Ethiopian JV will enable the airlines to collaborate in developing and expanding more routes between the UAE and Ethiopia, pending regulatory approval.

The potential destinations for expanded partnership travel feature major destinations on Ethiopian’s network in Africa, such as Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Kampala, Uganda; Kinshasa, DR Congo and Lusaka, Zambia.

It also includes cities in the UAE and Asia, among them Etihad destinations such as Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Islamabad, Pakistan and upcoming routes to Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Krabi, Thailand.

Antonoaldo Neves, chief executive of Etihad Airways said of the partnership: “The start of flights between the two great cities of Addis Ababa and Abu Dhabi connects our expanding networks, giving our customers seamless access to a growing list of destinations via our extensive hubs. It also paves the way for deeper discussions on working together across our respective regions on other cooperation, including frequent flyer programmes, training and cargo.”

Mesfin Tasew, group chief executive of Ethiopian Airlines, also commented: “This partnership underscores our dedication to fostering strong bilateral relations and promoting economic growth between Ethiopia and the UAE. As part of our strategy to strengthen Ethiopian Airlines’ global presence, the launch of our new flight to Abu Dhabi marks our third destination in the UAE, following Dubai and Sharjah (Cargo).

“With over 120 weekly passenger and cargo services to the Middle East and Gulf states, we are committed to providing exceptional connectivity and service to both our customers.”