Etihad Airways Will Bring Back the Airbus A380!

Etihad Airways has announced that they will be bringing back their Airbus A380 super jumbo jet, which will take to the skies as early as March 2023 between Abu Dhabi and London.

This represents the return of an incredibly exciting opportunity for using our Aeroplan points, as Etihad’s A380 offers the highly aspirational First Class Apartments with a shower in the sky.

Etihad Airways A380 to Fly to London

After almost three years of being grounded, Etihad Airways has announced they will bring back up to four A380 jets beginning in March 2023 between Abu Dhabi (AUH) and London Heathrow (LHR).

London is a natural choice for the first destination upon the return of the Airbus A380s, given that it’s always been one of Etihad’s flagship routes with the highest demand for premium cabins.

Although subject to change of course, Etihad currently operates four flights per day to London, with departures every few hours beginning at 9:30am. 

There’s a mix of daytime and redeye flights in both directions, and I’d recommend snagging a daytime departure if you’d like to stay awake and enjoy all that Etihad Airways A380 First Class has to offer.

And what an offering it is…

What’s Etihad’s Onboard Product Like?

Let’s cut to the chase: Etihad Airways A380 First Class offers one of the most mind-blowing First Class products in the sky: the First Class “Apartment” complete with a separate chair and bed.

In a 1-1 configuration onboard the largest plane in the sky, each First Class suite offers unparalleled space with a full-length bed, a swivelling TV, and an opportunity to shower in the sky.

Business class isn’t too shabby, either, offering Etihad’s Business Studio, with a mix of forward- and backward-facing seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. It’s identical to the business class seat on their Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

Forward-facing seats are closer to the window, and forward-facing seats are also closer together in the middle, making each the ideal choice for solo travellers and couples, respectively.

When it comes to the best way to book ourselves on this flight between Abu Dhabi and London, we look no further than Aeroplan and the “Within Atlantic Zone” chart. 

The direct flight from Abu Dhabi to London is 3,420 miles, and will therefore cost 65,000 points in First Class and 45,000 points in business class. Each of these represents a very compelling sweet…