Emirates, Etihad & Qatar Airways overhaul networks amid global shifts

The so-called Middle East big three airlines—namely Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways; recently announced their respective financial results for their last financial years. The trio airlines also unveiled their route networks evolved during the same time.

These well-explained airlines expanded their number of flights within destinations during the fiscal growth and continued to add more aircraft within delivering from original equipment manufacturers despite ongoing delivery delays.

Etihad Airways strengthens route map with new flights and services

The unveiled financial results from Etihad Airways proceeded on 19th Feb that included a net profit of AED1.4 billion’s $462,8 million, 18.5 million passengers, 32% increase year-on-year “reflecting strong and sustained demand across its expanding network.” 

The carrier-based at the Abu Dhabi Zayed International Airport growth was supported by a substantial increase within its capacity—measured with available seat kilometers- grew by 28% YoY report. Apart from this, travelers' load factors included its improved ratio to 87%, up 1%. 

“In 2024, the airline expanded its operations to over 1,700 weekly flights and increased frequencies on 25 routes over the past two years. It also launched more than 20 new destinations, such as Boston, Jaipur, Bali, and Nairobi, alongside summer hotspots like Antalya, Nice, and Santorini, with over 10 of these cities set to begin operations in 2025.”

Airline Networks grow with cutting-edge aircraft and new destinations

Etihad Airways also started on point for its opening fleet increased by 12 aircraft—including the addition of an Airbus A320neo—registered as A6-EJB. It was initially operational at Bamboo Airways. The other second-hand deliveries on the list are six Bamboo Airways A321neos and factory new deliveries—three Boeing 787-9s registered as A6-BNE, A6-BNF, and A6-BNG. The airline welcomed the widebodies in February 2024. 

Moving on Etihad Airways operations to Athens Airport, the carrier added a stop at Santorini Airport with twice-weekly flights to Santorini that continue to fly to Athens and will return in June and run until August. 

Months back, also came up for the flights to Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD). It's all based on the joint venture with Ethiopian Airlines-adding new departures to Peshawar Bacha Khan International Airport beginning in September. 

Most recently, new flights have been announced from Abu Dhabi to Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). These will begin almost a year from now, on May 4th, 2026, as Etihad explains: 

“The new service links Abu Dhabi with one of America’s most dynamic financial and cultural hubs, giving travellers greater access to Etihad’s expanding global network and the renowned hospitality of the UAE capital."

Emirates adds six more destinations to its global route map

Let’s brief some contrast stories announcement for its FY2024/2025 (the fiscal period that ran until March 31st) results on May 8th, began operating six new routes in 2024 that it had not flown in 2023 (both calendar years).

It all included new flights from Dubai International Airport to Antananarivo Ivato International Airport (TNR) via Seychelles International Airport (SEZ), Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH) via Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), and Bogota El Dorado International Airport (BOG) via Miami International Airport (MIA). So far, we also have new non-stop routes to Lagos Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Edinburgh Airport, and Adelaide Airport.

It’s the flag carrier of Dubai that ended FY2024/2025 adding a net profit of AED20.4 billion ($5.5 billion); it served 148 cities with a fleet of 260 passenger aircraft: four A350-900s, 116 A380s, 120 777-300ERs, and ten 777-200LRs. The airline carried 53.7 million passengers during the fiscal period, compared to 51.9 million in FY2023/2024, with capacity growing by 4% year-on-year. 

Airlines announce new schedules, fleet upgrades, and aircraft additions

While six routes may seem to be small in countable, the carrier planned its fiscal year with more frequencies and the introduction of additional retrofitted aircraft. The arrival of March also saw the debut of its A350-900 aircraft, with the airline ending FY2024/2025 with four of the type. In respective taken two deliveries of only two aircraft-pairing of 777F2—registered as A6 EFX and A6-EFY.

The airline company also outlined an annual report that showcases its strengthened services to 21 other destinations to meet rising demand. Furthermore, ongoing aircraft delivery delays, with Emirates still waiting on Boeing to certify and deliver the first 777-9 aircraft, which could happen sometime in 2026 or even 2027, has forced Emirates to add more aircraft to its retrofit program, which will be within 219 aircraft with full and new refreshed cabin model at a total investment of $5 billion.

Meanwhile, by March 31, Emirates also introduced 29 A380 and 20 777-300ER aircraft with new interiors, which include the premium economy cabin, with the latter widebody flying to 17 destinations with the retrofitted cabins. 

Data showed by Cirium’s Diio Mi reveals that in June, Emirates plans to deploy its A380 with premium economy cabins to 17 destinations, including four in the United States:

• Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). 
• New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). 
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). 
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO). 

Qatar Airways sets records with innovative problem-solving

In the middle of 2025, a report on Qatar Airways shows its last out of the three financial results for its latest FY on May 19th. The carrier group got a net profit of QAR7.8 billion ($2.1 billion) and carried 43.1 million passengers in FY2024/2025, which ended on March 31st, 2025. Meanwhile, during this same time—fiscal period, the airline company welcomed 40 million passengers, with its capacity between the two FYs growing 3.5% year-on-year.

The data revealed that during the early year of 2024, Qatar Airways added 19 new destinations that hadn’t been served, in 2023-included nonstop and direct departures from Doha Hamad International Airport. 

It includes routes that are operated as non-stop and one-stop flights—itineraries from Doha to Abidjan Félix Houphouët Boigny International Airport (ABJ) and Accra Kotoka International Airport (ACC). The Qatari carrier has had two weekly flights directly to Abidjan, the Ivory Coast, and two weekly flights to Abidjan that stop in Accra, Ghana, per Cirium's Diio Mi data.