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Etihad Airways (EY) Guide

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Where Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi, which aircraft it uses, what its cabins and bag allowances look like, and how to check in for an EY flight. Ask a question
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In short

Etihad Airways is the Abu Dhabi-based flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates, flying from Zayed International to 120+ destinations in the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and Australia. Abu Dhabi works as a one-stop transfer between those regions. Etihad has no alliance and runs Etihad Guest. Cabins go from Economy and Business to First and The Residence.

Etihad Airways is one of the two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates and the country’s second-largest airline. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, it began flying in November 2003 and now operates more than 1,000 flights a week from Zayed International Airport.

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

What to expect

Etihad Airways is one of the two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates, headquartered in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, and based at Zayed International Airport. It suits travellers connecting in Abu Dhabi between Europe, North America, Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Asia and Australia, as well as those flying to the UAE capital itself. It was set up by Amiri decree in July 2003 and began commercial flights on 12 November 2003, with a route to Beirut.

Abu Dhabi as a connecting hub

Etihad runs more than 1,000 flights a week to over 120 destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and North America. In 2025 it carried 22.4 million passengers with a load factor of 88 percent. Many passengers only change planes in Abu Dhabi: on the Tel Aviv route, which became Etihad's busiest in December 2025 with six flights a day, more than two-thirds of travellers connected to other Etihad flights.

Partners and the end of the equity strategy

Etihad is not in a global alliance. Between 2015 and 2018 it ran its own grouping, Etihad Airways Partners, built on minority stakes in other airlines. By the end of 2023 it had sold all those minority stakes and now relies on codeshares with airlines such as American Airlines, Lufthansa and Air Canada. It holds 51 percent of Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, a low-cost airline.

Ownership and results

Since October 2022 Etihad has been owned by ADQ, an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, through Etihad Aviation Group. Antonoaldo Neves is chief executive. In 2025 the airline reported revenue of 6.8 billion US dollars and a profit of between 544 and 698 million US dollars, depending on the measure used.

Baggage and connecting in Abu Dhabi

Confirm your baggage allowance, which depends on fare and route, on the Etihad website before you travel. If you are connecting in Abu Dhabi on separate tickets, allow time to collect and recheck bags.

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

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Etihad official website

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Good to know

  • Founded2003

Everything you should know

Airline codes

EY · ETD

IATA · ICAO · callsign “ETIHAD”

Look for EY in front of the number on your ticket: that prefix marks a flight sold under the Etihad code. Enter EY and the number to follow an Etihad departure.

Key facts

Main hub

Abu Dhabi (AUH)

Zayed International

Network

120+ destinations

Middle East · Europe · Asia · Africa · North America · Australia

All Etihad flights connect through Zayed International in Abu Dhabi, with more than 1,000 weekly flights to over 120 destinations, including a large network in India and Pakistan.

Destinations

Cabin classes

The Residence

and First, Business, Economy

The A380 offers The Residence and First Apartments; 787s have First Suites; most long-haul aircraft have Business and Economy. The A380 carries The Residence and nine First Apartments. A First Suite is offered on some 787-9 aircraft. Business class is called Business Studio, and Economy uses the Economy Smart Seat.

Compare cabins

Good to know

Etihad’s A380 offers The Residence, a three-room suite. Its loyalty programme is Etihad Guest, and its official website is etihad.com.

Frequent flyer

Etihad Guest

No global alliance

Etihad stays outside the three global alliances. Points from its flights go into Etihad Guest.

How it works

Start a new search

Search your dates on bookingMentor to see Etihad next to the other airlines flying from Abu Dhabi, then pick the fare that suits your trip.

Bon voyage on your next Etihad flight.

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At a glance

Etihad Airways (IATA: EY, ICAO: ETD) is a flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates, based at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi. Founded in 2003, it is not part of a global alliance and flies Airbus A320-family, A350, A380 and Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft to more than 120 destinations.

Key facts about Etihad Airways
HeadquartersKhalifa City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Fleet typesAirbus A320 family, A350-1000, A380, Boeing 777-300ER, 787-9 and 787-10
Frequent flyerEtihad Guest
Official websiteetihad.com

Flight routes

Destinations and routes

Direct routes
The Etihad network at a glance. The airline changes routes from time to time, and a search shows which EY flights run on your dates. Search flights

Middle East

Abu Dhabi (AUH) departures11 destinations

Check all

Fleet and aircraft

Etihad's fleet of about 110 aircraft comes from six families: the Airbus A320 and A320neo for regional routes, and the Airbus A350-1000, Airbus A380-800, Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 for long-haul flights. Premium cabins differ a lot between these types, so check which aircraft operates your flight if the seat matters to you. Card figures are as of July 2025, from published fleet records.

