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Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Guide

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Ethiopian flies from Addis Ababa Bole International (ADD) to places such as London and Cairo. This guide covers that network, the Ethiopian fleet and cabins, baggage, check-in and how to pay less. Ask a question
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In short

Ethiopian Airlines is the flag carrier of Ethiopia and Africa's largest airline, based at Addis Ababa Bole International. It serves 167 passenger destinations in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the Americas, and Addis Ababa links many African cities with the rest of the world. Ethiopian is in Star Alliance and runs ShebaMiles. Cabins are Cloud Nine business and Economy.

Ethiopian Airlines is the flag carrier of Ethiopia, founded in 1945 and based at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. It is Africa’s largest airline and serves more destinations in Africa than any other carrier, with a growing network to the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with Ethiopian Airlines. Routes, schedules, fleet and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.

What to expect

Ethiopian Airlines is the state-owned flag carrier of Ethiopia, headquartered at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, its main hub. It suits travellers flying to and within Africa from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas. It was founded on 21 December 1945 and began flying on 8 April 1946.

The Addis Ababa hub and its reach

In January 2026 Ethiopian served 145 international and 22 domestic passenger destinations, plus 70 cargo destinations. Many itineraries change planes in Addis Ababa, so check transfer times and transit or visa rules for Ethiopia before booking.

Secondary hubs are Lomé in Togo, Lilongwe in Malawi and Lusaka in Zambia, linked to airlines Ethiopian part-owns, plus Liège in Belgium for cargo.

Partner airlines across Africa

Ethiopian Airlines Group holds stakes in several African airlines: 49 percent of Air Congo, Guinea Airways and Malawi Airlines, 45 percent of Zambia Airways, and a share of ASKY Airlines in Togo. The group also owns the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa and holds 51 percent of a logistics venture with DHL.

Ownership and plans

Ethiopian is wholly owned by the government through Ethiopian Investment Holdings, the country's sovereign wealth fund, and employed about 18,000 people in November 2023. Its Vision 2035 plan targets a fleet of 271 aircraft, 207 international destinations and 65 million passengers a year by 2035. A new airport at Bishoftu, about 38 km south of Addis Ababa, was announced in 2020 as a project of about 6 billion US dollars with room for 100 million passengers a year.

Baggage allowances by route and fare

Baggage allowances differ by route and fare, so confirm yours on the Ethiopian Airlines website before you fly.

Fact-checked by the bookingMentor Travel Desk Reviewed · Updated when rules or prices change

Checked against trusted sources:
Ethiopian official website

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  1. Ethiopian official website
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Good to know

  • Founded1945

Everything you should know

Airline codes

ET · ETH

IATA · ICAO · callsign “ETHIOPIAN”

Ethiopian’s IATA code is ET, its ICAO code is ETH, and the radio callsign is ETHIOPIAN. Type ET and your flight number into a status search to follow an Ethiopian flight.

Key facts

Main hub

Addis Ababa (ADD)

Addis Ababa Bole International

Network

167 passenger destinations

Africa · Middle East · Asia · Europe · Americas

From Addis Ababa, Ethiopian serves 145 international and 22 domestic passenger destinations, including 65 in Africa, more than any other airline.

Destinations

Cabin classes

Cloud Nine

and Economy

Two classes on most flights: Cloud Nine business class and Economy; Dash 8s are all-economy. Cabins are Cloud Nine, the business class, and Economy Class. Ethiopian joined Star Alliance in December 2011, and codeshare partners include Lufthansa, United and Singapore Airlines.

Compare cabins

Good to know

Ethiopian’s business class is called Cloud Nine. Its loyalty programme is ShebaMiles, and its official website is ethiopianairlines.com.

Frequent flyer

ShebaMiles

Member of Star Alliance

As a Star Alliance member, Ethiopian lets you credit flights to another Star Alliance programme or to ShebaMiles.

How it works

Start a new search

bookingMentor lists ET fares beside the other carriers on the same route, which shows quickly whether Ethiopian is the cheaper way to reach London.

Bon voyage on your next Ethiopian flight.

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At a glance

Ethiopian Airlines (IATA: ET, ICAO: ETH) is the flag carrier of Ethiopia and Africa’s largest airline, based at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. Founded in 1945 and a Star Alliance member, it flies Airbus A350, Boeing 737, 777, 787 and Dash 8 aircraft to 145 international and 22 domestic destinations.

Key facts about Ethiopian Airlines
HeadquartersBole International Airport, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Fleet typesAirbus A350, Boeing 787, 777, 737 and Dash 8-400
Frequent flyerShebaMiles
Official websiteethiopianairlines.com

Flight routes

Destinations and routes

Direct routes
Ethiopian serves the places below according to its published network. Routes are added, paused and rescheduled, so confirm the current Ethiopian timetable when you search. Search flights

Ethiopia

Addis Ababa (ADD) departures5 destinations

Check all

Fleet and aircraft

Ethiopian's fleet is about 170 aircraft, with Airbus A350-900s and Boeing 787s on long-haul routes, Boeing 777s for the longest flights and cargo, Boeing 737 and 737 MAX jets on regional routes and De Havilland Dash 8 turboprops on domestic and short flights. Ethiopian was a launch customer for the Boeing 787. Ethiopian placed a new large Boeing 737 MAX order in 2023.

