My First Impressions of Etihad’s A380 Business Class: Worth the Hype?

_{The author traveled as a guest of Etihad. All opinions are the author’s own, and the airline had no input in any part of this review.}

I’ve been reviewing airlines since 2019, and until my flight to Zayed International Airport (AUH) in Abu Dhabi on October 1, 2025, I’d somehow never flown Etihad’s business class.

In fact, the last time I took a long-haul flight with Etihad was in economy back in 2014 when I went backpacking around Thailand.

That all changed when I was invited to join the Abu Dhabi-based airline on their inaugural flight from Abu Dhabi to Kualanamu International Airport (KNO) in Medan, Indonesia, and test out business class on the airline’s new Airbus A321LR.

However, before the big event, I had to fly to Abu Dhabi, and I did so in style.

Before the trip, I’d just been to a wedding in Kraków, Poland. Etihad hadn’t started flying to Poland at this point, so flying nonstop was out of the question. In any case, I’d wanted to fly the airline’s Airbus A380 since it returned to service after the pandemic, so I aimed to factor that into my itinerary somehow.

To fly the A380, I had the option of either London Heathrow (LHR) or Paris (CDG). I chose London so I could catch up with a friend and meet her newborn baby for the first time (which was the best decision).

After almost 7 years of reviewing airlines, I’ve flown enough business class products to know what’s good and what’s not. With a lot to compare it to, here are my first impressions of Etihad’s business class aboard the A380.

A Premium Check-in Experience at London Heathrow

Checking in at an airport that isn’t an airline’s main hub can often leave a lot to be desired, even for some of the world’s best airlines. With clear signage on arrival for premium passengers, including the coveted Residence, Etihad was off to a good start.

Then I noticed the carpets denoting the specific lanes for first class (and The Residence) passengers, as well as 2 lanes for business class passengers. Carpets like this are entirely unnecessary, but the fact that an airline chooses to have them is a great way to set the bar high for what’s to come.

À la Carte Dining at Etihad’s Heathrow Lounge

I’d heard the Etihad Lounge at Heathrow was due for a refurbishment, so I wasn’t expecting it to be open. Lucky for me, I visited ahead of renovations and enjoyed Etihad’s hospitality before I even stepped on the plane.

From memory, the lounge was the same as it was last time I visited while reviewing all of Heathrow’s lounges back in 2019. My hunger pangs were thrilled to see the à la carte restaurant was still a feature. At-seat service, restaurant-style dining like this is often reserved for first class lounges rather than business class lounges.

There was a buffet with both hot and cold options, as well as an à la carte menu featuring a limited selection of breakfast favorites. I went for my usual: an egg white omelette with mushrooms and cheese. While I waited, I tucked into a zesty pot of chia, coconut yogurt, and mango from the buffet.

The omelet was packed full of flavor, probably from the cheese that oozed out of it.

I was only in the lounge for a quick 40 minutes before heading to the gate, which was overcrowded to say the least. The seating for Heathrow Terminal 4’s gate 10b is in the middle of a main thoroughfare.

There weren’t enough seats for the 486 passengers that Etihad’s Airbus A380 can accommodate. People had to stand, and premium passengers started a snaking line. Both got in the way of other passengers and airport staff trying to get about their business. A more secluded gate area with more space might have been better suited for this full flight.

It wasn’t long before I was boarding this 9-year-old Airbus A380, registered as A6-APG.

Cabin and Seat on the Airbus A380

With a whopping 70 seats on the upper deck, my first impression of the business class on Etihad’s A380 was that it was huge!

The Residence and first class are at the front of the aircraft, followed by a large main business class cabin. Behind that is a second, smaller business class cabin, which is divided into 2 sections by a narrow walkway that connects 2 emergency exits.

The cabin is laid out in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration and features backward-facing seats — my favorite.

Even with so many seats in the cabin, the A380 was spacious enough that it didn’t feel cramped or claustrophobic.

Etihad’s Airbus A380 also features a social area located towards the front of the upper deck between the business and first class cabins.

Given that the plane was 9 years old and had spent some of that time in storage, I knew I wouldn’t be sitting in Etihad’s most modern business class seat. However, I sometimes find older, more classic styles of seats make for a better experience. Other than the lack of a sliding door — the “must have” feature of business class in 2025 — I didn’t notice the seat to be lacking in anything.

Despite loving flying backwards, I prefer the forward-facing seats, which are flush with the windows, for better views.

Etihad’s A380 business class seats are spacious and well-designed.

For example, the seat controls and IFE remote were all within easy reach.

I had ample storage at my seat, which is often the case when flying any airline’s Airbus A380 — even in economy!

If you’re flying business class on Etihad’s Airbus A380 and you’ve got lots of carry-on bags or plan a duty-free spree, be sure to pick a window seat for the massive extra built-in storage.

A slight drawback of my seat and this cabin is that it felt quite exposed. If I leaned forward a few inches for whatever reason, I could see the faces of at least 4 other passengers.

Amenities and IFE

After several years of testing various business class products, it’s still a pleasure to experience things for the first time. On this occasion, the “first-time” was being proactively handed slippers on a day flight. Only a handful of other airlines offer slippers in business class, and I can’t recall ever being proactively handed a pair on a day flight.

Eithad’s Giorgio Armani business class amenity kits are nice, but there’s no real wow-factor with the design or its contents.

My favorite item, without doubt, is the silky eye mask, which I have been using since the flight.

