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Etihad Airways

A three-room private suite on the A380 — and a smaller, sharper carrier behind it.

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from £X,XXX return · less than booking the airline direct
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Hub
Abu Dhabi (AUH)
Alliance
No alliance (codeshare-led)
Fleet
≈ 90 aircraft
Founded
2003
Cabins held
The Residence · First Apartment · Business Studio · Premium Economy
Etihad Airways
About the carrier

Etihad has, in recent years, become the smaller, sharper Gulf carrier. After fleet consolidation in the early 2020s, the operation focuses on Abu Dhabi as a hub and on a more focused network than Emirates'. The flagship — and the only product of its kind in commercial aviation — is The Residence: a three-room private suite (living room, separate bedroom, en-suite shower) available only on the A380, in a single unit per aircraft, with a dedicated Savoy-trained butler.

Below The Residence sit the First Apartments — nine doored Apartments on the A380, each with separate armchair and bed, vanity, and access to the on-board shower spa. The 787 and A350 fleet carry the excellent Business Studio (1-2-1 with privacy doors, very wide). Etihad has expanded codeshare arrangements (American, Air France-KLM, Gulf Air, Air Serbia) to extend reach without joining an alliance.

Signature services

What makes them different.

Savoy butler

Savoy butler

Trained butler for The Residence

The Residence

The Residence

Three-room private suite — only on A380

US Pre-Clearance

US Pre-Clearance

Clear US immigration in Abu Dhabi

On-board shower

On-board shower

Single shower for The Residence & First Apartments

Where they shine

What we book them for.

01

The Residence

One per A380. Three rooms. A butler. The only product in commercial aviation that you can describe as a suite without qualification.

02

First Apartments

Below The Residence — nine doored Apartments per A380. Separate seat and bed, vanity, en-suite shower access. Among the most generous First products in the air.

03

Yas Island stopover

Abu Dhabi as a stopover destination — Yas Marina, Saadiyat, Louvre Abu Dhabi. Etihad runs structured stopover packages with hotel and ground transfer.

04

US Pre-Clearance at AUH

Abu Dhabi airport has US Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance — you arrive at the gate in the US as a domestic passenger. Saves an hour on JFK / ORD / IAD arrivals.

Etihad's calling card is the most exclusive seat in the sky — The Residence, a three-room private suite with its own butler, on the A380 — backed by the doored Business Studio and the First Apartments. It is a smaller operation than Emirates by design, and a different proposition from Qatar: fewer routes, but the single most rarefied product in commercial aviation. Tell us your dates and we'll tell you exactly which Abu Dhabi services carry the cabin you want.

The take

Our honest read on Etihad

Where Etihad sets the ceiling, and the things worth a call before you book.

Why we rate them
  • The Residence is in a class of its own A three-room suite — bedroom, living room, en-suite shower — with a private butler, for up to two people. There is nothing else like it flying. If the occasion justifies it, this is the ceiling.
  • First Apartments redefine the cabin Nine private apartments on the A380, 1-1, each with a separate seat and bed and a chair for a guest. Genuinely a step beyond most First products.
  • US Preclearance at Abu Dhabi is an underrated edge Clear US immigration before you fly and land in America as a domestic arrival — straight off the aircraft, no queue. For US-bound trips, a real time saving.
  • The newest Business suite competes at the very top The doored Super Diamond suite on the A350-1000 is among the best Business seats in the sky — Etihad isn’t only its A380 headliners.
Good to know
  • The showpiece cabins are A380, Heathrow-only The Residence, the Apartments and the full First experience fly the Heathrow A380. We’ll confirm the A380 is on your dates before you plan around it.
  • Manchester is a Business-led 787 — no First A strong Business cabin, but if First or the Apartments are the brief, it’s Heathrow. We’ll point you to the right departure.
  • No Premium Economy cabin Etihad flies First and Business only. If Premium Economy is the budget, we’ll show you the carriers who fly it on the same route.
  • Which Business seat depends on the aircraft The A380 Business Studio and the A350 Super Diamond are different products. Tell us your dates and we’ll tell you which one flies them.
The network

Where they fly.

