Ethiopia’s flag carrier is looking beyond its traditional markets and toward one of the last major gaps in its global network. Ethiopian Airlines has confirmed plans to launch direct long haul services to Australia around 2028, a move that would cement its status as Africa’s only airline serving all inhabited continents and reshape travel flows between Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the South Pacific.

Africa’s Aviation Powerhouse Looks to a New Continent

Ethiopian Airlines has spent the past decade transforming itself from a regional African operator into a genuinely global network airline. From its hub in Addis Ababa, the carrier now flies to more than 170 destinations across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas, positioning the Ethiopian capital as one of the fastest growing connecting hubs in the Global South. The missing piece has long been a direct link to Australia, a vast, high yield market served today by Gulf carriers, Asian giants and a handful of European and North American airlines.

According to recent comments by Ethiopian Airlines Group chief executive Mesfin Tasew, that gap may finally close before the decade is out. He has outlined an ambition for the airline to begin serving Australia in or around 2028, once suitable long haul aircraft are available in sufficient numbers. The plan would see Ethiopian operate some of the longest flights in its network and join a select group of carriers capable of linking Africa and Australia with non stop or near non stop services.

The move comes as the airline continues to order new generation jets to support its growth strategy. In January 2026, Ethiopian confirmed an order for nine additional Boeing 787 9 aircraft, alongside earlier commitments for more 737 Max jets. The growing fleet will underpin an expansion that stretches from new joint venture routes with Etihad between Addis Ababa and Abu Dhabi to planned new services to underserved corners of Africa and beyond.

Why Australia, Why Now

Australia may seem distant from Ethiopia, but for an airline with pan African ambitions it is a logical next step. Large African and Middle Eastern diaspora communities live in cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, while trade and investment links between Africa and Australia are deepening, particularly in mining, education and agriculture. For Ethiopian Airlines, a well timed entry could capture both visiting friends and relatives traffic and high yield corporate demand that today must route through hubs such as Dubai, Doha or Singapore.

The airline also sees Australia as an opportunity to further leverage its Addis Ababa hub as a bridge between emerging markets. Passengers from West, Central and East Africa could connect in Addis Ababa for a one stop journey to Australia, while travellers from secondary European or Middle Eastern cities could use the same one stop pattern. With slots at major hubs increasingly constrained, Ethiopian’s ability to bank arrivals and departures at its expanding home base is a competitive edge.

Timing is driven as much by aircraft availability as by network logic. Global long haul capacity remains tight, with wide body production slots at Airbus and Boeing heavily booked. Ethiopian’s leadership has made clear that ultra long haul flights to Australia will require at least two additional large wide body jets beyond those already deployed on routes to North America, Europe and Asia. Delivery windows for these aircraft push realistic launch dates into 2028 and beyond, even with aggressive fleet planning.

Fleet Constraints and the Wide Body Bottleneck

The biggest obstacle to an Africa Australia service is not demand, but hardware. While Ethiopian continues to take delivery of Boeing 737 Max aircraft through 2027, those narrow body jets are designed for regional and medium haul flying, not the 14 to 17 hour sectors needed to reach Australia. For that, the airline will rely on true long haul workhorses such as the Boeing 787 9 and the Airbus A350 family, which offer the range, fuel efficiency and cargo capacity required.

Industry analysis suggests that Ethiopian would need at least two dedicated long range wide bodies to operate a sustainable schedule to Australia, allowing for maintenance, crew rotation and operational resilience. These aircraft would likely be configured with a mix of business and economy cabins tailored to both premium and price sensitive segments, while also offering substantial belly cargo space for high value freight. Securing such jets is challenging in a market where many airlines are racing to restore or grow their long haul operations.

Chief executive Mesfin Tasew has acknowledged that wide body delivery slots from manufacturers are constrained until at least 2028. As a result, Ethiopian is exploring interim leasing arrangements, potentially sourcing aircraft from lessors or other carriers to bridge the gap between its current fleet and future deliveries. Leasing could allow the airline to test the Australia market earlier or ramp up capacity more quickly once regulatory approvals and airport agreements are in place.

Any chosen aircraft type will also need to be integrated into Ethiopian’s existing maintenance and training ecosystem. The airline already operates one of Africa’s most advanced aviation academies and technical centers, but new long haul routes place additional demands on engineering support, spare parts inventories and crew planning. Balancing these operational realities with strategic ambition is central to the 2028 horizon.

Shortlisted Australian Gateways, but No Names Yet

While Ethiopian Airlines has publicly confirmed its interest in serving Australia, it has been more guarded about exactly which cities will appear on its route map. Executives have indicated that two Australian destinations have been shortlisted, though they have declined to identify them while aircraft and timing remain under review. This measured approach reflects both competitive sensitivities and the complexity of launching such long range services.

Industry observers point to Sydney and Melbourne as obvious contenders. Both cities host large African diaspora communities, are key gateways for international tourism and business, and offer strong onward domestic connections through local partners. Perth is another candidate, given its geographic proximity to Africa and its role as a resource industry hub with deep links to the African mining sector. A routing from Addis Ababa to Perth would be shorter and more fuel efficient, potentially allowing greater payload flexibility.

