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Etihad First Class Apartment Review. An Incredible Experience

The Etihad First class apartment on the A380 is an incredible experience. The apartment is truly unique - along with Emirates and Singapore, it’s a cut above the rest.

This trip has been on my bucket list for the longest time, and it didn’t disappoint! Etihad First Class on the A380 is truly an apartment, and not a seat. The food, drinks and service were also top drawer. It comes highly recommended!


My review has loads of photos. Each photo can be clicked and pop out to a slideshow. You’ll know exactly what to expect when you fly this amazing product!

If you want to book your flight, check out this page on the Etihad website. It contains all of the latest and best offers.

What I liked

  • The apartment was large and spacious
  • The seat was comfortable
  • Friendly crew
  • Lots of storage
  • Well prepared food
  • On board shower
  • Stylish design

What could be improved

  • The alcohol selection wasn’t super premium

The Booking

Check out this page on the Etihad website. It contains all of the latest offers from Etihad. It’s definitely worth checking here before you book.

Discounted Business and First Class Deals with Secret Flying



This strategy is a bit weird! Secret flying is a subscription program. They send discounted Business and First Class Deals. Right to your inbox. These deals are only around for a few hours or days, so you need to move fast. The deals depart from every continent in the world.

I booked a return business flight from London to Mozambique for $800 in the past (TAP Air Portugal). I also booked a business flight from Tunis to Cambodia for $700 return (Air France).

Sign up to Secret Flying Club here.

It costs $3,25 per month. It used to be free, but not any more. They can’t guarantee there will be deals for Etihad. They find the best deals from all airlines and will send them to you.

The best activities in Abu Dhabi



Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE. It’s famous for its glitz and beaches. It also has a reputation for being a millionaire’s playground. But don’t let that put you off. There’s loads of great things to do, that won’t break the bank.

You can book a ticket to the Louvre Abu Dhabi for just $15. It’s a world famous gallery, associated with the gallery in Paris. It’s a must see in my view.

Warner Brothers World in Abu Dhabi is a spectacular Theme Park. Located on Yas Island. Book your tickets here. Day tickets cost less than $100.

Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi is the world’s first Ferrari Theme Park. Also on Yas island. Book your tickets here. It’s mostly indoors. Home to the world's fastest rollercoaster, the highest loop ride and tallest space-frame structure ever built on the planet. And 40 other attractions. Day tickets cost less than $100. If you’re not a thrill seeker, then this place isn’t for you!

You can book tickets to multiple theme parks on Yas Island. A one day ticket to all 4 theme parks on Yas island costs $183. Warner Brothers World. Sea World. Ferrari World. Water World. To be honest, one day is not enough to do all four parks. You’ll need more time.

I‘ve visited YAS island and done the theme parks. It’s super commercial and you need to wait in lines. Much like any theme park! However, the rides are spectacular.

The Apartment

The apartment on the A380 is the best of the Etihad first class seats. The 1st thing you notice as you walk in, is that it’s genuinely an apartment and not a seat. You have your own space and you can walk around.

This is different to other first classes. Even if the seat is large, it’s still a seat. Etihad was the 1st airline to have single aisle seating on a widebody aircraft. The apartment has the following features:

  • Separate seat and bed
  • Under bed storage
  • Cupboard for 1 item
  • Mirror


The seat is large, spacious and hard. It reminds me of a seat at a posh movie theatre! I liked it a lot.

I liked the bed. I would’ve preferred it if the bed was wider, but that’s the trade off for having a separate bed and seat. I was able to get 4 hours of sleep, which is pretty good for a flight. I didn’t have any issues with the temperature of the cabin either.

Singapore Air First Class on the A380 is also pretty special. Review here. Their apartment is even bigger than Etihad’s! They have a chair and a separate bed too. One of the best flights I’ve ever taken.

The Cabin

The Etihad first class cabin on the A380 has a really stylish design. The fact that there’s only 1 aisle just makes it feel ultra-exclusive. Not only does the A380 have the best of the Etihad first class seats, it also has the most beautiful cabin in the sky. 


In Flight entertainment

The TV is large and high quality – it’s located directly across from the seat. Etihad also has an excellent choice of content. I enjoyed the tail camera and the route map. Check out the slideshow for photos.

The Amenity Kit

The amenity kit was supplied by Acqua Di Parma, and it was fantastic! It contains:

  • Ear plugs
  • Cologne
  • Lip balm
  • Body lotion
  • Blindfold
  • Toothbrush
  • Comb


The cologne was simply awesome. The bag was also very stylish – my wife loved it!


The Food

In Etihad’s First Class, the menu is more of a suggested ingredients list - you can mix and match to create your meal. I’ve uploaded the menu in the above slideshow. At the beginning of the flight, the chef came to me, and we had a discussion about what to eat. He was able to create a bespoke meal, which was really cool as I was vegetarian on that day.

I went for the Arabic mezze for starter and halloumi cakes for the main. They were both very good. I am a huge fan of Arabic mezze, so I may be a little biased here!

The Halloumi cakes with green veggies and fries were good as well. It reminds me of the vegetarian option at a steak house!

The Drinks

The drinks offering is of the premium variety - I had a rose champagne to start with. I’m not a champagne expert, but it reminded me of the champagne you get in business class. In fact the champagne at the Air France Business Lounge in Paris was far better. I didn't much enjoy the champagne, however I wanted to review it, so I made sure that I finished it!

Overall the alcohol selection was decent. Grey Goose is a premium vodka. But it does lag behind what many other airlines offer in First class. It would be a high quality business class selection.

This is probably the main disappointment with the flight. It doesn't bother me, as I don't drink much alcohol - but it’s important to many people. The full drinks menu is in the above slideshow

The Service

The service was good. Three people introduced themselves to me before the flight. Roshan was the in-flight chef. Two members of the First Class cabin crew also came to me. I found them all to be friendly, helpful and attentive. They all addressed me by name.

The Shower

An on-board shower is a novelty that never gets old! While not as bling as the Emirates shower, it’s a shower on a plane. Amazing really!


My Take on Etihad First Class

In an era where airlines are getting rid of First class, the Etihad A380 Apartment is a truly luxury First Class experience in the sky. I really enjoyed writing this review and I had a fantastic time!

The apartment is spacious, the food was fantastic and the service was excellent. I had a terrific trip. After taking the Etihad First Class Apartment, travel will never be the same! I actually wrote an article on what it’s like to fly coach after travelling in Business.

Don’t forget, The latest Etihad sale has landed! There’s excellent offers in economy and business class. As always, I suggest that you book quickly. The best deals will go fast.

On a personal note, I don’t always fly 1st class. I flew business class with Etihad, and it was awesome. The cabin is well designed and classy. The food was also excellent – I probably took in 10,000 calories! 

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