{"id":86381,"date":"2025-03-16T23:00:17","date_gmt":"2025-03-16T17:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=86381"},"modified":"2025-03-16T23:00:24","modified_gmt":"2025-03-16T17:30:24","slug":"etihad-airways-top-30-busiest-domestic-and-international-routes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/16\/etihad-airways-top-30-busiest-domestic-and-international-routes\/","title":{"rendered":"Etihad Airways Top 30 Busiest Domestic and International Routes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ABU DHABI-<\/strong> Etihad Airways (EY)<\/a>, the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has demonstrated remarkable growth across its network with passenger volume increasing by over 30% in the past year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The airline’s operational performance remains strong, particularly in its widebody fleet which ranks as the most profitable among major Middle Eastern carriers according to recent Q3 2024 data from AvBench<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Etihad
Photo: avgeekwithlens\/ Harsh Tekriwal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Etihad Short-Haul Routes Performance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Etihad’s short-haul network (routes under 1,500nm) currently transports over 6 million passengers annually<\/strong>, representing a 32% increase compared to the previous year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While these top routes constitute only 12% of Etihad total Available Seat Kilometers (ASK), they generate approximately $500 million<\/strong> in annual ticket revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The India-UAE<\/strong> corridor remains Etihad’s dominant short-haul market, accounting for 53% of short-haul ASK deployment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other key markets include UAE-Saudi Arabia (13%), UAE-Pakistan (11%), UAE-Egypt (9%), and UAE-Jordan (3%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Etihad
Photo: avgeekwithlens\/ Harsh Tekriwal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Etihad Busiest Short-Haul Routes<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Analysis of Etihad’s short-haul performance reveals the Abu Dhabi (AUH)<\/a>–Delhi (DEL)<\/a> route as the carrier’s strongest performer with a Market Outlook & eXpansion Index (MOXI) score of 7.9. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This route has seen remarkable growth with segment traffic increasing by 194,000 passengers<\/strong>, while maintaining an 85% market share.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Route<\/th>MOXI Score<\/th>P2P Traffic (evolution)<\/th>Segment Traffic (evolution)<\/th>Passenger Share<\/th>Seat Share<\/th>Share Gap<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Abu Dhabi – Delhi<\/td>7.9 \u2191<\/td>99k (+39k)<\/td>637k (+194k)<\/td>85% (+16%)<\/td>85% (+13%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Mumbai<\/td>7.4 \u2191<\/td>119k (+48k)<\/td>562k (+171k)<\/td>58% (+14%)<\/td>60% (+11%)<\/td>-2%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Cairo<\/td>6.8 \u2191<\/td>165k (+81k)<\/td>372k (+139k)<\/td>49% (+5%)<\/td>46% (+5%)<\/td>+3%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Jeddah<\/td>6.8 \u2191<\/td>74k (+17k)<\/td>459k (+149k)<\/td>83% (+5%)<\/td>81% (+6%)<\/td>+2%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Karachi<\/td>6.8 \u2191<\/td>48k (+10k)<\/td>218k (+58k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Muscat<\/td>6.5 \u2191<\/td>145k (+92k)<\/td>300k (+151k)<\/td>44% (-2%)<\/td>47% (-5%)<\/td>-3%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Doha<\/td>6.4 \u2191<\/td>60k (+27k)<\/td>288k (+112k)<\/td>45% (+6%)<\/td>43% (+10%)<\/td>+2%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Riyadh<\/td>6.0 \u2191<\/td>79k (+13k)<\/td>358k (+80k)<\/td>83% (+2%)<\/td>79% (+2%)<\/td>+4%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Jaipur<\/td>6.0 \u2191<\/td>5k (+5k)<\/td>15k (+15k)<\/td>100%<\/td>100%<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Antalya<\/td>5.9 \u2191<\/td>4k (+4k)<\/td>10k (+10k)<\/td>48% (+48%)<\/td>49% (+49%)<\/td>-1%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Dammam<\/td>5.9 \u2191<\/td>95k (+30k)<\/td>305k (+47k)<\/td>68% (-1%)<\/td>69% (-2%)<\/td>-1%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Amman<\/td>5.8 \u2191<\/td>62k (+19k)<\/td>106k (+18k)<\/td>38% (-1%)<\/td>40% (+1%)<\/td>-2%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Kuwait<\/td>5.7 \u2191<\/td>116k (+31k)<\/td>278k (+94k)<\/td>48% (+1%)<\/td>51% (-1%)<\/td>-3%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Bahrain<\/td>5.4 \u2191<\/td>49k (+0k)<\/td>178k (+26k)<\/td>40% (+7%)<\/td>42% (+3%)<\/td>-2%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Calicut-Koz.