Etihad Airways reported the strongest nine-month performance in its history, delivering record profits, revenue and passenger numbers as the airline continues to expand its fleet, network and customer experience throughout 2025.
The carrier earned a profit after tax of AED1.7BN ($463 million) in the first nine months of 2025 – 26 percent of its year-on-year increase of 8, compared to 7 percent for the same period last year.
Total revenue grew 18 percent year-on-year to AED21.7bn ($5.9BN), supported by strong growth in both passenger and baggage volumes.
Etihad Airways results
Passenger revenue rose 20 percent to AED18.2BN ($4.9BN), driven by expanded capacity and a strengthened global network. Cargo revenue grew 8 percent to AED3.2BN ($875m), supported by higher volumes, which rose 6 percent year-on-year.
Functionality is improved. EBITDA rose 27 percent to AED4.3bn ($1.2BN), resulting in an EBITDA margin of 20 percent, one percentage point higher than the same period last year.
Operating cash flow reached approximately AED6BN (over $1.5bn), an increase of more than 40 percent per year.
Etihad carried 16.1m passengers during the period – the highest in its history – showing a year of 18 percent year on year and supported by an increase of 17 percent to a position of 88 percent, one percentage point higher.
Etihad satisfaction
Customer satisfaction also continued to strengthen, with Net Promoter scores increasing across all cabins and reaching record levels in Premium segments. Travelers have really enjoyed the new A321lr that Etihad says sets a new benchmark for comfort and service on a small body aircraft.
Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways, says: “Etihad’s performance this year has set a new benchmark, outpacing the market and driving almost half of the UAE’s passenger growth.
“It is a clear confirmation of our strategy, the strength of our team, and the appeal of Abu Dhabi as a world-class destination. We are growing, maintaining a focus on the guest, and maintaining our focus on efficiency and effectiveness.”
Etihad’s active fleet reached 115 aircraft by the end of September 2025, a 19-year-on-year increase in one of the fastest delivery periods in its history.
In the third quarter alone, the airline is taking delivery of nine aircraft, including its first A321lr in July, followed by two additional A321LS, Boeing A350s and one A320 and one A320. This helped drive a more than 20 percent year-over-year increase in available seat kilometers for the quarter.
Etihad passenger numbers
The airline also reached a major milestone in July, carrying 20m passengers in 12 months for the first time.
The new A321lr Fleet service introduced on 1 August 2025 with its inaugural flight to Phuket, featuring private firsts, full business class in a 1-1 configuration, and improved cabin design.
Etihad continued to increase the scale of its network, operating close to 300 passenger flights a day to more than 100 destinations, of which 91 were operating as of 30 September.
Etihad launched new destinations in Atlanta and Al Alamein in the third quarter and announced additional routes to Salalah, Kazan and Krakow. Across Europe alone, Etihad has added more than 500,000 seats by 2025.
In total, 31 new destinations have been placed or announced in the last 12 months, underscoring Etihad’s contribution to Abu Dhabi’s Inbound Tourism growth and its desire to make the capital one of the most connected cities in the world.
Partnerships and Group Growth
Partnerships are also expanding, including a new loyalty partnership with Vietnam Airlines and an expanded cargo partnership with Atlas Air.
Etihad’s sustained growth has been supported by significant investment in talent, with more than 2,600 new staff added in the first nine months of 2025, including more than 200 pilots and 1,500 cabin crew. More than 1,500 employees were promoted in the organization at the same time.
