Perhaps the most exclusive aviation option first class booking a place is as cheap as before. In an industry plagued by inflation as carriers manipulate rising fuel prices by increasing fares, the absolute pinnacle of premium airline flying appears to be one of the few areas where the trend has been bucked. Sounds funny, right?
Etihad Airways in recent years has decided to move away from The Residence’s existing ticketing model. Traditionally, a three-room suite on board an aircraft was sold at a separate rate. Airbus A380s is now offered primarily to first class passengers as an upgrade. For reasons that may only ever be fully known to Etihad, the move has left the ultra-luxury experience, where passengers get something closer to a flat than a simple seat, much more affordable than it has historically been.
Etihad Residence now and then
Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
One reason for this is glaring: what customers used to get for their rides is somewhat different from today’s experience. Passengers will continue to find the same physical spaces on board their aircraft, which consist of “separate bedroom, bathroom with shower and separate living room.However, Etihad has reduced the number of soft products.
This means the menu, service and amenities now resemble what is offered to standard first class passengers. Most notably, the curated in-flight menus tailored to dietary needs and preferences, as well as the personal butler service previously enjoyed by those traveling in The Residence, have been eliminated.
We’ll never know if such changes were always possible, or if the operator simply saw an opportunity by reintroducing them in recent years. One thing is clear: after a multi-year absence, The Residence is back without some of the previous bells and whistles, but at a price that could make it much more attractive to those looking for extra luxury. Indeed, Etihad has largely abandoned the product during the pandemic.
The residence disappeared along with Etihad’s A380s
Credit: Shutterstock
Etihad, like many of its peers, was forced to respond when the pandemic struck and grounded aircraft around the world. The A380, with its two decks and huge capacity, presented one of the biggest challenges for those who had it on their list. Suddenly, demand was far from the level needed to justify flying such high-capacity aircraft, and there was no guarantee that it would ever return. Luckily for Etihad, the airline decided to keep the Superjumbo just in case.
All ten of Etihad’s A380s were sent into deep storage back in 2020. As demand has since recovered and airlines have been forced to improvise due to delays in delivery of the new planes, they have gradually been reintroduced into service. The first was spotted leaving France’s Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées (LDE) airport back in May 2023. Fast forward to January of this year, and eight people have returned. With one of the aircraft being dismantled in 2025, this meant that Etihad’s A380 restoration project was almost complete.
Etihad fleet, from Planespotters.net:
Airplane | In use | Parked | General | Middle age |
Airbus A320 | 16 | – | 16 | 13.6 years |
Airbus A321 | 27 | – | 27 | 5.6 years |
Airbus A350 | 12 | – | 12 | 3.3 years |
Airbus A380 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 10.8 years |
Boeing 777 | 15 | – | 15 | 13.0 years |
Boeing 787 Dreamliner | 46 | 1 | 47 | 7.5 years |
For those looking for ultra-premium offerings, this move would be music to the ears. Residence had only ever been offered on Etihad’s A380 aircraft, so with them banned, it seemed entirely possible that the product would disappear altogether. However, as fate would have it, the residence was revived when Etihad turned to its dormant Superjumbos for a much-needed capacity boost.
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A380 return to service amid Etihad expansion
Credit: Shutterstock
Etihad’s A380 aircraft have returned to their fleet as the airline seeks to rapidly expand its network. This, the carrier said in full-year results last February, reflects strong demand across the board – something that may have been hard to imagine when it decided to ground Superjumbos at the height of the pandemic.
The results also speak for themselves, with Etihad reporting a 21% increase in total passenger numbers to 22.4 million during 2025. Load factor increased two percentage points to 88.3%, meaning its flights were fuller on average than the previous year. Each contributed to an increase in after-tax profit to Dh2.6 billion ($698 million), up 47% from 2024. Including the renewed A380 aircraft, Etihad said 29 aircraft had joined its fleet, bringing its number to 127, and “largest in Etihad history“
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All this suggests that Etihad is on an aggressive expansion path and will likely be flying the A380 for some time to come. As CEO Antonoaldo Neves said last year, the A380 should become part of Etihad’s fleet.”at least until 2032Time will tell whether this schedule will stretch out, but with an average age of 10.8 years, it’s safe to assume that Etihad’s A380s will be there for some time to come if needed. Either way, that leaves plenty of time for passengers to purchase tickets to The Residence and, most importantly, they can access them at a lower price than ever.
The update system has made the residence much more accessible
Credit: Shutterstock
Make no mistake, travel to The Residence is still a steep price to pay. However, passengers who used the product before the pandemic should now notice a price difference of several thousand dollars. This is due to the way Etihad currently sells fares.
While The Residence previously provided a separate fare category, Etihad will begin offering it to First Class passengers as an upgrade option following the relaunch of the A380 in 2023. This meant that the previous all-inclusive price of $20,000 to $30,000 for a one-way trip was replaced by a system where passengers bought a first-class ticket and then paid an upgrade fee. As of this year, such fees were approximately $1,590 for flights to Paris and Singapore, $2,391 for London and $3,191 for Toronto, according to travel blog One Mile at a Time. While prices naturally vary, the figures provide a useful guide in the absence of a price list from Etihad.
A one-way flight to Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG) from Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport (AUH) cost just AED16,675 ($4,540) at the end of July, according to Etihad’s website. This is for cash, which is the most economical way to upgrade, rather than using points. So, in reality, the difference in what you could pay for The Residence now, through a first class ticket and upgrade fee, compared to just a few years ago, is huge. The key caveat is to find a suitable flight on which the offer is available; however, given that Etihad only has a few A380 aircraft.
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Where does Etihad use the A380?
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According to the airline, as of early July, customers had just five cities to choose from when looking for an Etihad A380 flight to or from Abu Dhabi: London, Tokyo, Toronto, Paris and Singapore. Here too, the frequency of such events varies, and seasonality also plays a role.
Having set its flight schedule in January this year, Etihad has confirmed that London Heathrow Airport (LHR) will remain the primary destination for its A380 aircraft. Between 12 and 19 flights were scheduled each week, making it the airline’s most heavily serviced Superjumbos route. Paris, Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) and Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) will be served daily, it said. In addition, daily A380 flights will operate from Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT), but only between June and November.
So, for most people hoping to take advantage of Etihad’s best deal, the sad truth is that it’s much easier said than done. Unless you are in or passing through London, availability is very limited. However, that’s not all. What makes The Residence so exclusive is the actual number of such suites on board each Etihad A380 aircraft.
How exclusive is the residence?
Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
Each Superjumbos aircraft flying the United Arab Emirates flag carries only one such aircraft. Located on the far left corner of the upper deck on each, The Residence is located in front of the regular first class seats, which are themselves in front of the business class cabin.
Thus, out of 486 passengers, only one or two will be able to get the best suite on each of the Etihad A380 flights. Of course, there are only nine other first class seats available, so the number of those vying for extra luxury may be very small. But the point remains the same: Residence is an incredibly exclusive product, and Etihad has only sought to ensure it is included on every flight in recent years by lowering the price.