One of the most luxurious carriers in the world, Etihad Airways regularly ranks high among international airlines each year for their attention to detail. From entering the airport to leaving the aircraft, travellers aboard Etihad often laud the passenger experience as one of the best in the world.
Whether you’re considering business class or economy, here’s what you need to know about flying Etihad and maximising the experience.
Etihad fare classes and pricing
Etihad offers up to four classes of service depending on the aircraft: The Residence, First Class, Business Class, and Economy Class.
The Residence is only available on the airline’s Airbus A380 fleet, operating on select routes including London, New York, Paris, and Singapore, while the other three classes appear across the fleet.
The Residence
The Residence is Etihad’s top-of-the-line option. Designed for up to two travellers, those starting in Abu Dhabi get a chauffeured ride to the airport, where they are greeted by an airline agent. They will guide you to the private check-in and your private suite in the lounge before boarding.
A dedicated butler and team escort you to a three-room suite at the front of the aircraft, consisting of a separate living area, private bedroom with double bed, and an ensuite shower room. You can choose to board first or last based on your preference.
Enjoy dining from an extensive à la carte menu with a boutique wine list, letting you choose what to eat and when. The double bed is made before boarding, with turndown service available on request.
Etihad First Class
Etihad’s First Class is an experience that’s second-to-none. After checking in at the private desk and clearing security, passengers are whisked to the First Lounge for an à la carte dining experience with fine wines.
Onboard, guests have their own private recliner suite that converts into a fully-flat bed with full turndown service. Enjoy a drink from the private cooler, followed by a meal from the extensive à la carte menu with dine-any-time service and a boutique wine list.
As with The Residence, guests get the same amenity kit and in-flight entertainment options. You also enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi with unlimited data during your flight.
Etihad Business Class
Etihad Business Class strikes a balance between luxury and value. Start with a trip to the business class lounge before boarding in your own semi-private space. The Business Studio features a 1-2-1 seating configuration, ensuring direct aisle access for every guest. A divider can be raised in the middle seats for extra privacy.
When you feel hungry, select meals from an à la carte menu featuring both traditional Emirati dishes and contemporary favourites, with “dine anytime” service on select routes. On long-haul flights, each seat converts to a fully-flat bed with a memory foam mattress and Armani Casa bed linen.
While Etihad Guest members receive free Chat Wi-Fi for messaging, travellers can choose to purchase a Surf package with unlimited data to cover the entire flight.
Etihad Economy Class
When travelling to Abu Dhabi, my trips are often in the economy cabin. Standard economy seats have approximately 31 inches of pitch, and you’ll find them comfortable with the right seat selection.
Etihad offers several economy seat upgrades. Bulkhead seats sit directly behind the dividing wall between economy and business class, offering more space than standard economy as paid Extra Legroom options. These are my favourite for overall comfort.
Extra Legroom seats, comparable to “economy plus” on other airlines, provide up to 5 inches more legroom than the rest of the cabin. Standard Economy seats can be reserved for free with Comfort or Deluxe fares, while Extra Legroom seats require payment unless covered by a tier benefit or voucher.
If you want a little extra shoulder room, you can bid on a “Neighbour Free” seat. Where available, travellers can pay to keep up to three neighbouring seats unoccupied. You can place bids starting 72 hours before departure until 4 hours prior to the flight, with guarantees only after acceptance.
In economy, you can’t choose what to eat and when from an in-flight menu like you can in the forward cabins. Instead, economy travellers receive complimentary meals and drinks, with special meal requests available.
My only complaint is that flyers are only allowed one cabin bag in economy, weighing up to 7 kg. It needs to fit the standard carry-on size of 56 x 36 x 23 cm. This means everything, including laptops, tablets, and anything else, must fit in the carry-on.
Why you should consider Etihad
Etihad earns top marks across all cabins for pre-flight experience, seat comfort, cleanliness, in-flight entertainment, and Wi-Fi service. Even Bronze members (base tier) of the Etihad Guest loyalty programme receive free Chat Wi-Fi for messaging throughout the flight, letting you stay connected via text message, WhatsApp and other messaging services.
The Etihad lounge experience
The Etihad experience begins in the lounge if you’re flying in The Residence, First Class, eligible Business Class fares or have certain Etihad Guest tier benefits. While Abu Dhabi offers the First Lounge, Business Lounge, and U.S. Pre-clearance Lounge at Zayed International Airport (Terminal A), additional lounges can be found at London Heathrow (Terminal 4) and Washington Dulles (Concourse A). In New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, Etihad shares the Chase Sapphire Lounge by the Club with Etihad Airways (Terminal 4).
Abu Dhabi First Class lounge
Considered a ‘lounge within a lounge’, the First Class Lounge is Etihad’s top pre-flight experience. Complimentary for those flying in The Residence and First Class, travellers enter the lounge through a private lobby and lift.
Once in the lounge, guests are welcome to have a meal in their dining room, featuring a full menu of international cuisine and fine wines. In The Parlour, travellers can enjoy a snack at afternoon tea, including chocolates and pastries. A wide variety of seating is available, ranging from deep comfortable seats to loungers.
If you want to experience the First Class lounge without a premium ticket, Etihad travellers can purchase time-limited paid access when available (Business ticket required for First Lounge purchase).
Business Class lounge
The Etihad Business Class lounges offer a warm area to relax before a flight. As an Etihad Guest Silver elite, I can choose lounge access in Abu Dhabi as a Custom Benefit when selecting my tier perks.
Business Class travellers at Zayed International Airport get access to Liwan Global Dining with local and international cuisine and the Constellation Bar in the enclosed Roof Lounge (my favourite spot). Guests can book time in one of 18 shower suites before the flight.
Indulging in fine food and beverages or getting work done isn’t the only way to pass the time in the lounge. You can also enjoy the Games Room with table football, air hockey, and digital games, while children can play in the dedicated multi-sensorial Family Room.
Abu Dhabi U.S. Preclearance Lounge
If you’re on a flight to one of Etihad’s U.S. destinations, there’s one last place to get away from everything after passing through U.S. Customs and Border Protection Preclearance in Abu Dhabi. The U.S. Preclearance Lounge, located by the CBP facility, offers travellers a space to relax pre-flight.
Designed with business travellers in mind, this lounge offers a last stop to get drinks and light bites, and finish tasks before boarding your flight.
The Etihad Guest loyalty programme
Anyone who is a frequent traveller aboard Etihad across the globe will want to consider joining their loyalty programme, Etihad Guest. Earn miles when flying Etihad and their partner airlines, which can be used for free flights and merchandise.
The primary way to earn miles is by flying aboard Etihad, or through one of their over 20 partner airlines. The number of miles earned depends on the distance flown and fare booked on Etihad, and varies by partner airline and fare class. Use the Miles Calculator for specifics.
Etihad Guest offers five tiers in their elite programme: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Emerald. At Bronze, travellers can start collecting miles and receive free Wi-Fi for messaging apps on board. The first tier up is Silver, with dedicated check-in at Zayed International Airport and guaranteed economy seats when traveling on a Deluxe fare. As a Silver elite, using the dedicated check-in desk is a major time saver.
The Gold and Platinum tiers offer even more benefits, including priority check-in, priority boarding on the flight, and fast-track immigration at select airports. While Gold members can select two free standard Economy seats (for themselves and one guest), Platinum members can select four free Economy seats (for themselves and three others) on their itinerary or choose four Extra Legroom seats as a Custom Benefit. Platinum members also receive complimentary Surf Wi-Fi with unlimited data, and when selected as a benefit, First Lounge access for themselves and one guest.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up to date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
