Review: Etihad Airways Business Class (A380)

Etihad Airways (EY) has been one of my favorite airlines to travel on. They offer a fairly consistent product over a very wide network and fleet. One of the things that makes an airline stand out is the ability of a passenger to predict the in-flight experience to a high degree of certainty, including but not limited to food, seat serviceability, and the in-flight entertainment (IFE) selection. Eithad delivers in that regard.

Etihad operates daily service to Toronto on the Airbus A380, departing Toronto at 1:40 PM and arriving in Abu Dhabi at 11 AM. Having been on the Etihad Airways First Class product on the A380, the ‘Apartments’, I was eager to try out their Business Class offering. Needless to say, it was an overall excellent experience.

Booking Eithad Airways Business Class

Business Class	Aircraft	Route	Flight Duration
Etihad Airways EY 22	Airbus A380-800	Toronto (YYZ) to Abu Dhabi (AUH)	13 Hours 20 Minutes

I made this booking using Air France/KLM Flying Blue miles with a cost of around 86,000 miles and C$325 in taxes and fees. American Express Membership Rewards points transfer at a 1:1 ratio to Flying Blue miles, which, in my opinion, makes for a solid redemption. I did book close-in, as the reservation was made three days prior to the date of travel.

When using the ‘Cost-per-point’ method to analyse value in a points booking, this redemption might appear to fall short of other, higher-value award bookings. In my personal opinion, the best redemption is the one that works at that point in time to get you to your destination. 

Since the main way to earn Flying Blue miles in Canada is by transferring Membership Rewards points, adding a Membership Rewards-earning card with a high welcome bonus, such as the American Express Platinum Card with its current bonus of up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points, is a great way to kickstart your path to your next Etihad Airways business class redemption.

Ground Experience at Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ)

Etihad passengers travelling in Business and First Class have access to the Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 1 at YYZ. The lounge features a dedicated seating area for Etihad guests, with separate sections designated for Business and First Class travellers. Guests can enjoy the same selection of food and beverages available throughout the lounge. 

To note, Etihad Airways business class guests also do not have to wait for access to the lounge. 

Cabin Arrangement

EY A380s are configured with 9 First Class seats and 70 seats in Business Class. All First and Business class seats are located exclusively on the upper deck, with 405 Economy Class seats in the lower deck.

The Etihad business class cabin is configured 1-2-1, with each seat having direct aisle access.

From the seats available at check-in, I selected 23H. This is a rear-facing window seat and is located toward the aft end of the cabin.

Seat

The seats are based on the STELIA platform and are branded as the Etihad Business Studio, arranged in a forward/rearward dovetail pattern. Even-numbered rows are forward-facing seats, and odd-numbered rows are rear-facing seats. 

The Business Studio seat is 22 inches wide and converts into a fully lie-flat bed. It also features a spacious ottoman, a generous side table, and ample storage for personal belongings.

Entertainment is provided on an 18-inch high-definition screen with more than 700 hours of on-demand content.

Each seat is equipped with an AC power outlet and USB-A charging ports. Wireless charging is not available on the A380 and is currently offered only on Etihad’s Airbus A350 fleet. For added comfort, passengers can adjust the firmness of the seat cushion to their preference.

I am personally a fan of these curtain-like window shades. They can be controlled either via switches located at the base of each window or through the master control panel next to the handset. This dual-control setup makes it easy to adjust lighting and privacy settings from multiple points within the seat.

Ample storage is available in the studio via the footwell under the ottoman, storage bins along the windows, and a storage cubby with the literature pocket.

There are lots of little lamps and lights in the studio as well, which create a wonderful aesthetic appearance.

The lights can be controlled by tactile buttons or from the touchscreen. A coat hook is also available.

While the Business Studios do not feature full-height privacy doors, they are equipped with sliding privacy screens that create a surprisingly secluded and comfortable personal space.

The primary seat controls are located on this side panel, providing easy access to the various seating positions. Cushion firmness, reading and ambient lighting, and other seat functions are managed through the master control panel. The built-in seat massage function is also operated via the touchscreen controller.

This is an example of the centre seats in an even-numbered row. Often referred to as the “honeymoon” seats, they are positioned close together, making them the ideal choice for couples or passengers travelling together.

Bed

The Etihad Business Studio seats convert into fully lie-flat beds.

