Ethiopian Airlines Suspends Atlanta Route

Ethiopian Airlines has suspended service to Atlanta as part of its latest schedule revision, flagged by Aeroroutes.com.

Under the latest schedule filing, from February 2026, the airline will suspend its three-weekly service to Atlanta, which operates Westbound via Rome Fiumicino with the 787-8.

Service suspension is expected to take place from 2 February 2026, with the leading route publication stating that at the time of the revelation, the airline still had reservations available on/after 2 June 2026.

Previously, Ethiopian Airlines flew the route as ET518/519, departing on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday at 2200 from its home base in Addis Ababa, arriving in Rome at 0330 the following morning.

A departure from Rome at 04030, with an 0855 arrival into Atlanta; the return flight, ET519, departs Atlanta at 1035, skipping a stopover in Rome and flying nonstop back to Addis Ababa with a 0750 arrival.

A New Route For Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines’ service to Atlanta is new; the airline only confirmed its intention to add the city to the network on 18 January 2023, with a route commencing on 16 May 2023.

Initially operating four times a week, the airline utilised the Boeing 787-9, saying it was delighted to open its six gateways to North America and deepen its connection to the United States from Africa. This connection has spanned 25 years.

Ethiopian Airlines pointed towards tourism and also to diplomatic, socioeconomic bonds between the two regions, which are now being strengthened thanks to the network. At the time, this was also part of the airline’s broader attempts to remain committed to connecting Africa to the world, especially to the United States.

With Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport being one of the busiest airports in the world, the general manager of this location at the time of the airline’s route announcement said that the partnership with Ethiopian Airlines would ensure expanded connectivity out of Atlanta and better access to Africa moving forward.

Knowing this business is the biggest African carrier to fly out of Atlanta means the gateway of this city can only increase its presence worldwide and provide greater access for passengers. It is viewed as a celebration of connection for rich and dynamic cities, including Addis Ababa.

However, with the route suspension from 2 February 2026, the future of this service, launched less than three years ago, remains unclear.