Etihad Airways Air Cargo Profile

Etihad Cargo is the freight and logistics arm of Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, which was established by Amiri decree in July 2003 and began commercial operations that November. The cargo division was originally branded Etihad Crystal Cargo before a rebrand to Etihad Cargo in 2012. It operates from the airline's hub at Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport (AUH), one of two major Gulf air-cargo gateways alongside Emirates SkyCargo in Dubai. Etihad carries the IATA code EY and the ICAO code ETD.

The carrier moves freight through a combination of dedicated main-deck freighters and belly-hold capacity on its passenger widebodies. As of 2024-25 the freighter fleet consisted of roughly five to six Boeing 777Fs, complemented by cargo space on Airbus A350-1000, A380 and Boeing 787 passenger aircraft. Etihad has committed to a major fleet renewal with a firm order for 10 Airbus A350F freighters, intended to expand the dedicated freighter count toward 13 aircraft and offer improved payload and fuel efficiency over the 777F on long-haul lanes.

Etihad Cargo positions Abu Dhabi as a specialised logistics hub, with strength in temperature-controlled and high-value traffic. Its product portfolio includes PharmaLife for pharmaceuticals and life sciences, FreshForward for perishables, and dedicated live-animal, equine and secure-goods services, backed by expanded cool-chain facilities at the Abu Dhabi cargo terminal. The airline holds all four IATA CEIV certifications, covering Pharma, Fresh, Live Animals and Lithium Batteries. Its network links the Middle East to Europe, Asia, the Indian subcontinent, North America and Africa, feeding traffic through the central Abu Dhabi hub. Etihad is not a member of a global airline alliance.