New Etihad Airways Order?

Etihad Airways is in discussions with Airbus over another widebody aircraft order.

With the 2025 edition of the Dubai Airshow approaching, this would be the perfect time to either announce the deal or to advance discussions further.

Industry sources have said the airline is seeking to acquire more Airbus A350s aircraft, already part of the fleet; however, there’s also an appetite for the A330neo.

For both programs, a further order would be significant, especially from such a valued customer. Still, for the A330neo, which has only seen demand increase in recent years, it would represent another solid commitment from one of the industry’s fastest-growing airlines.

For the moment, details on the number of jets Etihad Airways is interested in purchasing remain unclear; however, they would complement an already growing fleet that continues to expand by the month.

Based on fleet data, Etihad Airways operates 9 A350-1000s, which average 3.7 years of age and are crucial for high-capacity markets that require a jet of this size, unlike the Airbus A380.

Etihad Airways is also not unfamiliar with the A330; the company has flown both the A330-200 and the A330-300 in the past; however, these aircraft types have now been retired by the business in favour of a more streamlined operation.

Etihad Airways Drives To Expand

2025 has been record-breaking for Etihad Airways in more ways than one. The drive to expand is apparent and set to continue for the foreseeable future as part of the Journey 2030 initiative.

Journey 2030 will see, once all is said and done, the Abu Dhabi-based carrier substantially expand sustainably, following the missteps taken during the 2010s that led to annual losses in the billions.

The announcement for the initiative came at the airline’s 20th anniversary. It will help guide the business over the next 20 years, aiming to expand the network to over 125 destinations and double the fleet to 160 aircraft.

The airline wants to focus not just on long-haul markets such as Europe and North America, but also leverage models such as the A321LR to serve short- to medium-haul destinations in the GCC, India, and Asia.

Our mandate is clear: to deliver extraordinary customer service and sustainable profitability, as the foundation for Etihad’s contribution to Abu Dhabi’s aspirations. tihad has solidified its global presence and successfully navigated challenges. Now, with strong shareholder support and a strategic plan in place, the airline is poised for sustainable, profitable growth.

Etihad Airways CEO Antonoaldo Neves

2025 has already seen the airline reach the landmark milestone of 300 daily scheduled passenger flights. While quite the feat, it was the pace at which the business attained this that is the more extraordinary part.

Etihad Airways has seen a 20% year-over-year increase in overall scheduled passenger flights, carrying 16.1 million passengers in the first nine months of 2025, an 18% increase in itself.

For the airline, this validates that the changes it’s been making to its route network, whether through capacity increases or the launch of scheduled service to new markets, have been working well, with strong customer response.

With 31 destinations already announced for 2025, this highlights the direction Etihad Airways is heading under Journey 2030, with a network now around 90 destinations.

The fleet also hit 115, up considerably from 96 planes in September 2024. While there have certainly been supply chain constraints, 2025 has been one of the airline’s busiest years, positioning it as one of the fastest-growing airlines in the world.