Ethiopian Airlines is preparing to become the first African carrier to serve every inhabited continent, after chief executive Mesfin Tasew signaled that the airline aims to launch flights to Australia in 2028. The move would close one of the last major network gaps for Africa’s largest airline and could reshape passenger flows between Africa, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific at a time of surging demand and intensifying competition.
A Strategic Push To Reach All Six Continents
The planned entry into the Australian market is the latest step in Ethiopian Airlines’ long-term growth strategy, which has seen the carrier evolve from a regional African operator into a truly global network airline. Under its Vision 2035 plan, the state-owned group is targeting more than 200 destinations and tens of millions of annual passengers, supported by new aircraft orders and infrastructure projects in Ethiopia.
Reaching Australia has long been part of that ambition. Executives have previously described Australia as a natural extension of Ethiopian’s Asia Pacific network, which already includes major hubs such as Bangkok, Guangzhou, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul and Tokyo. However, aircraft availability and the extreme distances involved have repeatedly pushed back launch dates, turning the route into something of a missing link in the airline’s global map.
Recent comments from the chief executive and regional managers now point to 2028 as the realistic window for operations to begin. By then, Ethiopian expects to have the widebody capacity needed to sustain ultra long haul services, either through new deliveries or additional leased jets, finally enabling it to close the gap between Africa and Australia with its own metal.
Why 2028 Is The Pivotal Year
Ethiopian Airlines’ timeline is closely tied to its fleet strategy. The carrier is in the middle of a significant long haul renewal and expansion plan, including additional Airbus A350-900s due to arrive from 2027 and ongoing evaluation of larger variants such as the A350-1000, as well as new-generation Boeing widebodies. These aircraft are required to operate the demanding sectors between East Africa and Australia with competitive payloads and cabin products.
According to recent statements by the airline’s leadership, the widebodies earmarked for ultra long haul growth will not be available in sufficient numbers before 2028. Until then, Ethiopian must prioritize capacity for its existing transcontinental network to North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, where demand is already strong and frequencies are growing.
By targeting 2028, the airline gains time to firm up aircraft deliveries, secure leased widebodies where necessary, and align its Australia debut with a broader growth cycle. It also allows Ethiopian to synchronize the launch with the ramp-up of key partnerships and infrastructure projects that will feed traffic into the new route, making the service more sustainable from day one.
Two Australian Gateways In Contention
The airline has shortlisted two Australian cities for its initial entry, but has not yet disclosed which ones made the final cut. Industry observers point to Sydney and Melbourne as the most likely candidates, given their large African and Middle Eastern diaspora communities, strong links to Asia, and status as primary long haul gateways for Australia.
Both cities already see significant traffic from African travelers, but this demand is typically routed via Gulf or Asian hubs such as Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi or Singapore. Ethiopian’s entry would offer Africa based passengers a new one stop option via Addis Ababa, potentially reducing travel times and providing an alternative to the dominant Middle Eastern carriers.
The choice of first destination will depend on a mix of factors, including bilateral air service agreements, airport slot availability, market size, and connectivity opportunities beyond each city. Negotiations with airports and regulators are ongoing, and Ethiopian has signaled that it will make the final decision closer to the arrival of the required aircraft.
From Multi Stop Journeys To A New Africa Australia Corridor
Today, travelers moving between East Africa and Australia typically endure long itineraries involving at least one intermediate hub, frequently in the Gulf. For example, journeys from Addis Ababa to Sydney or Melbourne often require a stop in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Johannesburg or major Asian hubs, with total travel times commonly approaching or exceeding 20 hours.
Ethiopian’s entrance into the market would not necessarily eliminate stopovers, but it would reorient the corridor around Addis Ababa and integrate Australia more directly into the airline’s African and global network. Depending on the final aircraft and routing, the carrier could pursue a nonstop service from Ethiopia to one Australian gateway, or a one stop service built around a technical or commercial stop in Asia.
In either scenario, the airline is positioned to capitalize on its extensive intra African network, which covers dozens of cities across the continent. Passengers from secondary markets such as Kigali, Lusaka, Harare, Gaborone or Entebbe could connect via Addis Ababa to Australia on a single ticket, avoiding multiple airline changes and complex self connections in foreign hubs.
Partnerships That Extend Ethiopian’s Reach To Australia
While Ethiopian awaits its own direct link, it has been steadily expanding partnerships that already give its customers access to Australia. A recently launched codeshare and joint venture agreement with Etihad Airways connects Addis Ababa with Abu Dhabi, from where Etihad serves major Australian cities such as Sydney. The tie up allows travelers to book journeys from African points to Australia through a single itinerary while enjoying coordinated schedules and baggage handling.
These arrangements serve as an important bridge until Ethiopian’s own aircraft can take over the long sectors. They also help the airline test demand patterns, identify key feeder markets and refine pricing strategies. By the time Ethiopian deploys its own capacity to Australia, it will have several years of data on how African and Australian passengers use the corridor via partner hubs.