<\/td>5.3 \u2191<\/td>27k (+26k)<\/td>80k (+80k)<\/td>19% (+19%)<\/td>18% (+18%)<\/td>+1%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Tel Aviv-Yafo<\/td>4.8 \u2193<\/td>11k (-20k)<\/td>86k (-44k)<\/td>65% (+16%)<\/td>55% (+5%)<\/td>+10%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Bengaluru<\/td>4.7 \u2193<\/td>42k (+5k)<\/td>277k (+36k)<\/td>90% (-10%)<\/td>92% (-8%)<\/td>-2%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Islamabad<\/td>4.2 \u2193<\/td>23k (-1k)<\/td>237k (+26k)<\/td>59% (0%)<\/td>55% (+0%)<\/td>+4%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Ahmedabad<\/td>4.1 \u2193<\/td>32k (+13k)<\/td>226k (+32k)<\/td>58% (-13%)<\/td>58% (-12%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Lahore<\/td>3.8 \u2193<\/td>16k (-6k)<\/td>182k (+1k)<\/td>66% (-3%)<\/td>62% (-2%)<\/td>+4%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Hyderabad<\/td>3.7 \u2193<\/td>34k (+1k)<\/td>260k (+19k)<\/td>70% (-7%)<\/td>74% (-7%)<\/td>-4%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Beirut<\/td>2.9 \u2193<\/td>20k (-7k)<\/td>64k (-10k)<\/td>39% (-7%)<\/td>38% (-6%)<\/td>+1%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Other top-performing short-haul routes include Abu Dhabi-Mumbai<\/a> (MOXI: 7.4), Abu Dhabi-Cairo (MOXI: 6.8), Abu Dhabi-Jeddah (MOXI: 6.8), and Abu Dhabi-Karachi (MOXI: 6.8). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The airline has achieved 100% market share on its Abu Dhabi-Karachi route, demonstrating its dominance in certain markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conversely, challenging routes include Abu Dhabi-Beirut with a low MOXI score of 2.9, reflecting a decline of 7,000 point-to-point passengers and 10,000 segment passengers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Abu Dhabi-Hyderabad (MOXI: 3.7) and Abu Dhabi-Lahore (MOXI: 3.8) routes also show signs of underperformance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo: Arish Sayed | LinkedIn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fleet Composition and Opportunities<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Etihad top short-haul routes are served by three aircraft types: the A320<\/a> (14 aircraft, average age 12.9 years), A321<\/a> (9 aircraft, average age 9.5 years), and A321neo<\/a> (6 aircraft with 20 more on order, average age 5.3 years).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite facing growing competition from Air Arabia (G9)<\/a>, IndiGo (6E)<\/a>, and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi (5W)<\/a>, Etihad’s aging A320s continue to deliver respectable performance with a Commercial & Operational Fit Index (COFI) score of 5.5. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The A321s perform better with a COFI score of 7.7, partly due to their deployment on longer routes which helps reduce operating costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The A321neo fleet, though currently operating on relatively short routes, shows significant potential for Etihad with a COFI score of 9.9. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These aircraft will be essential for maintaining market share on short-haul routes while preserving profitability, following a strategy similar to flydubai’s successful deployment of Boeing MAX aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Etihad
