Ethiopian Airlines buys six more Boeing 787s to expand long-haul network

Ethiopian Airlines has turned six Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner options into firm orders, a move that will add widebody capacity for long-haul flying from Addis Ababa and give the carrier more room to grow cargo operations as demand rises across its intercontinental network.

Mesfin Tasew, the airline’s chief executive, said the deal marked a “proud moment” and reflected “sustainable growth” as Ethiopian prepares for further expansion. The airline said the jets will support more service across Africa and deepen links to the United States and Asia, reinforcing Addis Ababa’s role as the company’s central connection point.

The purchase is more than a fleet update. Ethiopian, Africa’s largest carrier, has made aircraft orders a core part of its competitive strategy, using a larger and newer widebody fleet to chase traffic across major long-haul markets. Boeing said Ethiopian is Africa’s largest 787 operator, and the new order extends a pattern of expansion that is tied directly to the carrier’s ambitions in intercontinental travel.

The six aircraft are part of commitments from Ethiopian’s 2023 landmark order, according to Boeing and the airline. In January 2026, the two companies said Ethiopian had ordered nine more 787 Dreamliners and 11 Boeing 737 MAX jets, with Boeing then saying the route network served 145 international destinations. Deliveries of those nine 787-9s were planned between 2031 and 2033, underscoring that Ethiopian is building its future schedule years in advance.

Ethiopian’s scale has grown alongside those plans. In its 2023/24 annual report, the group said it carried 17.1 million passengers and 754.6 thousand tons of cargo, generated $7.04 billion in revenue and grew its modern fleet to more than 145 aircraft. The airline later said it generated $7.6 billion in revenue in fiscal 2024/25, carried 19.1 million passengers and 785,000 tons of cargo, and added 13 aircraft to its fleet.

The April order also fits Ethiopian’s wider Vision 2035 strategy and its push to build a future hub at Bishoftu, near Addis Ababa. Together, the aircraft purchases and airport development show how Ethiopian is linking fleet growth, network expansion and infrastructure into one long-range plan, while Boeing gains another sign of demand for the 787 in a market where long-haul traffic remains fiercely contested.