Airport infrastructure, slot availability and incentives will all play a role in the final selection. Australian airports compete vigorously for new long haul services, often offering marketing support and fee discounts to airlines that open new city pairs. For Ethiopian, aligning airport support with its own commercial priorities and schedule banks at Addis Ababa will be critical. Negotiations are likely to intensify once the airline has firmer delivery dates for the necessary wide body aircraft.

Australia Within Ethiopian’s Vision 2035 Strategy

The push toward Australia is not an isolated project but part of a broader strategic roadmap that Ethiopian calls Vision 2035. Under this plan, the airline aims to deepen connectivity across Africa while reinforcing its position as the continent’s leading global carrier. The blueprint includes fleet renewal, expansion into new intercontinental markets, and the development of a new mega hub airport at Bishoftu, near Addis Ababa, which broke ground in January 2026 and is scheduled to open around 2030.

Within this context, serving Australia becomes both a symbolic and practical milestone. Symbolically, flying to all inhabited continents underscores Ethiopian’s evolution from a regional airline into a flag bearer for African aviation on the world stage. Practically, an Australia route would feed additional traffic and cargo through Addis Ababa, supporting the business case for the new mega hub and justifying continued investment in training, technology and infrastructure.

Regional managers have spoken publicly about long term aspirations to serve multiple Australian cities by the mid 2030s, building from an initial launch into a small network that could include at least three gateways. That vision aligns with demographic and economic forecasts that see two way flows between Africa and Australia growing steadily, particularly in education, tourism and skilled migration. By planting an early flag in the market, Ethiopian aims to secure first mover advantages that will be harder for competitors to dislodge later.

What the Route Could Mean for Travelers

For travelers, direct or one stop services linking Africa and Australia via Addis Ababa could be transformative. Today, many passengers must route through hubs in the Gulf, Southeast Asia or Europe, often adding hours of flying time and multiple transfers. Ethiopian’s entry would create new one stop options from cities across East, West and Central Africa, reducing total journey times and diversifying the choice of connection points.

Leisure travelers could benefit from competitive fares as new capacity enters the market, while business travelers would gain more flexibility in scheduling meetings and site visits across mining, energy and infrastructure projects that straddle the two regions. Students from Africa studying at Australian universities, and Australians working on the continent, would enjoy more streamlined journeys home. Inbound tourism flows to African destinations such as Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Ethiopia itself could also pick up as Australian travelers discover easier routings for safari and cultural itineraries.

Cargo customers stand to gain as well. A long haul link would support time sensitive shipments ranging from fresh produce to engineering components, moving between African markets and Australia’s industrial and agricultural sectors. Belly cargo on passenger flights is often the most efficient mode for high value items, and Ethiopian’s existing cargo network and dedicated freighter fleet could be leveraged to build multimodal solutions.

Ethiopian will not enter a vacuum. Australia is already well served by carriers such as Qantas, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Singapore Airlines and others that offer one stop connections to parts of Africa via their respective hubs. However, none provide the same breadth of African coverage from a single home base that Ethiopian can offer. This African depth is the airline’s primary differentiator, allowing it to market a truly pan African network to Australian travelers and businesses.

Partnerships could also shape how the new route is launched and marketed. Ethiopian has been expanding its web of alliances, including a strategic joint venture with Etihad Airways that enhances connectivity between Addis Ababa and Abu Dhabi. Interline and codeshare arrangements with other carriers across Asia and the Middle East could feed additional traffic into Australia bound flights, while potential cooperation with an Australian partner might strengthen domestic connectivity once passengers arrive.

Competition is likely to be keen on price and schedule, particularly on overlapping city pairs such as Sydney and Melbourne. Yet Ethiopian’s cost base, efficient fleet and strong position in African markets give it tools to compete effectively. The challenge will be to balance aggressive market entry with sustainable yields, especially given the high operating costs of ultra long haul flying and the need to manage fuel price volatility and environmental considerations.

From Ambition to Reality: The Road to 2028

Turning Ethiopian Airlines’ Australian ambition into a daily reality will require careful sequencing over the next several years. First, the airline must finalize its wide body fleet strategy, locking in delivery slots or lease agreements that guarantee the necessary aircraft by 2028. Parallel to this, route planning teams will refine payload range calculations, likely schedules and potential intermediate technical stops if required for operational or commercial reasons.

Regulatory approvals will be another key step. Bilateral air services agreements between Ethiopia and Australia will define frequencies, capacity and potential codeshare arrangements. Safety and security audits, crew training on ultra long haul duty patterns, and coordination with air traffic management authorities across the flight corridor will all need to be completed well before launch. Marketing teams will also engage with trade partners, corporate clients and diaspora communities to build awareness and stimulate early bookings.

For travelers watching the story unfold, the next couple of years will bring more concrete announcements, from the naming of the inaugural Australian city to the unveiling of schedules and product details. If Ethiopian meets its target, the first flights could depart Addis Ababa for Australia around 2028, turning a long discussed aspiration into a new artery of global connectivity. For Africa’s leading airline and for the travelers it serves, that moment would mark not just the opening of a new route, but the crossing of another frontier in the continent’s aviation story.