Terminal T1 hosts 5 airlines. It's Ethiopian Airlines's home turf at ADD. You'll find 2 dining options, 2 lounges, 2 shops here.
10–15 minute walk separates T1 from the main T2 hub
Terminal 1 at Addis Ababa Bole handles domestic and some regional flights for Ethiopian Airlines, EgyptAir, Qatar Airways, Sudan Airways, and Yemenia, in a compact, older building that feels separate from the big long‑haul operation next door. Expect short walks: check‑in counters, security, and departure gates all sit within a few hundred meters of each other, and most aircraft park on remote stands with bus boarding.
Small check-in hall, usually calmer in the early morning
The T1 check‑in area has just a handful of counters, mainly for Ethiopian domestic services plus regional routes on the listed carriers, and reviews say lines around 05:00–07:00 are lighter than the all‑day queues in T2. Several regulars report arriving 60–90 minutes before a domestic departure is usually enough, compared with the 3 hours often pushed for international flights.
Security and boarding: quick but low on information screens
After one set of x‑ray machines you step straight into the gate area, with only a few departure monitors near security and at selected gates, so many travelers end up asking staff if boarding has started. Complaints note that gate changes for regional flights can happen within 20–30 minutes of departure, and screens are not always updated, so listen closely for announcements.
Gate area feels like a bus station, not a big hub
Past security, T1 is one long, basic concourse with gates off both sides and seating clusters of metal chairs roughly every 20–30 meters. One TripAdvisor reviewer compared it to a bus station, and the crowds stack up in the central waiting area near security, while seats near the farthest domestic gates tend to stay open even when peak banks hit.
Cafés landside, coffee stand airside, limited food overall
Landside, a small café serves simple snacks and hot drinks, with coffee and tea under 100–150 birr and a few sandwiches when stock is good, while airside you mainly get a single coffee stand offering bottled water, soft drinks, and pastries from a glass case. Reviews from 2023–2024 repeatedly call the food options “very basic” and note that outlets sometimes close in the middle of the day.
Two lounges, both better for seats than for food
The ShebaMiles Lounge in T1 caters to Ethiopian elites and premium cabins, opening roughly from first domestic departures until the last evening bank, and usually offers cold snacks, a few hot dishes, and local beer in cans. A separate VIP Lounge serves government and invited guests; reports say both lounges share the same air‑conditioning issues as the terminal and can feel warm in the afternoon.
Simple retail: one duty free and a small souvenir shop
Shopping inside T1 stays basic, with a single Duty Free Shop carrying cigarettes, spirits like local gin and whisky, plus international chocolates, all at prices often higher than Addis city supermarkets by 10–20%. A neighboring souvenir shop sells Ethiopian coffee, scarves, and small handicrafts; several travelers mention grabbing beans or a scarf here when they do not have time to reach the Mercato or local malls.
Facilities: few power outlets and patchy air-conditioning
Multiple domestic passengers flag the lack of power outlets in the gate area, saying they saw only a couple of working sockets near central pillars, so phones die quickly on flights lasting 45–90 minutes to cities like Bahir Dar or Mekelle. TripAdvisor reviews also mention inconsistent air‑conditioning, with the terminal feeling hot and stuffy around midday when outside temperatures climb above 25°C.
What regulars actually do in T1
Frequent Ethiopian domestic flyers often wait landside near the small cafés until 40–50 minutes before departure, then clear security once the flight number shows “boarding soon” on the nearest monitor. Many bring snacks and a 1‑liter bottle of water bought in town, report using local SIM data instead of the unreliable airport Wi‑Fi, and only move toward the bus‑boarding doors when they see a physical line form.
One tip: charge up and eat before you reach T1
Given the scarce outlets, limited food, and basic seating, charge devices at your hotel or in T2, grab a proper meal in the city or the main international terminal, then treat T1 as a short holding pen for your domestic hop on Ethiopian or a regional leg on EgyptAir, Qatar Airways, Sudan Airways, or Yemenia.