Quick take: Despite operating relatively new aircraft and offering generous award availability, Ethiopian Airlines has room for improvement.
Pros
Easily bookable with miles from Star Alliance partners
Excellent lounge options at Heathrow Airport
Warm and friendly crew
Cons
Outdated seats with little privacy or storage
The inflight entertainment and Wi-Fi did not work properly
Numerous service failures, including a frustratingly long dinner
Star Alliance member Ethiopian Airlines operates a fleet of more than 100 aircraft flying to more than 100 destinations in Africa, the Middle East, Europe and North and South America via its hub in Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD), including services to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Dulles International Airport (IAD), O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Just note that depending on the destination and direction, some of these flights operate via other cities in Africa and Europe.
With fierce competition from Middle Eastern airlines like Emirates and Qatar Airways for passengers connecting to other African destinations, how does Ethiopian Airlines compare?
On a recent visit to Kenya, I tested “The New Spirit of Africa” (the airline’s tagline) on one of its newest aircraft in Cloud Nine business class from Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Addis Ababa.
Here’s what the experience was like.
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BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUYHow much does business class cost to book on Ethiopian Airlines?
Ethiopian Airlines operates a long-haul fleet of Boeing 787-8 and 787-9, 777-200LR, 777-300ER and Airbus A350-900 aircraft with various seating types. What’s more, equipment and product swaps happen regularly, as I found out on my journey.
I discovered plentiful award availability in business class from various European cities the airline serves, though be aware that there are several fifth-freedom flights where passengers will stop briefly at another European airport before continuing down to Addis Ababa. For late-night departures, this could be a frustrating interruption to your night’s sleep.
After much research, I settled on a nonstop flight from London Heathrow to Addis Ababa on an Airbus A350, both to avoid a pit stop along the way and because I was assured by the airline’s press office that though Ethiopian has two different business-class seats on its Airbus A350s, Heathrow usually receives the more current 1-2-1 staggered business-class layout where all seats have direct aisle access.
Ethiopian Airlines award tickets can be booked with miles from its Star Alliance partners. I reserved a one-way business-class flight from London to Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) via Addis Ababa for 60,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points plus $337 in fees and taxes, including the U.K.’s steep Air Passenger Duty tax around three months before departure.
Here is the range of cash and award rates over the next 12 months for round-trip travel on this route:
Class
Economy
Business
Airfare
$752-$1,748
$2,780-$5,930
Aeroplan points
71,000 plus $256
120,000 plus $390
United Airlines MileagePlus miles
63,000 plus $226
115,500 plus $362
Both cash fares and mileage redemptions in business class include free seat selection, two free checked bags of up to 50 pounds each, one full-size carry-on bag of up to 15 pounds and one personal item (like a handbag or laptop bag).
Ethiopian Airways Flight ET701 departs London at 8:15 p.m. daily, arriving in Addis Ababa at 7 a.m., around seven hours later. This schedule changes with daylight saving time.
Aeroplan points are one of the easiest loyalty currencies to earn and redeem. You can transfer the following credit card rewards to Aeroplan at a 1:1 transfer ratio:
American Express Membership Rewards points
The following cards all currently offer attractive welcome bonuses with points and miles that you can transfer to your Aeroplan account:
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Checking in to and boarding business class on Ethiopian Airlines
Ethiopian Airlines business-class passengers can expect the following priority services at the airport.
Lounge available
United Airlines, Singapore Airlines or Lufthansa lounges at London Heathrow, Star Alliance lounges elsewhere
TSA PreCheck access (out of the U.S.)
No
Boarding group
1
Ethiopian and most other Star Alliance carriers depart from Terminal 2 at London’s Heathrow Airport, also known as the Queen’s Terminal, a tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
Check-in for my evening departure took place in Zone D, which already had a long line for economy guests two hours before departure.
Fortunately, to the right of the mass of people, I spotted an empty business-class check-in desk where a friendly and efficient staff member immediately assisted me.
Business-class passengers and Star Alliance Gold members are provided with fast-track security access in Terminal 2, and I was through in just a few minutes.
