Ethiopian Airlines Review: Seats, Amenities, Customer Service, Baggage Fees, and More

Key Takeaways

• Ethiopian Airlines offers a comprehensive network of domestic and international routes, 2 cabin classes (including economy and business class), and multiple add-ons to customize your trip.
• The airline’s ShebaMiles program enables members to earn and redeem miles on flights operated by Ethiopian Airlines and its Star Alliance partners, with elite status offering additional perks such as upgrades and priority boarding.
• Ethiopian Airlines is ranked as a 4-star airline (out of 5) by Skytrax.

Ethiopian Airlines is one of the most interesting and often polarizing carriers in global aviation. As the flag carrier of Ethiopia and the largest airline in Africa, it punches well above its weight in terms of network reach, fleet size, and international connectivity, serving destinations across 5 continents from its main hub in Addis Ababa. It’s a Star Alliance member that connects Africa to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas, often at competitive prices and with modern aircraft.

That said, Ethiopian’s reputation among flyers is mixed. On the positive side, it regularly wins Skytrax awards as the Best Airline in Africa and in various onboard service categories, demonstrating strength in value and broad customer satisfaction within its region.

However, on the negative side, reviews from passengers worldwide highlight issues with delays, inconsistent service quality, and occasional baggage frustrations — especially on complex international itineraries — which can make it feel like a very different airline, depending on your flight and aircraft.

Basic Information

• Airline: Ethiopian Airlines
• Alliance: Star Alliance
• Category: Legacy international airline
• Frequent flyer program: ShebaMiles
• Tagline: “The New Spirit of Africa”
• Daily flights: Roughly 1,000 per day, varying by season
• Fleet: 167
• Main hub: Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD)
• Destinations: Over 160 destinations in 84 countries

Frequent Flyer Program

Ethiopian’s loyalty program, ShebaMiles, lets members earn miles not only on Ethiopian flights but also on Star Alliance partners and select partners across hotels, car rentals, and more. You can redeem miles for flights, upgrades, extra baggage awards, preferred seats, and even inflight Wi-Fi service. You can join for free here.

The program has tier levels ranging from Blue up to Platinum, with benefits scaling accordingly. Status perks include additional baggage allowances, priority check-in and boarding, lounge access (with caveats depending on route and partner carrier), and award rebooking advantages. Platinum members receive unlimited award rebookings, while lower-tier members have more limited flexibility.

Where ShebaMiles often falls short is award availability and redemption logistics, especially when booking Star Alliance awards. Common complaints include difficulties finding space or needing manual agent assistance, particularly on international partner flights. However, if you primarily fly Ethiopian and its partners, you can unlock meaningful value — especially for long-haul flights where cash fares are high yet award costs can be competitive.

That said, the program doesn’t currently have any U.S. credit card transfer partners. That means you can’t send points from U.S. credit cards to ShebaMiles for award bookings.

Hot Tip:

Want to know which programs you can send your points to? Check out our transfer partner calculator to see all of your options.

Ticketing Options

Economy Class

Inclusions with your ticket are the following:

• Standard seat (selection for a fee before check-in)
• Carry-on allowance (1 piece up to 7 kilograms or 15 pounds)
• Checked baggage included (usually 2 pieces up to 23 kilograms or 50 pounds each on international itineraries; inclusions vary by route on short-haul trips)
• Inflight meals on long-haul services
• Inflight entertainment on many aircraft
• Wi-Fi available for purchase

Business Class

Ethiopian Airlines refers to its business class as Cloud 9. Inclusions are as follows:

• Priority check-in and boarding
• Lounge access (Ethiopian and Star Alliance lounges, where available)
• Larger carry-on allowance (2 pieces)
• More generous checked baggage allowance
• Premium meal service
• Complimentary Wi-Fi (varies by aircraft)

Ethiopian Airlines Baggage, Other Fees, and Add-Ons

Ethiopian’s baggage rules vary by route and fare type, but generally you’ll find the following:

• Carry-on:
  • Economy passengers: 1 piece up to 7 kilograms (15 pounds)
  • Business passengers: 2 pieces up to 7 kilograms (15 pounds) each
• Checked baggage: Most international routes allow up to 2 pieces of 23 kilograms (50 pounds) each

Overweight and excess baggage charges can add up quickly with the airline. An example flight from Washington Dulles (IAD) to Addis Ababa lists $214 for checking an extra suitcase weighing up to 50 pounds. If that extra suitcase weighs up to 70 pounds, then the fee is $309.

