Etihad Airways first class

Etihad sells three separate first class products and they are not interchangeable. First Apartments and The Residence exist only on the Airbus A380. First Suites fly on a small number of Boeing 787-9s, one 777-300ER layout and the A321LR. Booking "Etihad First" without checking the aircraft is how people end up in the wrong one. Call Airlaza on +1-888-890-4009.

*Last reviewed August 2026.*

Three first class products under one fare code

Etihad is unusual among Gulf carriers in selling first class hardware that varies enormously between aircraft while carrying the same cabin name on the ticket. The gap between the best and the worst is wider here than at any competitor.

At the top sits The Residence, a three-room private suite carried only on the A380 and, by most measures, the most expensive scheduled cabin in commercial aviation. Below it, the First Apartments — also A380 only — give each passenger an enclosed room with a separate armchair and bed. Everywhere else, Etihad sells a First Suite: an enclosed single seat with a sliding door that converts into a bed, closer in feel to a very good business suite than to an apartment.

Then there is the newest and smallest version. The Airbus A321LR, in service since August 2025, carries two First Suites at the nose of a narrowbody, on routes that would traditionally have seen a two-class regional aircraft.

Four different experiences, one word on the boarding pass. The aircraft assigned to your flight number decides which one you receive, and Etihad substitutes aircraft by season and by demand, so this must be checked for the specific departure rather than assumed from the route.

Which Etihad aircraft actually have first class

Two important qualifications. First, only a minority of Etihad's 787-9 fleet carries a first class cabin at all, and the airline moves those frames between routes: specialist reporting in 2026 covered a first-fitted 787-9 shifting off Washington Dulles and onto New York JFK. Second, no aircraft Etihad has on order is expected to be delivered with first class, so the cabin is contracting rather than growing.

The A380 side is more predictable because there are only so many places a 486-seat aircraft can go. Simple Flying reported five A380 routes for 2026 — London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Singapore, Toronto and, from mid-June, Tokyo Narita — with a Bangkok deployment following later in the year. New York JFK, Sydney, Melbourne, Mumbai and Seoul are no longer A380 routes.

Inside the A380 First Apartment

The Apartment is the product that made Etihad's reputation in first class, and its defining feature is that the seat and the bed are two different pieces of furniture rather than one that folds.

Because the ottoman is a separate flat surface, cabin crew make the bed with a proper mattress topper while you sit in the armchair — you are not evicted from your seat during the turndown, which is the practical advantage over a converting seat.

The A380 also carries a shower room for First passengers, with crew allocating time slots early in the flight so everyone gets a turn. This is the single feature no other Etihad aircraft offers, and it is a real reason to prefer an A380 routing. Apartment dimensions here come from Etihad's own launch material as reproduced in aviation reporting, since the airline no longer publishes a specification sheet.

The Residence: what 125 square feet buys

The Residence is a three-room suite at the front of the A380 upper deck, sold as a single unit for one or two people. Etihad describes a private bedroom with a double bed, an ensuite shower room and a separate living area with a leather sofa and a dining table.

Two honest caveats. Etihad's own description says double bed; independent reviewers have consistently reported the bed as tight for two adults sleeping simultaneously, so a couple should treat it as a suite with a generous bed rather than a hotel room. And the prices above were reported by a specialist aviation site rather than published as a tariff — they move with route and date, and the cost is the same whether one or two people travel.

The Residence cannot be booked directly as a fare on Etihad's website. You buy first class, then add it at seat selection or afterwards through Manage my booking, on an Etihad-issued ticket. Partner award tickets cannot be upgraded into it.

First Suites on the 787, 777 and A321LR

Away from the A380, Etihad's first class is a suite rather than a room, and it is a genuinely good one — just not an Apartment.

The Boeing 787-9 first cabin has eight suites over two rows in a 1-2-1 layout, with alternate seats facing the rear. Each suite has a sliding door and converts into a fully flat bed. The two centre suites work well for a couple; the window suites are the more private choice for solo travellers. There is no shower and no bar area, and the cabin is small enough that service tends to be fast and personal.

The single 777-300ER layout still fitted with first class carries eight suites in rows one and two, forward-facing. Reporting suggests this aircraft was earmarked for retirement, so it should be treated as a diminishing possibility rather than a plan.

The A321LR is the newest and the most surprising. Two First Suites sit ahead of a 14-seat lie-flat business cabin, each with a companion seat so a second person can sit with you during the meal service, and a 20-inch 4K screen with Bluetooth pairing and wireless charging. Etihad has deployed the type on Asian, European and North African routes — nothing to the United States.

First Comfort, First Deluxe and the Enhanced First Experience

Etihad brands its first class fares as First Comfort and First Deluxe, and the difference is almost entirely on the ground rather than in the cabin. Both put you in the same suite.

The Enhanced First Experience is Etihad's name for the First Deluxe ground package: a chauffeur at both ends, a meet-and-greet agent at the airport and a named concierge who emails you after booking to arrange the details. Etihad has described the chauffeur element as available within an 80km radius of a defined list of airports including Paris, Geneva, New York, Toronto, London, Singapore and Phuket, alongside the separate UAE chauffeur which covers addresses anywhere in the country.

That list is the reason to price both brands rather than defaulting to the cheaper one. If your departure city is on it, First Deluxe can absorb two long private transfers, which changes the arithmetic considerably.

