Ethiopian Airlines has officially taken delivery of Africa’s first Airbus A350-1000, registered as ET-BAW, on November 5, followed by a second aircraft, ET-BAX, which arrived in Addis Ababa on December 7. While these aircraft are deployed on multiple routes, Washington Dulles is expected to see more A350-1000 flights than any other destination in the airline’s network—though operational changes and equipment substitutions may occur.
Ethiopian Airlines’ Airbus A350-1000: Key Details
As a member of the Star Alliance, Ethiopian Airlines has ordered four Airbus A350-1000s, with the remaining two expected to be delivered by March 2025.
Each aircraft is configured with 395 seats: 46 in business class and 349 in economy, making it the airline’s second-largest capacity aircraft after the Boeing 777-300ER (which seats 399 passengers).
Notably, business class makes up 12% of the total seating capacity, a higher proportion than Ethiopian’s other widebody aircraft:
- Airbus A350-900: 9%
- Boeing 777-300ER: 9%
- Boeing 787-8: 9%
- Boeing 787-9: 10%
- Boeing 777-200LR: 11%
While 12% business class capacity is relatively low compared to some other A350-1000 operators, it marks an increase compared to most of Ethiopian’s existing widebody fleet.
Ethiopian Airlines’ Expansion in North America
Ethiopian Airlines has been flying to North America since 1998, when it launched Washington Dulles (IAD) flights with the Boeing 767-300ER. The airline has since expanded its network, targeting key North American cities with significant Ethiopian diaspora populations.
According to OAG data, Ethiopian Airlines’ North American expansion has followed this timeline:
- 1998: Washington Dulles & Newark (Newark service ended in 2005)
- 2012: Toronto
- 2015: Los Angeles (service ended in 2019)
- 2016: Newark (resumed)
- 2018: Chicago O’Hare
- 2019: New York JFK & Houston (Houston service ended in 2020)
- 2023: Atlanta
Washington Dulles: Ethiopian’s Largest North American Market
In 2025, Ethiopian Airlines will operate passenger flights to six North American airports, with up to seven daily departures. Among these, Washington Dulles stands out as the largest and most strategically important market. It is the only U.S. or Canadian airport in Ethiopian’s network to receive more than one daily flight, with 11 weekly frequencies split between two services:
- Addis Ababa–Dulles (via Rome on outbound, nonstop return)
- Daily Airbus A350-1000/A350-900
- Addis Ababa–Lomé–Dulles (round-trip)
- Four weekly Boeing 787-8 flights
Washington Dulles Flight Schedule
Focusing on the Addis Ababa–Dulles route (excluding Lomé flights), Ethiopian’s schedule is as follows (all times local):
- Addis Ababa → Rome Fiumicino (ET500): 22:50 – 03:25+1 (6h 35m)
- Rome Fiumicino → Dulles (ET500): 04:25 – 08:00 (9h 35m)
- Dulles → Addis Ababa (ET501): 10:00 – 07:15+1 (13h 15m)
Due to Addis Ababa’s high elevation, which impacts takeoff performance, Ethiopian Airlines includes a refueling and crew change stop in Rome (instead of Dublin, where it previously stopped). This adjustment allows for a higher payload capacity from Addis Ababa, ensuring optimal operations. However, the airline does not hold fifth freedom rights for the Rome-Dulles sector.
Passenger Trends on the Addis Ababa–Dulles Route
According to U.S. Department of Transportation T-100 data, Ethiopian Airlines carried approximately 204,000 round-trip passengers on its nonstop Addis Ababa–Dulles service (excluding the Lomé flight) in the 12 months leading up to September 2024. With 239,000 seats available, the route achieved an 85% load factor, peaking above 90% between May and August.
Further breakdown of passenger movement suggests:
- 81,000 passengers connected to another Ethiopian flight in Addis Ababa (Dulles–Nairobi was the top origin-destination pair).
- 65,000 were point-to-point passengers.
- 32,000 transited through Dulles to other destinations (Denver–Addis Ababa was the top route).
- 26,000 transferred at both Dulles and Addis Ababa (Columbus–Mogadishu was the top city pair).
With its significant Ethiopian diaspora population and strong demand for connections across Africa, Washington Dulles remains Ethiopian Airlines’ most critical North American market. As the airline expands its A350-1000 fleet, Dulles is set to become the leading hub for this next-generation aircraft, reinforcing Ethiopian Airlines’ growing presence in the U.S. market.
