Etihad Airways

Save

EY / ETD “ETIHAD”  United Arab Emirates

Etihad Airways at a glance

  • Who they are: Etihad Airways is the airline of United Arab Emirates, flying since 2003.
  • On the radar: look for callsign "ETIHAD" and the code ETD, so flight EY100 shows as ETD100. Why the two differ.
  • Size: around 100 aircraft serving 80 destinations.
  • Alliance: none. Etihad Airways partners on its own terms rather than joining a global bloc.
  • Main base: Abu Dhabi (AUH).
100
Aircraft in fleet (approx.)
80
Destinations
2003
Founded
1
Hub airports

Fleet and destination totals are approximate reference figures, not a live aircraft registry. Deliveries, retirements, storage and leases can change the operational total between reviews.

About Etihad Airways

The flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates, based in Abu Dhabi. After scaling back an aggressive equity-stake strategy, it has returned to strong profitable growth from the new Zayed International terminal. Its three-room A380 suite The Residence remains the most exclusive cabin in commercial aviation.

Etihad Airways was created by royal decree in July 2003. It is the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates, meaning the airline that represents the country abroad. Its home is Abu Dhabi. Flying began that November with a service to Beirut. Wealth from the emirate let it grow at great speed. At the 2008 Farnborough Air Show it ordered up to 205 aircraft.

That order was among the largest in history at the time. Chief executive James Hogan then tried an 'equity alliance'. Etihad bought shares in other airlines so their passengers would travel through Abu Dhabi. It took stakes in Air Berlin, Alitalia, Jet Airways, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, and Virgin Australia. The plan came apart late in the 2010s, when Air Berlin, Alitalia, and Jet Airways all collapsed.

Billions in losses forced a deep retreat. The A380s were parked, orders were trimmed, and direct routes took priority. In 2023 chief executive Antonoaldo Neves launched 'Journey 2030', a plan to double the fleet and the number of passengers. A380s came back for London and New York. Etihad also moved into the new Zayed International Airport terminal, and it sold shares to the public in Abu Dhabi in 2025.

Five Etihad Airways flights to watch

Flagship routes worth following on the live map. Flight numbers are indicative - Schedules and equipment change.

Checking live status… Comparing these flights with the latest available ADS-B snapshot.

FlightRouteTypical aircraftWhy it's notableLive statusTrack
EY11 Abu Dhabi (AUH) → London (LHR) Airbus A380-800 Etihad's flagship route, chosen to bring The Residence and its reactivated A380s back into service. Checking… Track EY11 live →
EY100 Abu Dhabi (AUH) → New York (JFK) Airbus A380-800 The premier US route, where passengers clear American immigration in Abu Dhabi before departure. Checking… Track EY100 live →
EY450 Abu Dhabi (AUH) → Sydney (SYD) Boeing 787-10 A roughly 14-hour link to Australia dating to Etihad's former partnership with Virgin Australia. Checking… Track EY450 live →
EY204 Abu Dhabi (AUH) → Mumbai (BOM) Boeing 787-9 Part of the dense India network that anchors Etihad's connecting traffic through Abu Dhabi. Checking… Track EY204 live →
EY653 Abu Dhabi (AUH) → Cairo (CAI) Boeing 787-9 A high-frequency Middle East trunk route serving one of the region's largest travel markets. Checking… Track EY653 live →

The fleet

Etihad flies around 100 aircraft. Its widebody fleet, made up of large twin-aisle jets, is led by Boeing 787-9s and 787-10s, its biggest group.

Boeing 777-300ERs, Airbus A350-1000s, and a few revived A380s fill out the rest. Those A380s fly to London and New York, and they carry The Residence, a three-room suite with a butler.

Shorter routes use Airbus A320-family jets. A321LRs joined in 2024 with flat business beds, opening up thinner medium-length routes. Orders cover A350F freighters, more 787s, and Boeing 777X jets. Journey 2030 calls for more than 160 aircraft by the end of the decade.

Facts about Etihad Airways

  • Etihad's A380s feature The Residence, a three-room suite with a living room, bedroom, shower, and dedicated butler, unique in commercial aviation.
  • Etihad lost billions on equity stakes in Air Berlin, Alitalia, and Jet Airways, all of which ceased or suspended operations.
  • The airline's name means 'union' in Arabic, referencing the federation of the seven emirates.
  • Etihad once painted an A380 in a 'Year of Zayed' livery honoring the UAE's founding father and flies government leaders aboard its associated Presidential fleet.

How to spot Etihad Airways on the live map

Etihad Airways flights use the ICAO prefix ETD - So a callsign like ETD123 is “ETIHAD one-two-three” on the radio. Type ETD into the search box to see the airline's aircraft that are airborne right now.

Headquarters
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Radio callsign
ETIHAD
Alliance
Independent
Website
www.etihad.com

Etihad Airways hub airports

AUH Zayed International Airport Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Airlines related to Etihad Airways

Comparable carriers selected by alliance, country, shared hubs and network size.

EK · UAE Emirates United Arab Emirates · approx. 260 aircraft W6 · WZZ Wizz Air Hungary · approx. 230 aircraft MS · MSR EgyptAir Egypt · approx. 110 aircraft TP · TAP TAP Air Portugal Portugal · approx. 100 aircraft

More ways to explore Etihad Airways

Staying outside the big three alliances is a deliberate strategy, one we cover in low-cost versus full-service. Its home base is Abu Dhabi (AUH), where you can watch its aircraft come and go. How airlines pick their routes is covered in route planning explained.

Data sources and review

Reviewed 2026-07-29 by Flight-Tracker.net Editorial Team

Fleet size, destination count and hub lists are rounded snapshots. Deliveries, storage, leases and seasonal schedules can change them between reviews.

Read our airline data sourcing and review process, or inspect the machine-readable reference dataset.

Etihad Airways frequently asked questions

How can I track Etihad Airways flights live?

Search for the ticket flight number, such as EY123, or the ICAO callsign ETD123. A flight appears live while its aircraft is broadcasting inside available receiver coverage. For official delay, cancellation, gate and booking status, confirm with Etihad Airways directly.

What is Etihad Airways's callsign?

Etihad Airways uses the radio callsign "ETIHAD". On a flight tracker its flights appear with the ICAO prefix ETD, so flight EY123 is shown as ETD123.

What is the difference between EY and ETD?

EY is the two-letter IATA code used on tickets and booking systems. ETD is the three-letter ICAO code used by air traffic control and shown on radar and flight-tracking maps.

How many aircraft does Etihad Airways operate?

Etihad Airways operates approximately 100 aircraft serving around 80 destinations. Fleet counts change constantly as aircraft are delivered, retired or leased.

Is Etihad Airways part of an airline alliance?

No. Etihad Airways operates independently of Star Alliance, SkyTeam and oneworld, partnering selectively with other carriers instead.

Where is Etihad Airways based?

Etihad Airways is headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and hubs at Abu Dhabi (AUH). Its aircraft can be tracked live from any of those airport pages.

When was Etihad Airways founded?

Etihad Airways was founded in 2003, which makes it around 23 years old. Airlines of this age have usually absorbed at least one merger, so the founding date and the brand you see today are not always the same company.