Ethiopian Airlines Sets Sights on 290-Aircraft Fleet by 2035, Holds 84 Boeing Orders By Raymond Enoch
Ethiopian Airlines is pursuing an aggressive fleet expansion programme, with 84 Boeing aircraft on firm order for delivery over the next seven years, as the carrier positions itself for sustained growth in passenger and cargo operations.
Group Chief Executive Officer, Mesfin Tasew, disclosed the scale of the airline’s Boeing commitments as Ethiopian advances its long-term fleet strategy, which targets 290 aircraft by 2035, compared with 165 aircraft in 2025.
The planned expansion represents an increase of 125 aircraft, or more than 92 per cent, over the airline’s 2025 fleet. The projected 290-aircraft fleet will comprise 202 international passenger aircraft, 51 domestic aircraft and 37 freighters.
Ethiopian’s fleet expansion has accelerated in recent years. The airline placed orders for more than 65 aircraft during the 2024/25 financial year, while its fleet increased from 126 aircraft in 2019 to 165 in 2025.
The latest expansion is also being driven by the development of the planned Bishoftu International Airport, which is expected to become a major hub for Ethiopian’s international operations.
The new airport is designed to handle 60 million passengers annually in its first phase, expected by 2030, with capacity projected to rise to 110 million passengers annually when fully developed.
Under the planned airport configuration, Bishoftu International Airport will handle all international passenger traffic as well as international belly and freighter cargo operations, while Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa will continue to handle most domestic traffic.
Traffic projections for the Addis Ababa airport system indicate that passenger demand could reach 35–36 million passengers by 2030, while air cargo volumes are projected at between 1.1 million and 1.2 million tonnes.
The projections come against the backdrop of Ethiopian Airlines’ expanding commercial performance. During the 2024/25 financial year, the airline carried 19.1 million passengers and handled 785,000 tonnes of cargo, generating US$7.6 billion in revenue.
The carrier’s growing cargo business is also reflected in its latest Boeing agreement, which includes eight Boeing 777-8F freighters and two additional 777 freighters.
The new cargo aircraft form part of a wider strategy to increase Ethiopian’s dedicated freighter capacity and strengthen its position in the global air cargo market. Boeing and Ethiopian have maintained a long-standing aircraft partnership, with the carrier continuing to expand its Boeing 737, 787 and 777 fleets.
The scale of the current expansion underscores Ethiopian’s strategy of matching fleet growth with projected increases in passenger and cargo demand, while using the planned Bishoftu airport to support the next phase of its international hub operations.
Ethiopian had previously announced major Boeing commitments as part of its Vision 2035 strategy, including 787 Dreamliners and 737 MAX aircraft, while subsequently adding further 787 and 737 MAX orders.
With the fleet projected to rise from 165 aircraft in 2025 to 290 by 2035, Ethiopian Airlines is effectively preparing to add more than 12 aircraft a year on average over the decade, reflecting the scale of its planned expansion across international passenger, domestic and cargo operations.