Photo: Cl\u00e9ment Alloing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Medium\/Long-Haul Network Performance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Etihad’s medium and long-haul network (routes beyond 1,500nm) serves more than 11.5 million passengers annually, representing a robust 35% growth over the previous year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Etihad top routes generate approximately $3 billion in ticket revenue and account for 88% of total ASK deployment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Middle East-Europe corridor dominates Etihad’s long-haul operations at 37% of ASK, followed closely by Middle East-Asia (34%), Middle East-North America (19%), Middle East-Oceania (7%), and Middle East-Africa (2%). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In most of these markets, Etihad ranks as the third or fourth largest carrier, competing primarily with Emirates (EK), Qatar Airways (QR), and Turkish Airlines (TK).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo: By Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia – Etihad Airways, A6-APG, Airbus A380-861, CC BY-SA 2.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=78120484<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Etihad Busiest 30 medium\/Long Haul Routes<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Abu Dhabi (AUH)-Phuket (HKT)<\/a> emerges as Etihad’s strongest long-haul performer with a MOXI score of 7.2, having gained 214,000 segment passengers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Route<\/th>MOXI Score<\/th>P2P Traffic (evolution)<\/th>Segment Traffic (evolution)<\/th>Passenger Share<\/th>Seat Share<\/th>Share Gap<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Abu Dhabi – Phuket<\/td>7.2 \u2191<\/td>13k (+6k)<\/td>397k (+214k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Bangkok<\/td>7.1 \u2191<\/td>34k (+10k)<\/td>499k (+197k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Jakarta<\/td>6.9 \u2191<\/td>31k (+12k)<\/td>345k (+110k)<\/td>100% (0%)<\/td>100% (0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Kochi<\/td>6.8 \u2191<\/td>62k (+32k)<\/td>354k (+179k)<\/td>44% (+13%)<\/td>41% (+10%)<\/td>+3%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Frankfurt<\/td>6.7 \u2191<\/td>40k (+5k)<\/td>278k (+55k)<\/td>100% (+1%)<\/td>100% (+4%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – London<\/td>6.5 \u2191<\/td>144k (+50k)<\/td>950k (+244k)<\/td>95% (-5%)<\/td>95% (-5%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Kuala Lumpur<\/td>6.5 \u2191<\/td>20k (+8k)<\/td>312k (+101k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Toronto<\/td>6.4 \u2191<\/td>13k (+3k)<\/td>233k (+51k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – New York<\/td>6.3 \u2191<\/td>18k (+6k)<\/td>354k (+68k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Munich<\/td>6.2 \u2191<\/td>28k (+5k)<\/td>227k (+63k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Dublin<\/td>6.1 \u2191<\/td>10k (+2k)<\/td>203k (+36k)<\/td>100% (0%)<\/td>100% (0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Parma<\/td>6.1 \u2191<\/td>27k (+12k)<\/td>239k (+57k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Madrid<\/td>6.0 \u2191<\/td>13k (0k)<\/td>230k (+60k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Rome<\/td>6.0 \u2191<\/td>16k (+7k)<\/td>308k (+110k)<\/td>66% (-4%)<\/td>70% (-5%)<\/td>-4%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Brussels<\/td>5.9 \u2191<\/td>8k (+2k)<\/td>163k (+41k)<\/td>100% (0%)<\/td>100% (0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Melbourne<\/td>5.8 \u2191<\/td>27k (+9k)<\/td>192k (-26k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (+1%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Manila<\/td>5.7 \u2191<\/td>75k (+12k)<\/td>463k (+71k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Chicago<\/td>5.6 \u2191<\/td>7k (+0k)<\/td>225k (+26k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Osaka<\/td>5.5 \u2191<\/td>4k (+4k)<\/td>92k (+92k)<\/td>100%<\/td>100%<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Washington<\/td>5.5 \u2191<\/td>13k (+1k)<\/td>159k (+25k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Barcelona<\/td>5.5 \u2191<\/td>12k (+2k)<\/td>217k (+50k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Chennai<\/td>5.4 \u2191<\/td>43k (+12k)<\/td>291k (+89k)<\/td>55% (+1%)<\/td>56% (-1%)<\/td>-1%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Tokyo<\/td>5.2 \u2193<\/td>17k (+3k)<\/td>178k (+15k)<\/td>100% (0%)<\/td>100% (0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Singapore<\/td>5.2 \u2193<\/td>19k (+4k)<\/td>183k (+13k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Amsterdam<\/td>5.1 \u2193<\/td>17k (+3k)<\/td>201k (+15k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Manchester<\/td>5.0 \u2193<\/td>26k (+5k)<\/td>202k (+7k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Sydney<\/td>4.9 \u2193<\/td>18k (+5k)<\/td>194k (-16k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Seoul<\/td>4.9 \u2193<\/td>28k (-4k)<\/td>205k (-10k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Zurich<\/td>4.8 \u2193<\/td>11k (-1k)<\/td>174k (+25k)<\/td>100% (+0%)<\/td>100% (0%)<\/td>0%<\/td><\/tr>
