On my most recent trip to Zanzibar I treated myself to an upgrade to Business Class with Ethiopian Airlines (twice!), and naturally I took notes. So keep reading for my Ethiopian Airlines Business Class review!
The first flight was from Oslo to Addis Ababa on a Boeing 787-8 and returning to Oslo from Addis Ababa on 787-9, both with a technical stop in Stockholm (aka more champagne served).
I spent around 10 hours on the plane each time, but the actual flight time was a lot less due to the stop in Arlanda (I want to say around 7 hours).
As a result, I spent around 20 hours spent in Ethiopian Airlines’ Cloud Nine Business Class. I think it’s fair then to say I am able to write a review, as I have done a few times before.
Table of Contents
Quick Verdict
Starting off with a quick Ethiopian Airlines Business Class/Cloud 9 Quick Verdict!
Below is a brief overview of my thoughts. Keep reading for my more detailed (and honest) review.
| AREA | RATING OUT OF 10 | COMMENT |
|---|---|---|
| Seat Configuration | 8/10 | 2-2-2 Configuration, not ideal for solo travellers wanting a window seat |
| Comfort | 8/10 | Slightly outdated hardware and seats, but otherwise comfortable |
| Food | 8/10 | The food was decent, and the rating is lifted because of the coffee quality |
| Service | 10/10 | The crew were so attentive! |
| Amenities | 10/10 | The amenity kit included everything you’d expect, and the pajamas were a bonus! |
| Overall Score | 9/10 | After our first flight we ended up upgrading on the way home too, as it felt worth the cost (around $750). |
How we upgraded to Ethiopian Airlines Business Class
If you have read my blog before, you’ll know that I am a big advocate of bidding for an upgrade. Every time I fly long haul, I am on the airline website trying to figure out whether they have a way to bid for a Business Class upgrade or not.
And after booking my trip to Zanzibar with Ethiopian Airlines (Oslo > Addis Ababa > Zanzibar), I was really excited to see that they did!
In the months prior to our trip, I checked the upgrade portal (on the app) about once a week, just to keep an eye on whether the price changed. It stayed steady at aroung $470 as the minimum bid, with a slider indicating whether the bid was Weak, Medium or Strong.
About a week before our trip, we put in a bid for $550 to upgrade. This was classified as a “Medium bid” at the time.
Then, two days later (5 days before departure), I got an email asking if I wanted to secure an immediate upgrade for both me and my travel partner, for $750.
I actually jumped at this chance and upgraded us before my boyfriend had even seen my text messages, haha. Having travelled Business Class before, and this being a 10-hour overnight flight, I knew it was worth it.
Worth noting: There were two of us traveling, so the bid was per person. If I was traveling solo, I might have bid a little less, or risked waiting to see if the bid was accepted. But with two people on the same ticket, I worried that the odds of getting the upgrade was smaller (since we would need two seats in the Business Class cabin), and therefore we went for the immediate upgrade.
Ground Experience & Ethiopian Airlines Cloud Nine Lounge
When flying Cloud Nine you get priority check-in and boarding. As we arrived in Oslo on another flight (from Bergen), we didn’t really get to take advantage of this on the first flight, but on the way back we did!
Our flight from Oslo to Addis Ababa was already boarding by the time we got to the gate, and due to a short stopover we didn’t even have time for the lounge.
On the flight from Addis Ababa to Oslo, however, we did! And this is where the review comes in handy, because at Addis Ababa International Airport they have the Cloud Nine Departure Lounge, exclusively for those traveling Ethiopian Airlines Business Class (and other Star Alliance Business Class flights).
There was even a separate Cloud Nine security control upon arrival, and I only have one word to say about this: chaotic.
Okay, fine; I have more. I was excited to see the red carpet and sign for Cloud Nine when reaching security, as I figured it would be a smooth, exclusive and quiet experience upon entering the departure gates. However, it was super loud, busy, and chaotic. As we looked over to the non-Cloud Nine security lines, they were exactly the same.
So I have to say, after my experience, that the separate security did not enhance the Business Class experience at all.