The UK services we book most, and the onward sectors that matter beyond Abu Dhabi.

From London
  • Heathrow (T4)2× daily, A380 + 787
  • ManchesterDaily, 787
Strongest sectors
  • AUH → JFK / ORD / IADDaily, A350 / 787 (US Preclearance)
  • AUH → BOM / DEL / BLRMultiple daily
  • AUH → SYD / MELDaily
  • AUH → BKK / SIN / HKGMultiple daily
  • AUH → MLE (Mald.) / SEZDaily / seasonal

Beyond these, Abu Dhabi connects across Asia, Australia, Africa and the Americas — if Etihad flies it, we price it. Fares are quoted from London; Etihad also flies from Manchester, with regional fares on request.

The seat products

The cabins, in detail.

Each cabin product Etihad Airways flies, with the seat type, configuration, bed length and the aircraft you'll find it on.

Flagship
Flagship · cabin imageryThe Residence
Flagship

The Residence

1 per A380 configuration
Private 3-room suite · 1 per aircraft · A380 only

A private cabin spanning three rooms: a living room with double-seat sofa, separate bedroom with a 6'10" double bed, and a private en-suite shower room. Sold for up to two travellers. A Savoy-trained butler is dedicated to The Residence throughout the flight. Pre-flight check-in via a private lounge at Heathrow's T4; private chauffeur drive throughout.

  • SeatTBD
  • Pitch / bedTBD
  • Configuration1 per A380
  • AircraftA380-800 only
  • NotableSavoy-trained butler · The First Apartment Lounge AUH · doorstep chauffeur drive
First
First · cabin imageryFirst Apartment
First

First Apartment

1-2-1, doored configuration
Doored 1-2-1 · 9 per A380 · A380 only

Nine fully-enclosed Apartments on every A380. Each: a 26-inch wide armchair (separate from the bed footprint), a 6'1" lie-flat bed made up by crew, a personal vanity table and mirror, and a private wardrobe. Access to the A380 on-board shower spa. Pre-flight check-in via the dedicated First Apartment lounge area.

  • SeatEY First Apartment — separate seat and bed, doors
  • Pitch / bed73" bed
  • Configuration1-2-1, doored
  • AircraftA380-800 only
  • NotableOn-board shower (one per A380); First Apartment Lounge AUH
Business
Business · cabin imageryBusiness Studio
Business

Business Studio

1-2-1 with sliding doors configuration
1-2-1 with doors · A350 / 787

Etihad's mainline Business product — sliding doors, 20.5-inch wide seat, 80-inch bed, large stowage area, dual screens. Particularly strong on the 787-9 (which operates most of the network outside the A380 routes) and the A350-1000 (which operates the JFK route).

  • SeatEtihad Business Studio
  • Pitch / bed80" fully flat
  • Configuration1-2-1 with sliding doors
  • AircraftA350-1000, 787-9, 787-10
  • NotableSame Business lounge access at AUH; sleeper service included
Premium Economy
Premium Economy · cabin imageryPremium Economy
Premium Economy

Premium Economy

2-4-2 configuration
2-4-2 · 40" pitch · A350 / 787 (refit)

Recently introduced (from late 2023) on the A350-1000 fleet and rolling onto select 787s. Recaro PL3530 leather, 40-inch pitch (genuine), 8-inch recline, calf-rest, plated dining. Particularly worth specifying when booking — not yet on all routes.

  • SeatRecaro PL3530, leather
  • Pitch / bed40" pitch · 8" recline
  • Configuration2-4-2
  • AircraftA350-1000, select 787-9 (refit)
  • NotableSpecify aircraft when booking; not yet fleet-wide
On board
A restaurant in the skyThe Residence kitchen
On board · in flight

The Residence kitchen

The Residence is the only commercial cabin product with a dedicated chef on board — the menu is built around what you'd like to eat. A Savoy-trained butler handles service. Below it, First Apartments use the same à la carte format on a longer menu.