Ethiopian Airlines offers a complimentary online baggage calculator, allowing you to easily verify the inclusions for your upcoming flight and avoid surprises at the airport.

Other Fees and Add-Ons

Change and Cancellation Fees (Cash Tickets)

Ethiopian Airlines’ change and cancellation fees are set by fare rules and can vary widely by route and booking class.

On many international itineraries, change fees are usually $100 but can be as high as $300 for last-minute changes on long-haul itineraries in economy class.

Some business class fares allow for free same-day changes to an alternative departure time. Make sure to check the specifics of your ticket, though.

For cancellations, expect to pay a fee of $50 to $200, depending on your fare and route; however, note that some tickets are non-refundable.

Hot Tip:

If you’re departing from the U.S. and book through the U.S. version of Ethiopian Airlines’ website, you get free cancellation within 24 hours of purchasing your ticket — assuming the flight departure is at least 7 days away.

Reservation Service Fees

Ethiopian Airlines doesn’t charge a fee if you book over the phone or at a ticketing office. However, making changes over the phone when you could’ve done it yourself online may come with a fee. Expect to pay $25 in most instances.

Extra Legroom Seats

Ethiopian sells preferred and extra-legroom seats (exit rows, bulkheads, and forward rows). While the airline doesn’t publish a universal price list, expect to pay around $46 for preferred seats and exit row seats, with $27 for extra legroom being the norm on most long-haul flights.

Onboard Wi-Fi

Ethiopian offers ShebaSkyConnect Wi-Fi on many Airbus A350, Boeing 777, and most Boeing 787 aircraft. Business class travelers typically receive free access, and Platinum ShebaMiles members may be eligible for complimentary 1-hour access.

Economy passengers can buy access. On long-haul flights, expect to pay $5 for 1 hour, $10 for 2 hours, or $25 for the whole flight.

Onboard Food and Drinks

• Long-haul: Complimentary meals and nonalcoholic drinks in both economy and business; business generally offers upgraded meals and beverage selections.
• Short-haul: Snacks and drinks are included on most medium and short international flights; some regional sectors may offer lighter service.

Unaccompanied Minors

Ethiopian Airlines’ policy defines an unaccompanied minor as a child aged 5 to 11 years traveling alone. Children under 5 are not accepted as unaccompanied minors. Passengers aged 12 to 17 can travel alone; however, unaccompanied minor service is optional and may incur additional fees if special attention is required.

Expect to pay about $10 within Ethiopia or $100 to $175, depending on the destination. These fees apply to Ethiopian Airlines-operated flights. If you book through Ethiopian Airlines or redeem ShebaMiles, but the flight is operated by another airline, the policies and fees of that airline will apply.

Pet Transportation

Ethiopian’s pet travel rules and charges are straightforward and tiered by mode (traveling in the cabin versus the luggage hold), weight, and route. Pet transport must be booked in advance, with size and weight confirmed at the time of reservation.

When traveling in the cabin, cats and dogs are allowed in approved containers and must weigh a maximum of 8 kilograms (17.6 pounds). They must also fit under the seat in front of you. The airline allows a maximum of 2 pets per cabin on narrow-body flights and up to 4 per cabin on wide-body planes.

Expect to pay $300 for in-cabin pets on long-haul flights to/from the U.S., while the fee is $150 on international flights that don’t go to the Americas. The fee is $100 for in-cabin pets on flights in Ethiopia.

Pets traveling in the luggage hold will cost $370 if they weigh up to 32 kilograms (71 pounds), including the container, although this increases to $500 if the pet weighs up to 45 kilograms (99 pounds). All cargo hold pet fees are $500 on routes to/from the U.S.

Pets weighing over 99 pounds must travel as cargo, which requires a separate process and additional fees.

However, service animals are permitted to travel in the cabin at no additional charge. This must be coordinated in advance.

Hot Tip:

These pet fees are in addition to baggage allowances. If your ticket allows for 1 complimentary checked suitcase, you can’t opt to travel with a carry-on bag only and then place a pet in the luggage hold in place of a suitcase. You will still pay the pet fee in this scenario, even though you didn’t check any luggage.