Cloud Nine Lounge at Addis Ababa (ADD) & Exclusive Business Class Bus Boarding
We then continued to the Cloud Nine lounge. The lounge is located near Gate A13. Our departure gate was from a D gate (or C, I don’t remember correctly), but the lounge agent quickly striked through this on our boarding pass and told us we would be boarding from one of the A gates right across from the lounge.
It turns out, this gate is a separate Business Class Bus Boarding gate (say that 5 times fast!). So, when it was time for our flight, we walked over there, boarded a rather nice bus, and were driven to the plane (wherever our original gate was). Super convenient and comfortable!
The lounge itself was huge. It had lots of amenities, but also loads of people. We did the calculations, and figured that with at least 5-8 flights departing around the same 2-3 hour window, and 24 Business Class seat per flight, there were quite a few people for them to cater to.
With that being said, there were a lot of spaces, nooks and areas for people to sit, including two bars. There were shower facilities at the lounge, and a large buffet with lots of variety.
Perhaps the most unique thing about the lounge is the Coffee Ceremony, which is a designated space where you are served yummy, Ethiopian coffee. We obviously had to try it (after our first Business Class experience with Ethiopian we knew how good it was), and ended up sitting here for the rest of our stopover.
Since the coffee area is right by the entrance to the lounge, we could hear boarding calls and announcements coming from the rest of the airport (just on the other side of the wall). This made it less of a “quiet getaway” from the noisy airport than I would have liked. But I hope that had we sat further into the lounge we would have had more quiet.
First impression & Service Upon Boarding
I have to say that the presentation was not the best upon boarding, so the first impression was that the Business Class cabin looked a little messy on first look, unfortunately. The head rests and paper covers were uneven, and the pillows and blankets seemed thrown in the seats without a care.
Nothing like the first impression when boarding a flight on Qatar or Emirates Business Class, for example.
With that being said, the service upon boarding was truly great. The standard “Business Class procedure” was followed to a tee, with friendly stewards coming over with a towel to wash your hands (and face, surely I’m not the only one?) and champagne shortly after you are seated.
We were also given pyjamas, which is a first time for me! Even though I have flown Business several times before (including a 12,5 hour overnight flight with SAS/Scandinavian Airlines, which I have reviewed here). I was very excited about this, and got changed into my new pyjamas as soon as we were in the air.
I even saved them, as they were so soft and cozy!
The Cabin and Seats
Both of my Ethiopian Airlines Business Class flights, on the Boeing 787-8 and 787-9, had a 2-2-2 seating configuration. This worked well for us as a couple, as we could choose two window seats together and enjoy the flight side by side.
However, the layout is less ideal if you are traveling solo, particularly if you prefer a window seat (like I always do). You have to climb past the person next to you to reach the aisle, which is awkward at best (and even more so if they are sleeping). If I were traveling alone, I would probably choose a middle seat instead and have instant aisle access.
Privacy also depends on which seat you choose. I found the window seats felt private enough, but my travel partner, who sat in the aisle seat, felt more exposed. There is a rigid divider between the two seats, and I would have liked the option to raise or lower.
The seats themselves were comfortable, despite showing some signs of wear. They recline into fully flat beds, and I slept well for around four to five hours on each flight. The slightly worn padding did not affect my overall comfort, and I don’t think I’ve ever slept that well on a flight before!
I loved that you could adjust the leg rest and the backrest independently, giving you more flexibility to find a comfortable position. This is a feature I have missed on some other business class flights, including with Scandinavian Airlines.
Storage was less impressive, though. There was a console beside the seat, which required a bit of twisting to reach, plus a shelf underneath the entertainment screen. I would have appreciated a little more space to keep personal items within easy reach.
The entertainment screens and some of the hardware felt dated, particularly on the 787-8. The 787-9 felt cleaner, more modern and generally better maintained, although the layout and seats were the same.
Overall, I found Ethiopian Airlines’ Cloud Nine seats comfortable and perfectly suitable for a good night’s sleep, but the cabin felt a little behind some of its competitors.
If you’re booking, it’s worth checking which aircraft you’ll be flying, as Ethiopian Airlines also operates aircraft with different business class layouts. A 2-2-2 configuration can work well for couples, but if you’re traveling alone and value privacy and direct aisle access, it may not be your preferred setup.