  • The Residence
    Dedicated chef on board; menu built to preference; Savoy-trained butler
  • First Apartments
    À la carte with Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Asian menus throughout
  • Caviar & Champagne
    Bollinger La Grande Année and Dom Pérignon in First; Iranian caviar service
  • Six Senses Spa AUH
    Pre-flight treatments at the First Apartment Lounge — included
The fleet

Aircraft & the premium seats on board.

What Etihad Airways operates today, and which cabin you'll be seated in on each. Cabin counts are typical configuration — sub-fleets vary.

AircraftFirstBusinessPremium EconomyNotes
Airbus A380-8001 Residence + 9 First Apartments70 Business Studio—LHR & JFK only; 7 aircraft in fleet
Airbus A350-1000—44 Business Studio24 PEFlagship for non-A380 routes; JFK, GRU
Boeing 787-9—28 Business Studio21 PE (some)Workhorse — most of the network
Boeing 787-10—32 Business Studio—Newer delivery; dense Asia routes
Airbus A320 / A321—16 Recliner—Regional Middle East · Indian subcontinent
From the UK

UK departures: what you'll actually fly.

From the UK, the cabin you get depends entirely on the aircraft — and only one UK service carries First. This is the current picture; we confirm the equipment on your specific flight before you book.

AircraftWhere you'll find itBusinessFirst
Heathrow (T4)2× dailyA380 + 787The A380 carries First Apartments and The Residence alongside Business; the 787 rotation is Business-led, no First. The only UK service with a First cabin
ManchesterDaily787 DreamlinerBusiness (the Business Studio seat) and Economy — no First

Verified against Etihad Airways schedules · June 2026. Equipment changes — we re-check your exact flight at booking.

Not sure which aircraft is on your dates? That's exactly what we're for— tell us whether the seat, the timing or the fare matters most, and we'll match the flight to it.

Before the gate

The ground experience.

Lounges, transfers and small differences that make a long itinerary easier.

Abu Dhabi · Terminal A

The First Apartment Lounge

Exclusive to The Residence and First Apartment passengers. À la carte dining with a Six Senses spa, private check-in, and direct buggy transfer to the gate.

Abu Dhabi · Terminal A

Business Lounge

Large new Business lounge in the post-2023 Terminal A. À la carte and buffet zones, full bar, shower suites, family room, and dedicated quiet area.

Abu Dhabi

US Pre-Clearance

Full US Customs and Border Protection at AUH. Clear US immigration in Abu Dhabi; arrive at JFK / ORD / IAD as a domestic passenger. Typically saves an hour at the US end.

Before you ask

Questions we're asked about Etihad Airways.

What is The Residence on Etihad?

The Residence is Etihad's three-room suite — a bedroom with a double bed, a living room and a private en-suite shower — for up to two people, on the A380. From the UK it is on the Heathrow service, booked as an upgrade from First.

What's the difference between The Residence, First Apartments and Business?

The Residence is the three-room suite. First Apartments are private 1-1 suites with a separate armchair and bed, also on the A380. Business is a lie-flat Business Studio in 1-2-1, with the newest doored Super Diamond suite on the A350-1000.

Which Etihad flights from the UK have First Class?

Only the Heathrow A380, which carries the First Apartments and The Residence. The Manchester service is a 787 and is Business-led, with no First cabin.

Does Etihad have Premium Economy?

Etihad keeps it focused at the top — First and Business only — so the step up from Economy takes you straight to a genuine flat-bed Business seat rather than a recliner. If Premium Economy is specifically what you want, tell us and we’ll line up the carriers that do it best on your route.

How much is Etihad Business Class from the UK?

Indicatively from £X,XXX return on the contracted trade fares we hold, below the airline's own price. Tell us your dates and the exact figure follows the same hour.

What is US Preclearance in Abu Dhabi?

On Etihad's US routes you clear US immigration and customs in Abu Dhabi before you fly, then arrive in the States as a domestic passenger — no immigration queue on landing. A genuine time-saver if you are heading to the US.

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Share your route and dates — we'll come back within the hour with the fare we hold, secured below published.

The same seat the airline sells — for less than booking direct.

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