Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national airline, has been rated as a Five-Star Global Airline by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) for the third consecutive year. The rating recognises the airline’s excellence and was announced on 20 September at the APEX Awards Ceremony in Long Beach, California. 

The APEX Five Star Airline Awards were created based on neutral, third-party passenger feedback and insights gathered in partnership with TripIt® from Concur®, the world’s highest-rated travel-organising app. For the 2024 Awards, nearly one million flights were rated by passengers across more than 600 airlines from around the world using a five-star scale. The awards are independently certified by a professional external auditing company. 

Commenting on the recognition from APEX, Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad, said: “Our guests are at the heart of all we do, and we are immensely proud to retain our Five-Star rating for the third year in a row, thanks to their ratings and feedback. We strive to deliver world-class service for our guests, inspired by the traditional Emirati hospitality of our home in Abu Dhabi, and we will continue to push the boundaries of the industry even higher.”

The recognition comes as Etihad prepares to launch three new destinations, with flights to Dusseldorf launching on 28 September, Copenhagen on 29 September and Osaka on 1 October. Additionally, Etihad’s network expansion has included increasing flight frequencies across a number of routes across Europe and Asia making travel even more convenient.

Etihad’s award-winning guest experience offers the highest standards of service and hospitality regardless of the cabin, whether a guest chooses to fly in The Residence, Etihad’s unique three-room suite on the Airbus A380, or in First, Business or Economy cabins across the fleet.

In Business class, guests will experience Etihad’s collaboration with Armani/Casa which features a range of dining and glassware designed with celebrated designer Giorgio Armani. The collection also offers luxurious bedding with a jointly branded blanket, pillow and bolster cushion that unfolds into a mattress topper for Etihad’s fully flat bed.

Recently awarded as Best Economy Class in the Business Traveller Middle East Awards, Etihad Economy’s superior in-flight cuisine is served on unique dining equipment which was designed with sustainability and an elevated guest experience as core priorities. The dining equipment is fully reusable to reduce waste and is produced using a fully-closed loop recycling system which creates a circular economy. The dining ware is embossed with Etihad’s signature style further elevating the guest experience.