Food onboard Ethiopian Airlines Business Class
The dining experience in Ethiopian Airlines Business Class started with welcome drinks, with both juice and champagne on offer, followed by a multi-course meal. The service was efficient and fast, but never felt rushed.
I particularly liked how the crew took everyone’s orders at the beginning and then brought each person’s dishes out individually. I’ve only experienced this style of personal meal service before in Qatar Airways’ Qsuite, so it was a nice touch.
On our flight from Oslo to Addis Ababa, dinner began with salmon sashimi or cucumber salad, followed by a creamy chicken soup that I absolutely loved. For the main course, there were four options: beef, chicken, fish and a vegetarian dish. We both went for the chicken.
Dessert was a tough choice, so we tried the cheese selection, chocolate mousse and ice cream. The cheese selection is always a must for me when flying business class!
If I had one wish for the menu, it would be to see more traditional Ethiopian dishes. I would have loved more opportunities to try local cuisine during the flight, especially given the airline’s home country and the chance to introduce passengers to Ethiopian food.
The wine selection was a highlight. There were six different red wines to choose from, which is more than I’ve ever encountered on a business class flight. Naturally, I had to try them all across our two flights! I also appreciated the mix of local and South African wines, which made the selection feel a little more distinctive than the usual offerings.
But the real standout was the Ethiopian coffee. Hands down, it was the best coffee I’ve ever had on a plane. It was a fitting highlight for an airline from a country with such a strong coffee culture, and something I would happily look forward to on another Ethiopian Airlines flight.
Amenities and Entertainment
The amenity kit had everything I expected for a business class flight, including a sleeping mask, hand cream, lip balm, socks, a toothbrush, earplugs, a comb and even a pen. We were also given slippers and pajamas, which were (as mentioned) a highlight for me.
I loved having pajamas on an overnight flight, as they make it much easier to settle in and get comfortable. It also means that my travel outfit, that I had planned 17 hours of travel in, didn’t get as sweaty and worn!
One small detail I noticed was the difference in the amenity kit design between our flights. On the way to Addis Ababa, the pouch and socks were bright red, which wasn’t quite my style. On the return flight, both were gray, which I personally found much more stylish.
There was no additional mattress pad or special bedding, just a pillow and thick blanket, but both were comfortable. Combined with the fully flat seats, they were perfectly adequate for getting some sleep.
The entertainment system was good overall, with a clear screen and decent headphones. I would have liked a larger movie selection, although it may simply have been that the available films didn’t appeal to me as much on this particular trip.
I love watching movies on a flight, and will usually line up 3 by the time we have taken off. For these flights, however, I only watched one movie total (The Breadwinner – it was funny!).
Wi-Fi was a little more complicated. My boyfriend paid $25 for access before we had even reached Stockholm, only to discover that Wi-Fi was complimentary for business class passengers. I guess we should’ve known.
After our technical stop in Stockholm, the crew handed out codes to activate the complimentary service. Unfortunately, the Wi-Fi wasn’t working on our flight from Addis Ababa to Oslo, so connectivity wasn’t consistent across the two flights. If you’re flying Ethiopian Airlines Business Class, I’d recommend checking with the crew before paying for Wi-Fi.
Final Verdict: Is Ethiopian Airlines Business Class (Cloud Nine) Worth It?
Now that you have read my whole review, I hope you are able to make up your mind yourself as to whether Ethiopian Airlines Business Class is worth it to you or not.
Just as a reminder, we paid around $750 to instantly upgrade our flights to Business Class (the bidding started at around $450, so we could’ve maybe gotten it cheaper).
Personally, this was worth it, and we upgraded for the same amount on the flight back. Of course, it would have been even more worth it for $450!
Both flights were around 10 hours and overnight, which naturally affected my decision. If these had been shorter flights, I am not sure I would pay $750 for the upgrade.
But, to summarize, Ethiopian Airlines Cloud Nine/Business is a really good service, with comfortable lie-flat seats and extremely good service. Flying business to me is an experience in and of itself, and makes the journey so much more enjoyable. I’ll definitely upgrade with Ethiopian Airlines again!
Does it hold a candle to Emirates Business Class? Perhaps not quite yet, but I still truly enjoyed my experience! It is still miles away from Discover Airlines, haha!
