Qatar Airways vs Etihad Airways (2025)

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Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways are two of the most renowned Middle Eastern airlines globally. Both airlines are appreciated for their cutting-edge fleet, transcontinental routes, premium services, and passenger-centric officials. These similarities often make it complex for the travellers to choose the better one between the two. An in-depth analysis of such intricate details and past passenger experience allows flyers to choose the most suitable carrier for themselves. Starting from booking and airport convenience to ticket fare and onboard amenities, all essential elements are contrasted in this blog. To gain more clarity on Qatar Airways vs Etihad Airways, passengers can review the entire blog.

Making Reservations through Qatar and Etihad

First and foremost, it is the process of making reservations that makes one airline equivalent or better than the other. The booking process of the airlines is mentioned below:

• To book tickets for Qatar Airways, the customer should visit either the official website of the airline or their mobile application. It is a simple and user-friendly process in which the customer has to just enter their basic particulars, and the flight is booked. It has a Low Fare Calendar as well for a much efficient booking experience.

• For booking tickets through Etihad Airways, the flyers can either use their official website or their easy-to-use mobile application. The process to book the tickets is quite uncomplicated in both ways. It also has a Low Fare Calendar for providing an affordable booking experience. However, Etihad also allows phone booking options to enhance traveller convenience. 

In this section of Qatar Airways vs Etihad Airways, Etihad can be considered slightly better than Qatar solely because of its phone booking feature. This makes it more accessible to book tickets for flyers who are not tech-savvy.  

Route Coverage of Qatar and Etihad Airways

Qatar and Etihad frequently cover a wide range of Middle East and other international destinations. Both carriers usually fly across transcontinental locations such as North and South America, Asia, Europe, Africa, and so on. 

Qatar Airways flies to approximately 170 destinations across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania. The significant hub and worldwide destinations are listed here have been listed here for further details. It operates through Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Doha, Qatar. The key destinations of Qatar Airways across the globe are as follows:

• Kuala Lumpur
• Delhi
• Mumbai
• Johannesberg 
• New York
• Dubai
• Muscat
• Jeddah
• Athens
• Nairobi
• London
• Paris
• Amsterdam

Etihad Airways, on the other hand, flies to 90 destinations worldwide, mainly across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. The prominent hub of the airline is located at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.. The prime destinations of Etihad are listed here:

• London
• Dublin
• Athens
• Lisbon
• Manchestar
• Chicago
• Nairobi

Qatar Airways outscores Etihad Airways in this section. The number of destinations encompassed by it is more than Etihad Airways. The profound gap between Qatar and Etihad Airways makes the latter win this round. 

Ticket Fares on Qatar and Etihad Flights

The price of the tickets imposed by Qatar and Etihad also acts also plays a crucial role in attracting the passengers. Though both the flagship airlines are a bit expensive but there are variations in their prices on certain routes. This table contains some of the overlapping routes of the airlines. These are Economy ticket fares for a one-way trip.

From:	To:	Ticket Fare of Qatar Airways:	Ticket Fare of Etihad Airways:
Abu Dhabi	Doha	AED 770	AED 390
Abu Dhabi	Chennai	AED 1,600	AED 715
Doha	Thiruvananthapuram	AED 475	AED 466
Doha	Rome	AED 2,673	AED 1,780
Abu Dhabi	Kolkata	AED 1,810	AED 1,282
Doha	Hyderabad	AED 1,002	AED 770

This table highlights that the ticket fares of Qatar Airways are way high from Etihad Airways. This reflects that Qatar Airways is one of the most expensive airlines of the “Big Three”. These fares may vary concerning the route, ticket class, route type, and number of passengers selected by the flyers. Although travellers can apply promo codes to make the ticket fares quite economical, without compromising travel comfort.

Membership Perks and Loyalty Programs

Qatar, as well as Etihad Airways, offers beneficial membership perks and loyalty programs for its passengers. 

Qatar Airways:

• Privilege Club: It has four tiers known as Burgundy, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. 
• Student Club: This club is specially dedicated to the students, offering them special discounts on flights, baggage, and other add-ons. 

Etihad Airways:

• Etihad Guest Program: This program of Etihad provides exclusive benefits to its flyers. This membership program has various tiers, including Bronze Tier, Silver Tier, Gold Tier, and Platinum Tier.