  • Airbus A350-900 Wide-body Newest long-haul aircraft in the fleet
  • Airbus A350-1000 Wide-body Newest long-haul aircraft in the fleet
  • Boeing 787-8 Wide-body Long-haul and busy African routes
  • Boeing 787-9 Wide-body Long-haul and busy African routes
  • Boeing 777-200LR Wide-body Long-haul routes needing the most range or seats
  • Boeing 777-300ER Wide-body Long-haul routes needing the most range or seats
  • Boeing 737-700 Narrow-body African and Middle East routes
  • Boeing 737-800 Narrow-body African and Middle East routes
  • Boeing 737 MAX 8 Narrow-body African and Middle East routes
  • De Havilland Dash 8-400 Turboprop · 30 in service Domestic and short regional routes
  • Boeing 777F and other freighters Freighter · 20 in service Ethiopian Cargo

Cabin classes

Two cabins are on sale at Ethiopian: Cloud Nine and Economy. Not every Ethiopian route has all of them.

Cloud Nine Most flights

Business class

Ethiopian’s business class, with lie-flat seats on its newer long-haul aircraft.

Lie-flat on long-haul wide-bodiesLounge access

Economy All flights

Standard seat

Economy with meals ranging from snacks to hot dishes depending on flight length.

MealsSeat-back entertainment on wide-bodies

ShebaMiles

Ethiopian’s loyalty programme. Join ShebaMiles online before you fly so the trip counts.

ShebaMiles members earn miles on Ethiopian and Star Alliance flights and redeem them for award tickets and upgrades.

ShebaMiles is the loyalty programme. Members earn miles on Ethiopian and Star Alliance flights.

Baggage allowance

Check your e-ticket for the exact Ethiopian allowance. It is set by the fare type, the cabin and the route, whether you start at ADD or another airport.

Checked baggage
On your e-ticket
Cabin baggage
Set by your fare
Extra bags
Add online before you fly
Power banks
Cabin bag only

Ethiopian sets one allowance for short-haul and another for long-haul, and its premium cabins always carry more than the cheapest economy fare. Check the route-by-route figures on ethiopianairlines.com.

Pro tip: measure your cabin bag against the Ethiopian size limit before you pack, and add any extra checked weight in your booking, where it usually costs less than at the airport.
Travel day

Online Check-in

Ethiopian check-in comes down to four steps, from checking in online to dropping your bags at Addis Ababa Bole International.

  1. Step 1

    Check in online

    Use ethiopianairlines.com to check in for eligible flights. Have your Ethiopian booking reference or e-ticket number and your surname ready.

    Booking ref + surname
  2. Step 2

    Prepare your documents

    Pack your passport plus any visa, residence permit or entry papers your destination asks for. Domestic ET passengers should bring a photo ID the airline accepts.

    Passport · visa · ID
  3. Step 3

    Arrive early

    Get to the airport with time for Ethiopian check-in, bag drop and security. The airline sets a deadline for each airport, shown in your booking, and late arrivals can lose their seat.

    Check your deadline
  4. Step 4

    Drop your bags

    Hand in checked luggage at the Ethiopian counter or bag drop, then keep your boarding pass and passport ready for security and the gate.

    Ethiopian counter
Ready to check in? Check in and manage your booking on the official Ethiopian website.
Check in with Ethiopian
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Cheap tickets

How to find a cheaper Ethiopian fare without giving up the bag or seat you need.

  1. 01

    Be flexible with your Ethiopian dates

    Compare a full week of Ethiopian departures; midweek days are often priced below Fridays and Sundays.

    Midweek flights
  2. 02

    Avoid the holiday peaks

    When school holidays and festivals send many people travelling at once, ET fares rise. A trip just before or after the peak tends to cost less.

    School holidays · festivals
  3. 03

    Compare Ethiopian fare types

    An Ethiopian fare that includes a checked bag, seat choice or cheaper changes can cost less overall than adding those extras later.

    Baggage & changes
  4. 04

    Connect via Addis Ababa

    Ethiopian links more African cities than any other airline. A connection in Addis Ababa is often the most direct way between two African cities or from Asia to Africa.

    Africa’s biggest network
  5. 05

    Join ShebaMiles

    Membership of ShebaMiles lets your Ethiopian trips count towards rewards, and members hear about offers first.

    Before you fly

  6. Ready to compare fares?

    Search Ethiopian alongside every other airline on your route, with flexible dates.

    Search Ethiopian flights

Reviews and questions

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Everything travellers ask before flying Ethiopian Airlines.
Answers checked against Ethiopian’s official website and published airline records. Reviewed 10 October 2026.

Getting there

Yes. Ethiopian Airlines joined Star Alliance in December 2011. Members of ShebaMiles and other Star Alliance programmes can earn and redeem miles across the alliance, and eligible travellers can use partner lounges.