Etihad Targets 37 Million Passengers by 2030, Keeps Hiring

October 1, 2026 — Etihad Airways (EY) aims to carry 37 million passengers a year by 2030, nearly double its current size, and says it will keep hiring about 2,000 people a year to get there.

The plan in numbers

Measure	Now (2026)	Target
Annual passengers	25 million	37 million by 2030
Fleet	About 200 aircraft	Adding about 20 a year
Destinations	130-plus	TBA
Employees	14,000	Hiring about 2,000 a year

More than 1,000 people have been hired so far in 2026, including pilots, cabin crew, engineers and technicians. The airline plans about $2 billion of investment in fleet and network growth. Passenger numbers have grown 2.5 times since 2022, when Etihad carried 10 million.

What it means for non-revs

More seats through Abu Dhabi. Roughly 20 new aircraft a year adds capacity across Etihad’s network, which over time should give pass and ZED travelers more options via AUH.
Job openings. For airline folks thinking about a move, Etihad is hiring steadily across pilot, cabin crew and engineering roles.
Gulf conditions still matter. Check the latest regional flight status before any trip through the Gulf, as several carriers have recently suspended or changed Middle East services.