Ethiopian Airlines Launches 737 MAX Flights To Dubai

Ethiopian Airlines is ramping up its popular Addis Ababa-Dubai route with four daily flights for the Northern Summer 2026 schedule.

Commencing on 29 March 2026, the expansion reflects surging demand between the two critical ports, which is among its busiest routes.

The carrier’s move strengthens Addis Ababa’s role as an African hub and enables better connectivity to the Middle East and beyond.

New Flight Schedule Details

The additional service, which will become the fourth daily flight, will be designated as ET662/ET663 and operate with the Boeing 737 MAX.

Departure as ET662 is scheduled for 1955 from Addis Ababa, with an arrival in Dubai at 0110 the following morning.

The return flight ET663 departs Dubai at 0255, the first of four departures that day from the Middle Eastern airport, with a 0610 arrival back in Ethiopia, positioning it for a day in the city or onward connections to smaller markets.

Everett, WA, USA - August 5, 2025; Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 approaching with landing gear down registration ET-BAM — Everett, WA, USA – August 5, 2025; Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 approaching with landing gear down registration ET-BAM – Photo: Ian Dewar Photography (shutterstock)

Flagged exclusively by aeroroutes.com, the route update publication confirms the full flight schedule from Addis Ababa (ADD) to Dubai (DXB), with outbound departures first.

Flight	Departure (ADD)	Arrival (DXB)	Aircraft	Frequency
ET602	1030	1545	Boeing 777-300ER	Daily
ET662	1955	0110+1	Boeing 737 MAX 8	Daily
ET600	2145	0255+1	Equivalent (EQV)	Daily
ET612	2250	0410+1	Equivalent (EQV)	Daily

Return flights from Dubai (DXB) to Addis Ababa (ADD):

Flight	Departure (DXB)	Arrival (ADD)	Aircraft	Frequency
ET663	0255	0610	Boeing 737 MAX 8	Daily
ET601	0425	0740	Equivalent (EQV)	Daily
ET613	0540	0900	Equivalent (EQV)	Daily
ET603	1710	2035	Boeing 777-300ER	Daily

Why Dubai Is So Important To Ethiopian Airlines

Dubai is a pivotal market for Ethiopian Airlines, with one of the busiest international routes from Addis Ababa, serving hundreds of thousands of passengers annually.

The route segment is fuelled by a range of demographics, including leisure and business travellers such as labourers and traders. Additionally, the route drives revenue and positions Addis Ababa as a key city for feeder traffic throughout Africa.

Frankfurt, Germany - 30/05/2018: Ethiopian Airlines Airbus A350 being towed at Frankfurt Airport — Frankfurt, Germany – 30/05/2018: Ethiopian Airlines Airbus A350 being towed at Frankfurt Airport – Photo: Karol Ciesluk / shutterstock

The routes established crucial connections to more than 100 destinations across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, with 300,000 annual transit passengers reported in 2023.

Thanks to Ethiopian Airlines’ code-share agreements with partners such as Emirates, the fourth daily flight can be justified and benefit customers amid surging demand, and is part of the broader Vision 2035 to position the airline to dominate long-haul growth and intra-Africa connections.