In terms of membership programs, both Qatar and Emirates are at the same level. Some passengers prefer Qatar Airways’ Privilege Club because of the opportunity it gives to members to earn Avios. These Avios can be used in turn to enjoy the benefits of the Oneworld Alliance.

Whereas other travellers have great admiration for Etihad’s NFT. This NFT can be used by the flyers to buy add-ons, sell, or even trade them. This advantage given by Etihad makes it stand apart from the rest of the airlines. 

Thus, it can be concluded that in this category of Qatar vs Etihad Airways, it is a draw from an objective perspective as the membership offers of both carriers are commendable.

If a flyer wants to know more about the membership offers in detail, they can contact Qatar Airways Headquarters and Etihad Airways Headquarters.

Airport Experience

The airport experience provided by the Middle Eastern airlines will be another deciding factor in the Qatar vs Etihad Airways blog.

Check-in

Qatar Airways, along with Etihad, incorporates a seamless check-in process in its models. For the passenger’s convenience, the flyers can easily check in three ways. These methods are as follows:

• Online Check-in
• Kiosk Check-in
• Traditional Airport Check-in

While both airlines offer time-efficient check-in services, Etihad is preferred by travellers. It is because of its unique Auto-doc check feature, which allows the flyers to meet all essential documents beforehand for a hassle-free service.

Boarding

The carriers also pay great attention to executing a smooth Boarding of their flyers. The airline authorities form different boarding lines, and the passengers get to board the flight on the basis of their ticket class. Qatar and Etihad Airways also provide priority boarding to certain travellers who have membership status.

Qatar Airways:

Priority boarding is provided to the following passengers:

• Business Class
• First Class
• Qatar Airways Privilege Club Platinum Status
• Paid Priority Check-in for Economy Passengers

Etihad Airways: 

Priority boarding is available for these flyers:

• The Residence Cabin
• First Class
• Business Class
• Etihad Guest Members with Platinum Status
• Etihad Guest Members with Emerald Status

The carriers are well-regarded for regulating hassle-free boarding. 

Onboard Amenities of Qatar and Etihad Airways

This section compares the onboard services such as In-Flight Meals, In-Flight Entertainment, and several other services extended by the airways.

Fleet and Seat Type

Qatar Airways has an extensive fleet of advanced aircraft. These aircraft are designed to serve short-haul or long-haul flights. Its fleet is mainly composed of Airbus A320, A330, A350, and A380, Boeing 737 MAX, 777, and 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

Economy Class

• Standard Seats
• Preferred Seats
• Economy Comfort

Business Class

• Qsuite
• Lie-Flat Seats with Power Outlets

First Class

• Spacious Suites
• Lie-Flat Beds

On the other hand, Etihad Airways operates on an ultra-modern fleet of aircraft, which caters luxurious experience for its prestigious passengers. The carrier mainly incorporates planes such as  Airbus A320 family, Airbus A350 XWB, Airbus A380, Boeing 777-300ER, and Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Economy Class: 

• Economy SMART Seat
• Neighbour-Free Seating
• Economy Space

Business Class: 

• Privacy Dividers or Sliding Doors with Lie-Flat Beds

First Class: 

• Private Suites with fully flat Beds

The Residence:

• Three Room Suite Experience 
• Double Seat Reclining Sofa with Duxiana Bedding

In this category, the two airlines have shown splendid performance. Qatar is highly appreciated for its Qsuite, which has won the ‘World’s Best Business Class Product’ award by Skytrax at the World Airline Awards in 2025. Etihad’s The Residence is no less because it has won the ‘Innovation in Travel Award’ at the Travel Weekly Globe Travel Awards held in 2016.

In-Flight Entertainment

The In-Flight Entertainment options available on Qatar and Etihad Airways are quite opulent. A glimpse of the same can be seen below: 

Qatar Airways:

• Oryx One has a vast variety of movies, TV shows, and audio programs. This collection is also updated monthly to match the flyer’s requirements. 
• On-Air Starlink Wifi Services
• FlytEdge
• Converix Platforms
• Bluetooth Connectivity

Etihad Airways:

• E-Box Systems
• Direct Streaming on Personal Devices
• Live News and Sports
• In-flight Magazine
• Onboard Wifi
• Noise-Cancelling Headsets

Etihad and Qatar are both immensely valued for their In-Flight Entertainment facilities. However, in the majority of customer reviews, Qatar Airways is rated exceptionally for its Oryx One, Flytedge model, and Converix platforms in contrast to Etihad’s ‘E-Box’ System, which is also quite innovative.