  • Airbus A320 Narrow-body Regional routes
  • Airbus A320neo Narrow-body Regional routes
  • Airbus A321 Narrow-body Regional routes
  • Airbus A321neo Narrow-body Regional routes
  • Airbus A321LR Narrow-body · 1 in service Longer regional routes
  • Airbus A350-1000 Wide-body · 7 in service Newest long-haul aircraft in the fleet
  • Airbus A380-800 Wide-body (double-deck) · 10 in service Busy long-haul routes such as London
  • Boeing 777-300ER Wide-body · 9 in service Long-haul; the oldest wide-bodies still flying
  • Boeing 787-9 Wide-body The main long-haul type, on most routes
  • Boeing 787-10 Wide-body The main long-haul type, on most routes
  • Boeing 777F Freighter · 5 in service Etihad Cargo

Cabin classes

Etihad sells four cabins, The Residence, First, Business and Economy. The aircraft and route decide which Etihad cabins you can book.

The Residence A380 only

Three-room suite

Etihad’s top product, available only on the Airbus A380.

Living roomBedroomPrivate bathroom

First A380 and 787-9

First Apartments and First Suites

First Apartments on the A380 and First Suites on the 787-9.

Private suiteLounge access

Business Most aircraft

Business Studio

Business class on long-haul and regional aircraft.

Lie-flat seatLounge access

Economy All flights

Economy Smart seat

Economy on all flights.

MealsSeat-back entertainment on wide-bodies

Etihad Guest

Etihad’s loyalty programme. Join Etihad Guest online before you fly so the trip counts.

Etihad Guest, launched in 2006, lets members earn miles on Etihad and partner flights and spend them on tickets and upgrades. Tier members get benefits such as extra baggage and priority check-in.

The loyalty programme is Etihad Guest, launched on 30 August 2006. Members earn miles on Etihad and partner flights. Etihad Holidays sells flight and hotel packages.

Baggage allowance

Check your e-ticket for the exact Etihad allowance. It is set by the fare type, the cabin and the route, whether you start at AUH 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

Etihad 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 etihad.com.

Pro tip: measure your cabin bag against the Etihad 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

Etihad check-in comes down to four steps, from checking in online to dropping your bags at Zayed International.

  1. Step 1

    Check in online

    Online check-in for EY flights is on the official Etihad website. You need the EY booking reference or e-ticket number and the passenger’s surname.

    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 EY passengers should bring a photo ID the airline accepts.

    Passport · visa · ID
  3. Step 3

    Arrive early

    Each airport has its own Etihad check-in and bag-drop deadline, listed in your booking. Allow extra time for busy terminals and international EY departures.

    Check your deadline
  4. Step 4

    Drop your bags

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

    Etihad counter
Ready to check in? Check in and manage your booking on the official Etihad website.
Check in with Etihad
Save money

Cheap tickets

Ways to pay less for an Etihad ticket, from the dates you choose to the fare type you buy.

  1. 01

    Be flexible with your Etihad dates

    If your dates can move, look at EY flights across the whole week. Midweek seats are often cheaper than weekend ones.

    Midweek flights
  2. 02

    Avoid peak holiday dates

    Fares rise around Eid, the summer school holidays and Christmas. Book early for those dates.

    School holidays · festivals
  3. 03

    Check what each Etihad fare includes

    Look at the next Etihad fare up: if it bundles a hold bag or easier changes, it may beat the basic fare plus extras.

    Baggage & changes
  4. 04

    Compare one-stop options via Abu Dhabi

    Etihad flights between Europe and Asia connect in Abu Dhabi. Compare total travel time and fares with other one-stop options.

    Connections via AUH
  5. 05

    Join Etihad Guest

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

    Before you fly

  6. Ready to compare fares?

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

    Search Etihad flights

Reviews and questions

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Everything travellers ask before flying Etihad Airways.
We checked these Etihad answers with the airline’s own pages and public airline records on 10 October 2026.

Getting there

None. Codeshare partners such as Lufthansa and Air Canada can be booked together with Etihad on one ticket.

General