Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways capped a fourth straight year of profitability with record earnings in 2025, as strong passenger demand and fleet growth lifted performance and reinforced the emirate’s aviation push. The airline said premium cabins were a key driver, with first and business class demand exceeding expectations.
Etihad is planning up to 3,000 new hires a year while steadily adding aircraft and new routes, a pace the carrier expects to maintain over the next several years as part of a $21.8 billion investment push by 2030. That feeds into Abu Dhabi’s ambitions to be an aviation hub: Zayed International Airport handled a record 32.5 million passengers last year.
There is, though, intensifying regional competition. Emirates remains the world’s most profitable airline and its home base of Dubai International Airport handled more than 95 million passengers in 2025, while Saudi Arabia is preparing the launch of Riyadh Air and developing King Salman International as another regional hub.