Abu Dhabi – Paris<\/td>4.2 \u2193<\/td>22k (0k)<\/td>210k (+24k)<\/td>56% (-44%)<\/td>61% (-39%)<\/td>-5%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Other top routes include Abu Dhabi (AUH)-Bangkok (BKK)<\/a> (MOXI: 7.1), Abu Dhabi-Jakarta (MOXI: 6.9), Abu Dhabi-London (MOXI: 6.5), and Abu Dhabi-Kuala Lumpur (MOXI: 6.5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The data reveals that Etihad maintains 100% market share on most of its long-haul routes, with exceptions including Abu Dhabi-Paris<\/a> (56% share, down 44%) and Abu Dhabi-Rome (66% share, down 4%). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abu Dhabi-Paris stands out as underperforming with a MOXI score of 4.2, showing stagnant point-to-point traffic despite segment traffic growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abu Dhabi-London represents Etihad’s busiest long-haul route by ASK, carrying 950,000 segment passengers (up 244,000) and maintaining a dominant 95% market share.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Etihad
Photo: Cl\u00e9ment Alloing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fleet Composition and Opportunities<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Etihad’s long-haul operations are served by five aircraft types: Boeing 787-9<\/a> (33 aircraft with 8 on order), Boeing 787-10<\/a> (10 aircraft with 20 on order), Airbus A350-1000<\/a> (5 aircraft with 15 on order), Airbus A380-800<\/a> (10 aircraft), and Boeing 777-300ER<\/a> (9 aircraft).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The A380 fleet, which many industry observers thought would never return after the COVID crisis, now delivers the strongest performance with a COFI score of 8.6. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other widebodies also perform well, with the 787-10 and A350-1000 both scoring 6.7, while the 787-9 earns a 6.0 and the aging 777-300ER a 5.8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A key challenge identified for Etihad’s widebody fleet is its occasional deployment on routes that are too short (particularly to India), where it competes with narrowbodies offering better economics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pending delivery of 20 A321neos may address this inefficiency. Additionally, there remains potential for Etihad to improve aircraft utilization compared to regional competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Etihad
Photo: Arik De, Etihad<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Methodology & Data Sources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The report utilizes two primary analytical frameworks: the Market Outlook & eXpansion Index (MOXI) and the Commercial & Operational Fit Index (COFI).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MOXI evaluates growth and competitive dynamics on specific routes, incorporating factors such as passenger volume evolution and market share. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For current routes, it examines traffic gains and market share trends; for future opportunities, it considers short-term capturable point-to-point volume and long-term connecting passenger potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

COFI reflects the overall commercial and operational performance of a sub-fleet, considering factors including passenger market share performance, revenue market share performance, network aggressiveness, yield performance, cost\/seat performance, aircraft utilization, and network maturity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Data sources include Milanamos (traffic, revenue, and schedule data) and ch-aviation (fleet data), encompassing 1.5 billion origin & destination records, 2.4 billion flight segment records, and extensive schedule data from multiple global aviation sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Join us on\u00a0Telegram Group\u00a0<\/a>for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on\u00a0Google News<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Etihad International Flight Schedule Changes for Summer 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>