Beyond Etihad, Ethiopian already cooperates with other carriers that have strong footprints in Australasia, and it is a member of Star Alliance, which includes major Asia Pacific airlines. These relationships will continue to play a role even after the airline establishes its own route, particularly for distributing passengers beyond the first Australian gateway to domestic and regional destinations.
Implications For African Travelers, Students And Diaspora
The prospect of a direct African carrier link to Australia is especially significant for communities that have long relied on complex routings. African students enrolled at Australian universities, professionals working in mining, engineering and healthcare, and members of the growing diaspora would benefit from more straightforward journeys and potentially lower fares as competition increases.
For many of these passengers, current options involve overnight layovers or long airport transfers in foreign hubs, adding cost and time to trips that are already lengthy due to geography. Ethiopian’s hub in Addis Ababa is designed around fast connections, with banked waves of arrivals and departures that minimize time on the ground for transfer passengers. Integrating Australia into this structure would allow a traveler from, for instance, Nairobi or Lagos to reach an Australian city with just one coordinated connection.
The impact could also extend to labor mobility. Sectors such as mining, agriculture, energy and education maintain strong ties between Africa and Australia. A more direct air link improves the flow of talent and expertise, and can encourage companies to deepen their engagement in both regions, confident that travel logistics will be more manageable.
What It Means For Tourism And Trade Flows
Tourism authorities in both Africa and Australia have long viewed improved air links as a prerequisite for unlocking two way visitor flows. For Australians, East and Southern Africa offer safari tourism, cultural travel, and emerging beach destinations along the Indian Ocean. For African travelers, Australia’s cities, educational institutions and natural attractions are increasingly on the radar, especially among a rising middle class.
A dedicated African carrier on the route could stimulate new demand through targeted marketing and competitive pricing, while also offering more culturally aligned services, including language support, African cuisine and tailored onboard products. Ethiopian’s experience carrying tourists to and from Africa on its existing network provides a template for how it might package and promote Australia itineraries.
On the cargo side, a new route would open fresh opportunities for time sensitive exports such as fresh produce, flowers and pharmaceuticals from Africa, as well as machinery, mining equipment and high value goods moving from Australia into African markets. Ethiopian has built one of Africa’s largest cargo operations, and belly hold capacity on passenger flights to Australia would complement its freighter network.
Competitive Pressures On Gulf And Asian Hubs
The entry of Ethiopian Airlines into the Australia market has potential ramifications for the global competitive landscape. Currently, carriers based in the Gulf and parts of Asia dominate traffic flows between Africa and Australia, using their well established hubs and dense networks to capture connecting passengers. An African based alternative would challenge that dominance.
By funneling traffic through Addis Ababa, Ethiopian can shorten routings for many city pairs, particularly for travelers originating in East and Central Africa. This could put pricing pressure on rivals while giving passengers another option if constraints such as slot shortages or capacity limits emerge in Gulf hubs.
The move also reinforces the trend of rising African network carriers asserting a larger role in global aviation. As Ethiopian grows its widebody fleet and opens new long haul points, it is positioning Addis Ababa as a true intercontinental hub, linking South America, North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and potentially Australia in a single, coordinated system.
Challenges: Aircraft, Regulation And Infrastructure
Despite the optimism, several hurdles remain before Ethiopian’s first flight touches down in Australia. The most immediate is the acquisition of suitable long range widebody aircraft in a tight global market for new generation jets. Delivery delays, supply chain disruptions and fierce competition for leasing capacity have complicated fleet planning for airlines worldwide, and Ethiopian is no exception.
Regulatory approvals represent another layer of complexity. The airline must secure traffic rights under the air services framework between Ethiopia and Australia, meet safety and operational requirements from both national regulators, and obtain airport slots and ground handling arrangements at its chosen gateway. These processes can be lengthy and are often subject to political as well as technical considerations.
At home, Ethiopian is also investing heavily in infrastructure to support long term growth, including a new mega hub at Bishoftu designed to supplement and eventually relieve pressure on Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. While that project is targeted for completion in the next decade, the construction phase will overlap with the planned Australia launch window, adding another layer of strategic planning as the airline balances current hub constraints with future capacity.
A New Chapter For Global Connectivity
If Ethiopian Airlines meets its goal of starting Australian services by 2028, it will cross a major symbolic and commercial milestone by becoming the only African carrier with a presence on all inhabited continents. Beyond the symbolism, the move would have tangible effects on how people and goods move between Africa and the Pacific, redistributing traffic flows and offering travelers fresh options.
For the global aviation industry, the development underscores the shifting geography of connectivity, with African hubs rising in importance and carriers such as Ethiopian playing an increasingly central role. For passengers, students, businesses and diaspora communities spread between Africa and Australia, it promises a future in which one of the world’s longest and most complex journeys becomes a little more straightforward.