How To Avoid Paying Excess Fees and Expenses

Ethiopian Airlines doesn’t offer a U.S.-based credit card, so holding the right card in your wallet won’t give you fee-saving benefits like complimentary checked bags or inflight Wi-Fi credits. However, there are ways to save on these fees.

A good strategy for avoiding out-of-pocket fees is to use a premium travel credit card that reimburses incidental airline fees — such as baggage, seat upgrades, Wi-Fi, and more — via a travel credit on your card. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® offers up to $300 in annual travel credits that can offset many add-ons, saving you money. By charging these fees to your Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you reduce or eliminate the incremental penalty as long as these code as travel.

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U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

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Ethiopian Airlines Lounges

Ethiopian Airlines offers an elite lounge and a business class lounge at its Addis Ababa hub. Passengers traveling with Ethiopian Airlines from other airports should inquire about lounge offerings, as options will vary.

The Cloud 9 lounge is available for passengers departing in business class, including transit passengers. However, transit passengers who arrive in business and will depart in economy aren’t eligible to enter the lounge.

The ShebaMiles Platinum Lounge is accessible only to those with ShebaMiles Platinum status. However, the Star Alliance Gold Lounge is accessible for those with Star Alliance Gold status and ShebaMiles Gold status. The ShebaMiles Silver Lounge is accessible to those with ShebaMiles Silver status, but not to passengers with Star Alliance Silver status in other programs.

These lounges are open 24 hours a day, and they’re located next to each other in Terminal 2 at ADD. You’ll find these lounges by turning left after passing through airport security.

Lounge access is permitted up to 5 hours before scheduled departure.

Hot Tip:

If you don’t have access to these lounges, there is a Plaza Premium Lounge at Addis Ababa. It’s located on the right-hand side after passing security in Terminal 2.

Inflight Inclusions, Amenities, and Seat Specs

Economy

• Standard seat with personal inflight entertainment system on many aircraft
• Complimentary checked baggage on most international routes
• Meals on long-haul flights
• Wi-Fi for purchase

Business Class

• Lie-flat seats on wide-body aircraft
• Premium meal service
• Lounge access
• Complimentary Wi-Fi access on many aircraft

Seat Specs

Ethiopian Airlines Customer Satisfaction

Most Common Complaints

Ethiopian often earns respect for value and network reach. Still, common customer complaints include delays, baggage mishandling, inconsistent cabin service, and occasional issues with seat allocations or aircraft maintenance on specific routes. Online traveler forums reflect a mixed picture — some find the airline perfectly adequate and reasonably priced, others report frustrating experiences when things go wrong.

Consumer Rankings and Ratings

• Skytrax rating: 4-Star airline (out of 5)
• Tripadvisor airline review rating: 3 out of 5 (average from 7,255 reviews)
• Kayak customer rating: 7.2 out of 10 (average from 916 verified reviews)

Safety and Performance

Ethiopian Airlines has a generally solid safety record, although it has faced scrutiny in the past. The airline adheres to international standards and continually updates its fleet with new aircraft, such as the A350 and 787, to enhance reliability and fuel efficiency.

However, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, which crashed on March 10, 2019, killing everyone on board, brought not only scrutiny but also a 2-year grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 worldwide to investigate the incident. The final analysis largely attributed the incident to problems with the aircraft’s systems. However, human performance issues were also a contributing factor, such as the pilots’ failure to respond appropriately.

Recent Awards

Ethiopian Airlines consistently wins awards that underscore its standing within Africa. At the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2025, Ethiopian Airlines was named the Best Airline in Africa (for the eighth consecutive year), Best Economy Class in Africa, Best Business Class in Africa, and Best Business Class Onboard Catering in Africa.

Final Thoughts

Ethiopian Airlines is a workhorse of a carrier. It’s massive in scale, strategically located in the heart of Africa, and praised for its connectivity and value. If you need affordable long-haul flights with a solid network, it’s often worth considering — especially with Star Alliance benefits. But be prepared for inconsistencies in service and customer experience compared to top global carriers.

For travelers focused on getting from point A to B at a reasonable price and with good route options, Ethiopian can be a great choice. However, if you prioritize ultra-smooth service and top-tier consistency, expect some trade-offs — and always have a backup plan in place in case of irregular operations.