Ethiopian Expands Cargo Network in Asia with the Addition of Urumqi in China

Addis Ababa, 30 June 2025

Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s leading carrier and one of the fastest-growing global airline brands, is pleased to announce the launch of its new twice-weekly cargo flight service between Addis Ababa and Urumqi, China. The inaugural flight was welcomed with a colorful ceremony and traditional water cannon salute upon arrival at Urumqi Diwopu International Airport. The new flight will operate every Monday and Thursday.

This new route strengthens Ethiopian Airlines' footprint in Western China and enhances the vital cargo corridor between Africa and Asia, enabling faster, more efficient freight movement and broader market access for exporters and importers alike.

Commenting on the launch of the new cargo service Ethiopian Airline GCEO Mesfin Tasew remarked “The launch of our cargo service to Urumqi marks yet another significant step in strengthening our footprint in China and deepening air trade links between Asia and Africa. As a strategic gateway to Western China, Urumqi opens new possibilities for cross-border commerce, supply chain efficiency, and economic integration.

At Ethiopian Airlines, we remain committed to expanding our cargo network with purpose, creating reliable, fast, and seamless logistics that serve as a catalyst for growth across continents. China continues to be one of our most important markets, and this new route reaffirms our long-term partnership and vision for shared prosperity.”

Ethiopian Airlines currently operates over 190 weekly flights to 27 destinations across Asia, including 83 weekly flights to 11 cities in China. With a modern fleet and advanced temperature-controlled, tech-enabled cargo infrastructure, Ethiopian transports nearly    1 million tons of cargo annually across a global network of over 140 destinations.

This new service marks another milestone in Ethiopian’s mission to strengthen Africa–Asia connectivity and further position Addis Ababa as a critical global cargo hub.  

About Ethiopian

Ethiopian Airlines Group (Ethiopian) is a true African success story, transforming a visionary dream into a globally renowned reality for nearly eight decades. Operating flights to more than 160 domestic and international passenger, and cargo destinations across five continents, Ethiopian bridges the gaps between Africa and the world. Emphasizing passenger comfort and environmental sustainability, Ethiopian utilizes ultra-modern aircraft such as Boeing 737s, 777s, 787s, Airbus A350-900, A350-1000 and De Havilland Q400.

Ethiopian, the Star Alliance member airline, champions in various coveted awards including Skytrax’s ‘Best Airline in Africa Award’ for eight consecutive years, APEX ‘Best Overall in Africa’ award and ‘Leadership in Connecting Africa through Transport’ Award among others. Ethiopian aims to further excel in its success through a strategic plan dubbed ‘Vision 2035’ and become one of the top 20 most competitive and leading aviation groups in the world. Embracing a Pan-African spirit, Ethiopian is pursuing multi-hub strategy through hubs in Lomé, Togo with ASKY, in Lilongwe, Malawi with Malawi Airlines, in Lusaka, Zambia with Zambia Airways, and in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with Air Congo.

For more information, visit our website at  www.ethiopianairlines.com  email us at CorporateCommunication@ethiopianairlines.com , or call us at (251-11)517-8913/8165/8907.