Etihad Airways passenger numbers rise 18% in first 9 months of 2025

Image: Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways said it carried 16.1 million passengers in the first nine months of 2025, an 18 per cent increase from the same period a year earlier, as demand across its expanding global network remained strong.

The Abu Dhabi-based carrier transported 1.9 million passengers in September, up 21 per cent from the same month in 2024.

Passenger load factor averaged 89 per cent during the month, one percentage point higher than a year ago, underscoring what the airline called efficient use of added capacity.

Etihad fleet comprises 115 planes

Etihad’s operating fleet stood at 115 aircraft at the end of September, serving 82 passenger destinations worldwide.

Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways, said: “September delivered another strong month for Etihad, with demand remaining high as we entered the post-summer period. Year-on-year growth continues across all key metrics, reflecting the strength of our network and Abu Dhabi’s growing position as a global destination.

“We’re expanding with discipline, keeping our load factors high and operations reliable. These results show clear momentum and focused execution — exactly what we set out to achieve in 2025,” he added.