Ethiopian Airlines is set to suspend passenger services between Addis Ababa and Atlanta from early February 2026, temporarily stepping back from its sole route into the southeastern United States.
Schedule data reviewed in mid-January shows the Star Alliance carrier will operate its final flight on the route on Feb. 1, with services from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport ceasing the following day. The airline currently serves Atlanta three times per week, deploying Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners, with westbound flights operating via Rome Fiumicino.
The affected rotations are flight ET518, operating Addis Ababa–Rome–Atlanta, and the return service ET519. While earlier schedules indicated the route would continue through the Northern Hemisphere mid-year travel period, booking systems still show availability for dates from June 2026 onward, pointing to a suspension rather than a permanent exit.
Atlanta entered Ethiopian’s long-haul network in May 2023, providing the carrier with access to the world’s busiest airport by passenger numbers and strengthening connectivity within the Star Alliance framework through its partnership with United. Despite this strategic positioning, the route has faced headwinds, including competitive pressure on transatlantic traffic flows and softer-than-expected passenger demand.
Cirium schedule data for January 2026 further illustrates Ethiopian’s scaled-back U.S. footprint during this period. Following the Atlanta suspension, the airline’s remaining passenger services to the United States are concentrated solely on Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). From Addis Ababa, Ethiopian operates up to 11 weekly flights to Washington, routed via Rome Fiumicino and Lomé, using a mix of Airbus A350-900, A350-1000, and Boeing 787-8 aircraft.
