Etihad Airways and Africa World Airlines sign strategic partnership agreement

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, and Africa World Airlines, the Accra-based carrier that has connected Ghana and the wider West African region for more than a decade, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a strategic partnership spanning codeshare and interline cooperation, cargo collaboration and frequent flyer programmes.

The Agreement
- Signed in Accra, Ghana on 24 July 2026.
- Covers codeshare and interline cooperation, cargo collaboration, and loyalty programme integration.
- Designed to deepen Etihad’s presence in West Africa and expand AWA’s reach globally.

Passenger Benefits
- Single-ticket travel: Etihad guests can connect beyond Accra across AWA’s West African network (Kumasi, Tamale, Takoradi, Lagos, Abuja, Ouagadougou).
- AWA customers gain access to Abu Dhabi and Etihad’s 118 destinations worldwide.
- Combined journeys will be available for sale once interline cooperation is implemented.

Cargo & Loyalty
- Ghanaian and West African exporters will gain access to Etihad Cargo’s global capacity.
- Frequent flyer members of both airlines will have expanded opportunities to earn and redeem points.

Leadership Voices
- Arik De (Etihad CCO): “This framework spans passenger services, cargo and loyalty, and it will connect Ghanaian travellers and businesses to Abu Dhabi and to our network across the world's fastest-growing markets.”
- Sohail Mahmood (AWA COO): “This partnership will give our customers a direct line to Abu Dhabi’s expansive network, while supporting greater opportunities for Ghanaian travellers and international businesses.”

Looking Ahead
- The MoU sets the stage for Etihad’s planned Abu Dhabi–Accra direct service launching on 24 March 2027.
- Cooperation will be rolled out in phases, starting with interline agreements.

This partnership is strategically important because it links West Africa’s growing aviation market with Etihad’s global hub in Abu Dhabi, strengthening both passenger and cargo connectivity.