Etihad Airways pilot recruitment

EY / ETD

One of the two national airlines of the United Arab Emirates, based in Abu Dhabi, linking its hub with Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania and North America with an Airbus and Boeing fleet.

Etihad Airways fleet, hub and head office

2003

Founded

Head office

Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Main hub

Abu Dhabi (Zayed International Airport)

Fleet (aircraft types operated)

Airbus A320, A321, A321neo, A321LR, A350-1000 and A380; Boeing 777-300ER, 787-9 and 787-10; Boeing 777F freighters (A330-900, Boeing 777-9 and A350F on order)

Pilot recruitment at Etihad Airways

All pilots are based in Abu Dhabi. Etihad recruits direct-entry first officers and captains (vacancies are posted on its careers portal, rated or non-rated depending on the fleet) and holds recruitment events abroad, including in Europe (Munich, Frankfurt, Athens and Barcelona in 2026). Experience requirements vary by fleet and role: check each posting. The Cadet Pilot Programme is reserved for UAE nationals aged 18 to 29, with two years of training at the Etihad Training Academy (Khalifa City A, Abu Dhabi). For a European pilot, the way in is therefore direct entry with airline experience. Check open positions on Etihad's careers page.

Recruitment information is given as a guide only (public sources, subject to change over time): always check the current conditions on the airline's careers site.

History of Etihad Airways

Etihad, meaning 'union' in Arabic, was established by decree in July 2003 to give Abu Dhabi its own airline after the emirate withdrew from Gulf Air. Commercial flights began in November 2003 to Beirut. In the 2010s the airline took stakes in several foreign carriers, including Air Berlin, before refocusing its strategy.

Pay and conditions, from public sources

Figures published by the airline, pilot unions or the press, each one dated (last update: October 2026). For information only.

A320 captain: Etihad's job posting advertises up to AED 674,029 (USD 181,589) a year, based on 75 flying hours per month (2026).
Trend: a 2025 posting for the same role advertised up to AED 637,304 (USD 171,589) a year, tax-free, on the same 75-hour basis (2025).
A320 first officer: up to AED 513,732 (USD 138,318) a year, tax-free, based on 75 flying hours per month; this is a ceiling, not a guaranteed salary (November 2025).
Package: it includes basic salary, flying pay, housing allowance, and layover and meal allowances, plus children's education support and annual leave (page consulted October 2026).
A320 first officer requirements: either 2,000 hours including 1,500 multi-crew and 500 on type, or 1,500 hours including 1,000 on the A320 family; current A320 type rating, ATPL (frozen accepted), Class 1 medical and under 50 on joining (2025).
A320 captain requirements: at least 5,500 total hours including 2,500 hours as pilot in command on multi-crew glass-cockpit aircraft (2026).
Hiring: Etihad is holding pilot recruitment events in Munich, Frankfurt, Athens, Barcelona, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur, plus a virtual session, between October and November 2026 (October 2026).
Cadet programme: open to UAE nationals aged 18 to 29; online assessment, video interview, maths, physics and aptitude tests, then psychometric tests, group exercises and a panel interview, with about two years of training in Abu Dhabi and flight training in Spain (2025).

Sources read (5)

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Preparing for psychometric tests before a selection

Some pilot selections include psychometric tests. ForAllPilots does not say whether Etihad Airways uses them, or which ones: none of the series below is presented as Etihad Airways's.

To practise anyway, the site offers several series of exercises, included with the ATPL subscription. They are practice exercises, not official tests: ForAllPilots is not affiliated with any airline or any test publisher, and the exact rules or scoring may differ.

Blog guides to practise with

Prepare your theory: BIA, PPL and ATPL questions

Whether you are aiming for Etihad Airways or another airline, the ForAllPilots revision bank covers the BIA, the PPL and the ATPL.

Start revising

By licence:BIA question bank (FR)PPL question bank (FR)ATPL question bank (FR)

Other airlines

ForAllPilots is an independent site: it is not affiliated with Etihad Airways or any other airline, and publishes no job offers. To apply, go through the airline's careers site.