In-Flight Meals

The following dishes mentioned here are generally served to the passengers with different ticket classes throughout the flight. 

Qatar Airways

It is known for providing scrumptious delicacies to the passengers. In a large number of customer reviews, Qatar Airways’ In-Flight meals are complimented. The following meals are served to the passengers of different ticket classes.

Economy Class:

• Various complimentary snacks and beverages are offered to Economy Class passengers on Qatar Airways flights.
• This includes a crunchy snack mix.
• There is also an option between non-vegetarian and vegetarian for the main meal. Mostly it contains beef, roasted chicken, or lentils with cheese. Rice and a side dish are also served to the Economy flyers onboard. 

Business Class: 

• A gourmet meal, which is served primarily consisting of Lobster and Oxtail, or a vegetarian alternative, is 
• Qatari dishes such as Machbous and Harees are also available on their several flights. 

First Class:

• The first-class travellers are offered a wide range of juices, wines, and alcohol options.
• The flyers are also adorned with dishes such as Beef stew with mashed potatoes and green beans, a variety of regional Pastas, Thai Chicken Curry, and so on. 

Qsuite Dining:

• These customers have a flexible choice of Dining on Demand. They cannot be constrained by traditional meal times. They can order food whenever required. 
• Their meals include the best of Qatari dishes, Indian vegetarian meals, and special low-cholesterol cooked food if pre-ordered.
• Apart from that, seasonal salads, savoury items, sweet pastries, soups, dim-sums, and samosas are also prepared for these passengers. 

Etihad Airways

Economy Class: 

• Main Meals, which comprises a main course with options between veg and non-veg, accompanied by a side and a dessert
• A soft drink is included with the meal.

Business and First Class:

• The Business and First Class passengers are bestowed with an enhanced variety of options.
• High-quality food options such as Arabic mezzes and other grilled delicacies. 
• The First Class Passengers are also provided with the à la carte menu.
• These passengers also have the option of “Dine Anytime” services. 

The Residence:

• These passengers have access to Etihad’s a la carte menu with the amenity to dine anytime and anywhere, even in the bedroom on the flight. 
• Specially curated Emirati dishes, along with high tea and expensive champagne, are available for the flyers. 

Cabin Crew Assistance

Qatar, as well as Etihad, is famous for providing excellent cabin crew services. Qatar Airways has a team of highly professional and experienced flight attendants. They implement a brand-focused approach. The crew members assist the passengers politely and dedicatedly throughout the air travel. It also has a bunch of flight officials who deal specifically with First Class, Business Class, and Qsuite cabin passengers. 

Etihad is also acknowledged for its crew members. The airline receives a decent rating, with passengers being content with the assistance offered by the onboard team. Just like Qatar Airways, Etihad also has proficient cabin crew which ensures a smooth and conflict-free air journey for the flyers. Etihad has special flight attendants who are oriented only towards First Class, Business Class, and The Resident passengers.

Flight Reliability

In terms of flight reliability, Qatar Airways undoubtedly holds a superior position against Etihad Airways. As travellers report that it is easier and less time-consuming to get full refunds from Qatar Airways, especially when flights are cancelled from their end. However, Etihad has strict 24-hour cancellation policies with several intricate rules embedded within them.

This makes Qatar Airways win over Etihad in the reliability section of Qatar vs Etihad Airways. To know more about Etihad’s Refund Policy, read Does Etihad Airways have a Refund Policy.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that no airline can be effortlessly considered the better carrier. In the Qatar Airways vs Etihad Airways blog, it is evident that both airlines are performing well in their unique attributes. Qatar Airways is outsourcing Etihad under the criteria of commendable route coverage, In-Flight Entertainment, Onboard Meals, and engaging flight reliability standards. Whereas Etihad had surpassed Qatar in the domains of offering affordable air tickets, membership perks, and NFT collection and check-in convenience.  

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