Ethiopian Airlines (ET, Addis Ababa International) and Boeing on January 20 announced an order for nine more B787-9s, expanding the African carrier's order book of the type to 20 aircraft.

The additional orders will assist the airline to expand its intercontinental and intra-African network, which currently serves 145 international destinations, the companies said in a joint statement.

This follows Ethiopian Airlines’ commitment for eleven additional B737-8s, announced at the Dubai Airshow in November. Both orders were finalised in December 2025 and boost Ethiopian Airlines' Boeing order book to 60 aircraft, namely thirty-two B737-8s, eight B777-9s, and the twenty B787-9s, according to ch-aviation fleet data.

Ethiopian already operates Africa’s largest B787 fleet of twenty B787-8s and eleven B787-9s from Addis Ababa International to high-demand destinations across Europe, Asia, and North America, and on key intra-African routes.

"This order underscores our continued commitment to enhancing our fleet with modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, thereby further strengthening our customer service," commented group CEO Mesfin Tasew. "We will continue to acquire more aircraft and adopt the latest technologies as part of our strategic vision to advance sustainable aviation."