Star Alliance business-class passengers departing on evening flights from Terminal 2 have a choice of several different airport lounges before their flights. Long-haul flights depart from the B pier at Terminal 2, so it is a good idea to skip the Lufthansa lounge in the A pier to be closer to the departure gates.
BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
I had my choice of the United Club or Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer lounge. Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounge was closed when I arrived at 6:30 p.m.
I chose the United Club, and it remains one of the best United Clubs in the world, with amenities that make it feel more like one of the airline’s flagship Polaris lounges than a standard lounge.
Related: The ultimate guide to United Club access
BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
The quiet space was an oasis of calm, with most United flights having departed for the day.
I especially enjoyed the long bar with helpful bartenders ready to pour passengers a drink; beer, wine, spirits and sparkling wine are offered on a complimentary basis.
While there were no a la carte menu items like you might find in the dining room of a Polaris lounge, the hot and cold buffet had plenty of high-quality dishes that were appealing to the eye, including chicken meatballs and vegan bean chili.
This is an excellent lounge worth arriving early for.
Related: The best lounges at London Heathrow — and how to get inside
Boarding at Gate B44 initially seemed orderly, with a spacious gate set-up and an announcement that the flight would be boarded back to front. Only those passengers in the back 10 rows of the plane were invited to board, with all other passengers firmly instructed to remain seated.
BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
Keen to board early to photograph the cabin without disturbing other passengers, I asked the gate staff when business-class boarding would start after about half the plane seemed to have boarded.
The gate staff looked at me blankly and advised me I was welcome to board at any time through a priority lane on the other side of the gate.
This was the opposite of the announcements they had made over the speakers for passengers to remain seated and made for a confusing boarding experience. Nonetheless, I handed over my boarding pass and made my way down the jet bridge.
How comfortable was business class on Ethiopian Airlines? BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
While the seat map for my flight had shown the airline’s newer seats (and this was the case right up to the day before the flight), I was disappointed to board and see the plane had been swapped for one of the airline’s A350s with the older, higher-density 2-2-2 configuration. Several other passengers reacted similarly when they walked into the cabin.
This Airbus A350-900 had the following layout and seat dimensions:
Number of seats
30, all in a single cabin
Cabin layout
2-2-2
Fully flat bed
78 inches
Seat width
22 inches
Screen size
16 inches
These Collins Aerospace Diamond seats don’t feel competitive in 2024 when newer business-class seats (found on many other airlines’ A350s) have more privacy features and up-to-the-minute technology.
BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
They feel very exposed and open as there is very little privacy between the pairs of seats, and the dividers between them do not make much difference.
I chose a window seat in Row 1, though I offered to move to the aisle seat when my neighbor arrived since I would be in and out of my seat during the flight for the review and didn’t want to be climbing over them awkwardly.
BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
Best seats for solo travelers
D and G seats
Best seats for couples
Any pair of D and G seats in rows 2-4
Seats to avoid
Rows 1 and 5 due to proximity to the galley and lavatories
Storage around the seat was limited to under the footrest, a small space below the right armrest and a space behind my right shoulder that proved awkward to access.
I appreciated that the headrest could be adjusted up and down and the side wings could be folded, though the wrinkled, beige cover had seen better days.
Seat charging options included a USB-A plug in the right armrest and two universal charging points between the seats to share with my neighbor.
One of the few benefits of this older seat design is the space for feet while lounging or sleeping is more like an ottoman or narrow bench — there was no need to squeeze them into a foot cubby.
BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
The seat reclined to a fully flat bed using the electronic buttons on the right armrest that could be used to maneuver the individual seat parts as well as to navigate it into preset positions including upright and lie-flat.
BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
I found the headrest much thicker than on other seats I’ve experienced recently, meaning my head was raised higher than was comfortable, and the lack of a mattress pad also made for a rough night’s sleep. While the Airbus A350 features mood lighting with different settings to ease passengers in and out of rest, this flight only used two settings — bright white and completely off, which didn’t help with drifting off to sleep or waking up gently.