On the ground: private check-in, the First lounge and the spa

Abu Dhabi is where Etihad's first class ground product is at its strongest, because the airline controls the whole path.

The private check-in channel at Abu Dhabi is not a fast-track lane inside the ordinary terminal flow — it is a separate entrance with its own security, and it removes the queue rather than shortening it. Away from Abu Dhabi, Etihad uses partner first class lounges where it has no facility of its own, and the standard of those varies enormously by airport, so it is worth asking which lounge you will actually be using at your departure city rather than assuming a like-for-like experience.

Onboard: dining, bedding, amenity kits and connectivity

Etihad's own description of the first class onboard product is unusually concrete, which makes it easy to check against what you actually receive.

The connectivity point is worth isolating because it is a genuine cabin differentiator on this airline. Etihad's unlimited Surf Wi-Fly package is complimentary in first class and for Etihad Guest Platinum members and above. In business class it is a paid product at USD 9.99 on flights under seven hours and USD 19.99 above that, with only the free Chat package included for Etihad Guest members. First class is the only cash cabin that gets unlimited data as standard.

Dining in first is served on request rather than to a fixed schedule, with a table laid at the suite. On the A380, First passengers also have The Lobby, the standing bar between the Apartments and the business cabin.

Booking Etihad first class: cash, miles and upgrade bids

There are four realistic routes into an Etihad first class seat, and they suit very different travellers.

Cash, direct or through an agency. The straightforward option, and the only one that guarantees a specific aircraft and date.

Etihad Guest miles. Redemptions are made in your own account, and award tickets carry their own change and cancellation bundles rather than following cash fare rules.

Partner awards. Etihad has long been reachable through other oneworld and non-alliance programmes. The important practical detail is that some partner programmes do not display Etihad first class space online at all and require a phone booking, so an empty screen does not always mean an empty aircraft.

Bid for upgrade. Etihad accepts upgrade offers from business into first on flights it both markets and operates, until roughly four hours before departure, paid by card or Guest Miles. A successful bid does not convert your fare — baggage, change rules and mileage accrual stay at the fare you bought, and an airport upgrade does not carry the chauffeur.

The decision most first class buyers get wrong is treating the routing as fixed. Because the Apartment exists only on the A380, an extra connection through Abu Dhabi on an A380 sector can deliver a materially better cabin than a nonstop on a 787. Airlaza prices those alternatives side by side in writing and names the scheduled aircraft for each sector, so the trade-off is visible before you commit. No card details are taken on this site.

Frequently asked questions

Which Etihad planes have first class?

The Airbus A380 carries nine First Apartments plus The Residence. A minority of Boeing 787-9s carry eight First Suites, as does one Boeing 777-300ER layout, and the A321LR carries two. The A350-1000 and 787-10 have no first class at all, so the aircraft type decides what you get.

What is the difference between an Etihad First Apartment and a First Suite?

An Apartment is a 39-square-foot room on the A380 with a separate reclining armchair and an ottoman that becomes an 80.5-inch bed, so crew make the bed while you sit. A First Suite is one enclosed seat with a door that converts into a bed, and it has no separate armchair.

Does Etihad first class have a shower?

Only on the Airbus A380. First Apartment and Residence passengers can book a slot in the onboard shower room, with crew allocating times early in the flight. The 787-9, 777-300ER and A321LR first cabins have no shower, so an A380 routing is the only way to get one.

What is The Residence on Etihad?

The Residence is a three-room private suite on the A380 upper deck, reported at 125 square feet, with a living room, a bedroom and an ensuite shower room. It takes up to two guests and is priced per suite. It is sold as an upgrade from a first class ticket, not as a standalone fare.

Can you book The Residence with miles?

Not as a standalone award. Etihad sells The Residence as an upgrade applied to an Etihad-issued first class ticket, either at seat selection or later through Manage my booking. Partner award tickets cannot be upgraded into it, and mileage redemption of the upgrade has historically returned poor value per point.

What is the difference between First Comfort and First Deluxe?

The cabin and seat are identical. First Deluxe adds the Enhanced First Experience: Etihad Global Chauffeur at both ends, an airport meet-and-greet agent, a named concierge who contacts you after booking, plus more flexible change rules and a larger baggage allowance. First Comfort includes none of the concierge package.

Is Wi-Fi free in Etihad first class?

Yes. The unlimited Surf Wi-Fly package is complimentary throughout the flight in first class, and for Etihad Guest Platinum members and above. Business and economy passengers pay for Surf, USD 9.99 under seven hours and USD 19.99 above, with only the Chat package free to Etihad Guest members.

Does Etihad first class include a chauffeur?

On First Deluxe and The Residence, yes. Etihad's UAE chauffeur covers addresses anywhere in the United Arab Emirates, and the Global Chauffeur has been described as covering an 80km radius of listed airports including London, Paris, Geneva, New York, Toronto, Singapore and Phuket. First Comfort does not include it.

Which lounge does Etihad first class use?

The Etihad First Class Lounge at the Abu Dhabi hub, reached through a separate first class entrance with its own check-in and security. Access extends to The Residence guests, Etihad Guest Platinum members with a guest, and eligible partner first class passengers. Business class tickets do not admit you.

Is Etihad first class being discontinued?

Etihad has not announced a withdrawal, but the cabin is shrinking. It exists on the A380 fleet, a minority of 787-9s, one 777-300ER layout and the A321LR, and no aircraft on order is expected to arrive with first class. Book the A380 while it is scheduled.