Etihad offers free messaging to its Etihad Guest members. I had no issues connecting my phone after we took off.

For better connectivity than just messaging, Etihad offers an unlimited-data “Surf” package for $9.99 for the duration of the flight, which increases to $19.99 for flights over 7 hours. That’s great value, considering some European carriers charge more than that on short-haul flights.

The Wi-Fi speed was pretty poor, but I still managed to chat to colleagues on Slack, send emails, and work on live pages in WordPress.

Hot Tip:

To ensure I’m not let down by broken or slow Wi-Fi when flying, I load up as many pages as I need for work purposes beforehand so that I can work offline.

I couldn’t wait to try out Etihad’s Armani/Casa duvet and pillow after hearing great things.

I didn’t test them out properly, as I only had a quick nap, but the quality and texture of the material were excellent.

Etihad’s business class mattress protector is also a particular highlight. The way it slides over the top of the seat ensures it doesn’t come loose while you’re sleeping, and the quality and thickness of the material make a significant difference to the overall comfort of the seat, rather than just being a cheap gimmick.

The quality of the older generation IFE screens was better than I expected.

I had a quick scan through the content available on Etihad’s E-BOX, and it seemed to have a great mix of genres.

Food and Beverages

As all respectable business class experiences do, we began with a welcome drink offering before takeoff.

From the choices of Champagne, orange juice, or Etihad’s signature lemon and mint soft drink, I chose the latter. I can see why people enjoy it, but it was too sweet for me.

I received my first drink order, an espresso and sparkling water, around 40 minutes after takeoff. A bowl of warm mixed nuts accompanied it.

Even this early into the service, I started to notice extra touches that you don’t always get in business class. Drinks were served on a tray, my espresso came with a mini Mirzam chocolate, and the stunning Armani Casa crockery and bowls added a noticeable touch of class.

Having just had breakfast in the lounge, I was happy to see that the menu was dine-on-demand. It’s often only in first class cabins that you’ll have this level of flexibility with dining.

I didn’t fancy a starter, so I went straight for the chicken supreme main course. I expected it to arrive once the other passengers had been served their starters, but it came at the same time.

The chicken was juicy and not even a little bit dry, which is very rare on planes. The vegetables were cooked to perfection (I prefer them a little soggier than most), and the gnocchi tasted great.

The jus was a little salty for my liking, but other than that, it was a solid meal.

I delayed the dessert course so I could have a little nap to shake off the food coma. When I woke, I ordered a double espresso and the chocolate fondant dessert to kick-start the second part of the flight.

Service

Large business class cabins with many passengers, like this, are a great way to see how well an airline’s crew can work when spread thin. I want to think the excellent service I received on this, my first business class flight with Etihad, was representative of the airline’s crew in general.

A simple yet significant highlight for me was when my flight attendant, Hadija, took my first drink order before we took off. When I asked for an espresso and sparkling water, she inquired if I wanted the sparkling water before takeoff, in addition to my welcome drink. It’s significant because this creates more work for her during the busy boarding period, but this small gesture was her way of going above and beyond in the name of customer experience.

That said, I was surprised to be handed a packaged, cold, refreshing towel before takeoff, rather than the steaming hot fabric towel I’ve become accustomed to in business class. This was also the first time I’d ever seen a crew collecting business class menus at the end of the flight. I can’t imagine they would be reused, given the risk of spillages and the way they are often shoved down the side of a seat or crumpled into a storage pocket, so I’m not sure why Etihad does this.

Arrival at Abu Dhabi as a Business Class Passenger

It was quite a distance between the plane and the arrivals hall, but I was happy to stretch my legs and take in the airport’s incredible architecture.

Business class passengers receive priority access at immigration at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport, which opened in 2023. However, it’s worth checking the regular immigration lines, which you’ll see as you descend these stairs or escalators, as they might not have a line.

If you’ve previously entered the United Arab Emirates (including via Dubai) and had your biometrics registered, there are facial scanners that enable you to complete the immigration process automatically without even showing your passport.

The best thing about arriving in Abu Dhabi as an Etihad business class passenger is the complimentary chauffeur. I somehow missed the signs after this flight, so here’s a picture of the entrance next to baggage claim number 10, so you don’t make the same mistake.

The complimentary service will take you anywhere within the UAE.

How To Book Etihad’s Business Class

U.S. travelers can book nonstop Etihad flights to Abu Dhabi from Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), New York (JFK), and Washington, D.C. (IAD). In March 2026, Etihad’s inaugural flight to Charlotte (CLT) will bring its number of U.S. airports served to 6.

The most cost-effective way to book Etihad business class is by using points. Thanks to Etihad’s partnership with American Airlines, you can often find great value in one-way business class redemptions from the U.S. to Abu Dhabi for just 70,000 miles, plus taxes and fees. Using Etihad’s loyalty program, you can expect to pay around 120,000 miles plus taxes and fees.

Final Thoughts

My first time flying Etihad’s business class couldn’t have gone any better. Highlights include the impressive lounge experience at Heathrow, excellent cabin crew, delicious catering, and the ability to dine on demand. I must admit, I came in with high expectations, and it’s rare these days for them to be met, given the numerous experiences I have to compare them with.

When planning which airline to use for a business class ticket, I usually prefer choosing an airline that belongs to an airline alliance to help earn miles and status. However, the next time a great value cash fare with Etihad appears when I’m searching, I’ll definitely consider taking the plunge and starting at the bottom rungs of the Etihad Guest loyalty program.