Dhaka: Etihad Airways reported its strongest-ever nine-month performance, with profit after tax rising 26pc year-on-year to AED 1.7 billion (US$463 million) in the first nine months of 2025, lifting its profit margin to 8pc.

Revenue grew 18pc to AED 21.7 billion, driven by a 20% jump in passenger revenue to AED 18.2 billion and an 8% rise in cargo revenue to AED 3.2 billion.

EBITDA increased 27pc to AED 4.3 billion, pushing the margin to 20pc, while operating cash flow climbed more than 40pc to nearly AED 6 billion.

The airline carried a record 16.1 million passengers during the period, up 18pc, supported by a 17pc capacity increase and a load factor of 88pc.

Customer satisfaction also improved, with Net Promoter Scores rising across all cabins, helped by the launch of the new A321LR fleet.

CEO Antonoaldo Neves said Etihad was outpacing market growth and contributing nearly half of the UAE’s total passenger increase this year.

Etihad’s operating fleet reached 115 aircraft by end-September, 19 more than a year earlier, after one of its busiest delivery periods, including nine new aircraft in Q3 alone.

The expansion supported more than a 20% increase in Available Seat Kilometres in the quarter, and the airline surpassed 20 million passengers on a rolling 12-month basis for the first time.

The carrier now operates nearly 300 flights a day to over 100 destinations, including new services to Atlanta and Al Alamein, and upcoming routes to Salalah, Kazan and Krakow. In Europe, Etihad added over 500,000 seats in 2025 as Abu Dhabi pushes inbound tourism.

Etihad also strengthened partnerships, including a loyalty tie-up with Vietnam Airlines and deeper cargo cooperation with Atlas Air. The airline hired more than 2,600 employees in the period and promoted over 1,500 staff, reflecting its rapid growth.

-B