Etihad’s A380 Returns to New York in April [AUH to JFK]

Much to the delight of luxury travelers and AvGeeks around the world, Etihad’s iconic Airbus A380 returned to the skies on July 25, 2023, after being grounded during the pandemic.

Until now, the superjumbo has been exclusively flying between the airline’s base in Abu Dhabi (AUH) and London (LHR), limiting one of the best flights (and award redemptions) available.

However, Etihad has announced that the A380 will return to New York City starting April 22, 2024. In addition, Etihad will return to Boston on March 31, 2024, on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

This is great news for U.S.-based travelers who will soon have the opportunity to fly Etihad’s The Apartment to the UAE for almost 13 hours.

Let’s take a look at the details.

Etihad’s A380 Is Returning to NYC

While we were happy to see the A380 return to the sky and the opportunity to fly The Apartment and The Residence, the fact that it was only being operated on a relatively short (7-hour) flight from Abu Dhabi to London left travelers wanting more.

Well, Etihad seems to agree and announced that the 14-hour flight to and from New York (JFK) will start on April 22, 2024.

The A380 will operate daily flights between AUH and JFK on the following schedule:

• Abu Dhabi (AUH) to New York (JFK) departing at 2:55 a.m. and arriving at 9:15 a.m. (EY103)
• New York (JFK) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) departing at 3:30 p.m. and arriving at 12:30 p.m. the next day (EY102)

Etihad will also upgrade its other flight to The Big Apple to a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with first class. That flight will operate on the following schedule:

• Abu Dhabi (AUH) to New York (JFK) departing at 10:50 a.m. and arriving at 4:55 p.m. (EY101)
• New York (JFK) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) departing at 10:35 p.m. and arriving at 7:30 p.m. the next day (EY100)

Onboard Etihad’s A380

Etihad’s A380 offers economy, business class, first class, and beyond first class is The Residence.

Quite frankly, The Residence on Eithad’s A380s knocks every other airline’s first class offering out of the park. That said, you can’t really directly compare, as The Residence is in a class of its own.

Complete with a private living room, double bed, and ensuite shower room, the stunning 3-room suite is designed for two passengers to enjoy together.

It’s not just The Residence that makes this “whale of the skies” special: Instead of standard first class, Etihad’s A380 boasts passengers eight first class Apartments.

Each apartment measures in at a spacious 39 square feet and is an ultra luxurious way to fly if points or cash won’t stretch to get you into The Residence.

In fact, Upgraded Points’ very own Juan Ruiz recently flew The Apartment from London and raved about the experience.

Plus, starting passengers will be treated with brand new luxury amenity kits from Giorgio Armani!

How to Fly Etihad’s A380

While the price to pay cash for first class on Etihad’s A380 can be eye-watering, often over $12,000 each way, using points and miles can be quite reasonable.

For instance, eligible American Express Card Members can transfer American Express Membership Rewards^® points* to Etihad Guest at a 1:1 ratio. First class redemptions start at 120,000 Etihad Guest miles one-way, making this a great way to book Etihad’s most premium cabins.

Final Thoughts

It was great news when Etihad’s A380 took to the skies again, and even more so when partner award availability was released!

The only downside was that the iconic aircraft was limited to flights between London and Abu Dhabi. That’s set to change very soon.

Etihad’s A380 will be touching down in The Big Apple on April 22, bringing along The Apartment and The Residence and the chance to book it with points and miles!

*Membership Rewards^® Program

Terms and Conditions for the Membership Rewards^® program apply. Visit membershiprewards.com/terms for more information. Participating partners and available rewards are subject to change without notice.

The value of Membership Rewards points varies according to how you choose to use them. To learn more, go to www.membershiprewards.com/pointsinfo.