In bed mode, the forward-facing seats offer a bed length of 80.5 inches, while the rear-facing seats measure 75.7 inches. The soft mattress topper creates a rather comfortable sleeping surface.

I found the bed to be exceptionally comfortable, with enough room to turn from side to side without restriction. The footwell was also generously sized, providing ample space for my feet throughout the flight.

Amenity Kit

The amenity kit comes in a co-branded Giorgio Armani clutch bag, filled with products from the luxury skincare brand ESPA. The clutch bag features ‘The Dunes’ design, inspired by the Liwa desert in Abu Dhabi.

The amenity kit includes a facial mist, body lotion, lip balm, an eye mask, a dental kit, and a refreshing towelette, providing passengers with a selection of in-flight comfort essentials.

Loungewear is no longer offered in Business Class and is now exclusively available to First Class passengers when flying on Etihad Airways.

‘The Lobby’ – Onboard Lounge

One of the unique aspects about flying in a premium cabin onboard the A380 with Etihad is the onboard lounge – ‘The Lobby’.

Located between the J and F cabins, the lounge is shared by both First Class and Business Class passengers. It features seating for up to six guests on luxurious Poltrona Frau sofas, arranged around a striking 27.6-inch marquetry table. A wall-mounted 32-inch television completes the space, providing entertainment in a comfortable, social setting.

The lounge bar is attended rather than self-service, with beverages prepared and served by the cabin crew from the adjacent galley.

Dining

Food onboard was delectable by all standards and was consistent with my experience on other flights with Etihad.

Once I had settled into my seat, the purser came by to introduce themselves and offered a choice of orange juice, a lime and mint drink, or champagne as a welcome beverage. I couldn’t resist a glass of Telmont Réserve Brut, which made for an excellent start to the journey.

Just as we settled into cruise, the flight attendants came by for the food and beverage orders from the provided menu.

I started with an Old Fashioned and some nuts.

For starters, I chose the Poached Prawn. These went really well with the remoulade dressing. The dish was a highlight of the whole dining experience.

My main selection was the Lamb Biryani – slow-cooked pieces of lamb, on a bed of fragrant basmati rice, along with a cooling raita (yogurt). This is a technical dish, hard to get right – surprisingly, this tasted great too.

For dessert, I chose the New York Cheesecake – I will let the pictures do the talking here.

Because this was mostly a daytime flight, I ordered some leek and potato soup around 6 hours into the flight.

Breakfast orders were taken as passengers woke up closer to landing. I opted for the spinach ricotta omelette along with some coffee.

I was also able to take a few bonus pictures of the other meals on offer. Below is the blackened sea bass with asparagus, tomato, and butter.

Another breakfast option was the masala dosa, idli, and sambar. This came with a selection of breads.

Frangipane and pistachio cake was also one of the desserts.

Entertainment

Entertainment Console

Etihad’s entertainment setup is nicknamed ‘E-Box’ and has a wide selection of movies, TV shows, and some live news options.

The screen is an 18.5” touch screen, with what appears to be slightly lower resolution than some of the more contemporary business class products.

All entertainment can also be controlled and viewed via the handset.

Phitek noise-cancelling headphones are provided as well. These are able to cut the engine noise a fair amount.

As an aside, one of the features of the entertainment console onboard the A380 is also the tail camera, which is a personal favorite.

WiFi

WiFi was available for purchase within about 10 to 15 minutes of takeoff. Unlimited data was priced at USD 25 or 3,000 Etihad miles for the entire flight.

First Class passengers are provided with a voucher for the WiFi.

Conclusion

Etihad continues to deliver one of the most consistent premium travel experiences in the industry, and its A380 Business Class is a testament to that. The Business Studio may no longer be the newest seat on the market, and it lacks features like privacy doors and wireless charging, but it remains exceptionally comfortable. Worth noting: although this was an award redemption, I’ve tracked cash prices on routes from Abu Dhabi and found them generally reasonable for what’s on offer.

Service is attentive, the food and beverage quality is good, the IFE selection is decent, and the unique onboard lounge all come together for an experience that feels complete. Arriving well-rested, well-fed, on time, and in comfort ticks most of my boxes.

Having previously flown Etihad’s First Class Apartments, I was curious to see how the airline’s Business Class would compare. First Class is naturally more exclusive, but I never felt Business Class fell short where it mattered most. For the points redeemed, this was excellent value, and I’d happily book it again.