Source : WAM
Etihad Airways carried a record 22.4 million passengers in 2025, marking a 21 percent increase year-on-year and the highest annual total in the airline’s history. The growth was driven by sustained travel demand and disciplined capacity expansion across its growing global network.
The airline’s passenger load factor for the full year reached 88.3 percent, up two percentage points from 2024, highlighting strong commercial performance throughout the year.
Etihad ended the year strongly, transporting 2.2 million passengers in December, a 28 percent rise compared with the same month in 2024. The passenger load factor for December stood at 87.6 percent, reflecting consistently high utilisation during the peak year-end travel season.
By the end of 2025, Etihad’s operating fleet had expanded to 127 aircraft, following the delivery of 29 new aircraft during the year — the largest single-year fleet expansion in the airline’s history.
The expansion included the introduction of the Airbus A321LR, which extended Etihad’s premium cabin offering to a broader range of short- and medium-haul routes, supporting continued network growth.
Etihad’s expansion in 2025 accounted for around half of the UAE’s total passenger growth, based on reported and projected airline traffic figures nationwide, underscoring the carrier’s key role in advancing Abu Dhabi’s tourism and economic objectives.
Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said, “2025 was a year of strong growth for Etihad. We carried more than 22 million passengers – the highest annual total in our history – while improving our service, product and customer satisfaction across the year.
Closing the year with a record December reflects the confidence our customers place in our product and service. With the largest fleet in Etihad’s history, of 127 aircraft, Etihad is better positioned than ever to welcome more visitors to Abu Dhabi and deliver extraordinary travel experiences for our guests across a rapidly expanding network.”
