Etihad Airways has enjoyed a golden year by collecting more than 25 prestigious international awards throughout 2025, with recognition spanning every aspect of the guest experience from cabin design to onboard catering, safety and operational excellence.
The airline crowned the year by becoming only the fourth airline globally, and the first in the region, to attain the Seven-Star Plus Safety Rating from Airline Ratings, the highest accolade in the internationally respected safety ranking system.
Earlier this month, Etihad secured three major global titles at the World Travel Awards Grand Final Gala Ceremony in Bahrain. The airline won World’s Leading Airline Customer Experience, World’s Leading Airline Economy Class, and World’s Leading Airline Lounge Business Class for the Premium Lounge at Zayed International Airport.
Etihad won big at the Middle East World Travel Awards in October scoring five regional victories. The carrier took home the titles for Middle East’s Leading Airline in Customer Experience and Economy Class, along with recognition for the region’s best Inflight Entertainment, Business Class Lounge, and Cabin Crew. The cabin crew award celebrated the dedication and professionalism of Etihad’s frontline teams who deliver exceptional service on every flight.
APEX awarded Etihad Five Star Global Airline status for 2026, placing it among an elite group of airlines worldwide. The AirHelp Score 2025 ranked Etihad second globally with an exceptional 8.07 out of 10, marking a remarkable nine-place jump year-on-year. The ranking, based on punctuality, customer satisfaction and claims processing across more than 60 countries, recognised Etihad’s operational excellence during a period of rapid growth.
Airline Ratings placed Etihad among the top five Safest Full-Service Airlines in the World, while Airline Economics crowned it Aviation 100 MAE Airline of the Year 2025 at Growth Frontiers Dubai.
2025 Awards Summary
- Seven-Star PLUS Safety Rating from Airline Ratings
- World’s Leading Airline Customer Experience – World Travel Awards
- World’s Leading Airline Economy Class – World Travel Awards
- World’s Leading Airline Lounge Business Class – World Travel Awards
- Middle East’s Leading Airline Customer Experience – Middle East World Travel Awards
- Middle East’s Leading Airline Economy Class – Middle East World Travel Awards
- Middle East’s Leading Airline Inflight Entertainment – Middle East World Travel Awards
- Middle East’s Leading Airline Business Class Lounge – Middle East World Travel Awards
- Middle East’s Leading Airline Cabin Crew – Middle East World Travel Awards
- Five Star Global Airline Status for 2026 – APEX
- Second Place Globally, AirHelp Score 2025 (8.07/10) – AirHelp
- 5th Safest Full-Service Airline in the World – Airline Ratings
- Aviation 100 MAE Airline of the Year 2025 – Airline Economics
- Best First Class Onboard Catering in the Middle East – Skytrax
- Best Cabin Crew – Business Traveller Middle East
- Best Economy Class – Business Traveller Middle East
- Best in Seat Comfort Award in the Middle East – APEX Future Travel Experience EMEA
- Design Airline of the Year Middle East – The Design Air
- Warner Bros. Superheroes Children’s Amenity Kit – PAX International Awards
- Cabin Interiors in the Middle East – PAX International Awards
- Warner Bros. Superheroes Children’s Amenity Kit (passengers over six years) – TravelPlus Awards
- Limited-Edition First Class Amenity Kits (Gold) – Onboard Hospitality Awards
- Economy Self Securing Blanket and Large Pillow – Onboard Hospitality Awards
- Customer Experience Initiative of the Year – Aviation Business Middle East Awards
- Best Business Continuity Management Organisation of the Year (GCC) – DRI ASEAN Awards
- Customer Centricity in B2B (Middle East) – Customer Centricity World Series
- Logistics Middle East’s Air Cargo Operator of the Year – STAT Times International Awards
- Innovative Logistics Solutions in Air Cargo Award – STAT Times International Awards
