Top Secret: How To Fly Cheap with Ethiopia Airlines

Ticket Tiers

When you book your Ethiopian Airlines flight, there are three options for discounted fares depending on your paperwork coming into Ethiopia. These are: 

1. You are Ethiopian Citizen, or you have a proof of residence in Ethiopia

2. You have an international flight/ticket with Ethopian Airlines

Note : It is mandatory to present the document upon ticketing (if payment is made at city/airport ticket offices) and, at time of check-in to the airline on demand. Failure to present the required documents may result in denial of passenger from the flight and refund of ticket after applicable penalty deductions

3. No, I hold none of these documents

Note : Your ticket must be paid with credit/debit card on the Website/Mobile App OR pay cash in USD, GBP, or EUR currencies at ticket offices and discounted fare does not apply.

Ticket Tier Pricings

Each of these three options will give you a different flight price. Flights do not usually change much in price and do not need to be booked in advance. For example, a flight from Addis Ababa (ADD) to Jinka (BCO) costs the following amount for each group: 

1. ETB 4,807

2. ETB 12,339

3. ETB 19,230

This means that if you are Ethiopian or you have a proof of residence (which includes most foreign expats and workers in Ethiopia), you pay a quarter of the full price of the ticket (in the above, only ETB 4,807). If your ticket departing Ethiopia is with Ethiopian airlines, you get around a 40% discount. If you have neither, you pay the full price, which is actually quite expensive. 

The Top Secret: How to Access Cheaper Pricings

To work in Ethiopia, you need a workers' visa, which grants you proof of residence. It is therefore not uncommon for foreigners to have proof of residence, and this is not something that is checked often. 

The only point that they check your proof of residence is when you come to the counter to check in your bags. However, if you are taking only carry-on luggage, you can download the Ethiopia Airlines app and check in beforehand. The app works really well and is easy to use, and by doing this, no one will look at what ticket type you purchased or how much your fare is. 

The things to be aware of are: 

• If you want to change your ticket (i.e. to a new date), you will have to do this either over the phone or at the ticket counter, and they will ask for your proof of residence. If you do not have this, they will simply charge you the extra amount to a full fare ticket.

• If you have check-in luggage, they will open up your booking and their computer will prompt them to ask you for proof of residence. You may get lucky and your attendant may choose not to request this, but it could take time to sort out and pay the extra fare. I wouldn't recommend buying the wrong fare if you have check-in luggage, but if you're going to do it anyway, arrive at the airport with an extra hour spare, as Ethiopian bureaucracy can be exceptionally slow. 

• If you do get caught with the wrong fare, just be friendly and say you didn't know, and offer to pay the difference. If you're indignant, rude, or try to argue, they have every right to refuse your entry to the flight.