An illustration showing Ethiopian Airlines planes flying around the world.
Africa

Ethiopian Airlines Thinks Big 

Africa

Ethiopian Airlines Thinks Big 

January 2026
38 min read
Gordon Smith and Jay Shabat
Subscribe Purchase ($55 USD)

Skift Take

With plans underway for a $10 billion mega-airport designed to rival Atlanta in scale, Ethiopian Airlines is doubling down on a growth strategy that many would consider over-audacious given the country's economic realities. However, Ethiopian’s track record, network reach, and impressive financial performance suggest this is no ordinary gamble, as we discover in this week's feature story.

Issue Overview

With plans underway for a $10 billion mega-airport designed to rival Atlanta in scale, Ethiopian Airlines is doubling down on a growth strategy that many would consider over-audacious given the country's economic realities. However, Ethiopian’s track record, network reach, and impressive financial performance suggest this is no ordinary gamble, as we discover in this week's feature story.