Review: Etihad A380 The Residence for 14 Hours

2.1K

The Residence by Etihad Airways is considered the pinnacle of commercial aviation, providing travellers with unrivalled personal space. It features a three-room configuration consisting of a private bedroom with a double bed, an ensuite shower room, and a living area. Add Etihad’s renowned premium service and gourmet dining offerings on the ground and in the air; you have a lethal combination that elevates The Residence as perhaps the best product to fly in the skies today.

However, with The Residence experience no longer what it used to be (pre-March 2020), is the upgrade worth it? Read along as I review my experience aboard The Residence for 14 hours from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to New York (JFK).

EY 001
Airbus A380
Abu Dhabi (AUH) – New York (JFK)
Duration: 14h 25m
Seat: 1A

History

Etihad Airways introduced The Residence alongside a refreshed cabin in its newly acquired A380 in 2014. The intent was to offer a product that would be a step above first class and distinguish itself as the best among its competitors. For 6 years until March 2020, The Residence flew the wealthy and the famous at its outlandish $21,000 USD price tag for a short 8-hour flight between Abu Dhabi and London.

The Residence wasn’t just special because of its unique three-room suite; it was also the soft product offered. According to the Abu Dhabi-based flag carrier, the multifaceted offering provides “a truly unique and bespoke travel experience, delivered with complete discretion and limitless hospitality.” This included the services of a Savoy Hotel-trained butler and an onboard chef to serve your every need. Add to this a dedicated VIP concierge who handled everything from the moment when the booking was made.

Fast forward to 2024, The Residence experience is no longer what it used to be: there is no VIP concierge, butler, or chef onboard. The Residence today offers just an elevated hard product with some premium ground services, a dedicated flight attendant on board, an exclusive amenity kit, and improved tableware. These cutbacks also means the price tag is no longer ~$20,000 but rather sold as an upgrade from first class

Booking Process

Back in the fall of 2023, Etihad had already begun reactivating its A380s, starting flights between Abu Dhabi and London. The Residence was being sold as an upgrade to cash-paid fares only for ~$2500 USD. While most cash fares were being sold for around $6000 USD, we started seeing some ex-Bangkok and ex-Jakarta First Class one-way fares for around $2500 USD. “ex-” means the itinerary would begin in Bangkok or Jakarta to Abu Dhabi in Business Class, and then onward from Abu Dhabi to London in First Class. This meant a Residence ticket could still be purchased for around $5000, which is exactly what I did. However, I did not pay cash cash for the First Class ticket nor did I fly this route, continue reading…

I wrote about this booking process in depth; check out What Did You Book? – Etihad First Residence, Qatar 777 First and 7Pines Sardinia

A month later, in November 2023, Eithad announced the launch of Abu Dhabi/New York-JFK flights, commencing in June 2024. This was an exciting development because when ticket sales went live, we saw cheap first class fares again ex-Bangkok and ex-Jakarata, with the Residence upgrade for $2990 USD.

I changed my full flex ticket from Jakarta-London to Jakarta-New York for $2818 USD through American Express Travel (USA). I opted to book through Amex Travel for an additional 10% discount it provided me through its International Airline Program (IAP).

Booking through Amex Travel meant I could redeem my Membership Reward (MR) points against the ticket’s cost. But that’s not all. The Business Platinum card provides a rebate of 35% of the MR points redeemed towards a business or first-class ticket.

The 35% rebate came through just over a month after:

After this rebate, my ticket cost 183,170 Amex MR points per person. However, booking through Amex Travel earned me 5x MR points on the ticket cost, a total of 14,090 MR points ($2818×5).

Total Cost: 169,080 Amex MR points/passenger

I then upgraded to the Residence on cash for an additional $2990, earning me an extra 14,950 Amex MR points!

This upgrade and the first-class ticket were fully refundable in case my plans changed; there was no risk in speculatively booking this then, and I was glad I did.

The icing on the cake? I earned 26,049 American AAdvantage points per person for the distance flown!

We will likely not see such a pricing opportunity again for The Residence. However, I want to get across the message that when you see a deal, especially one that is refundable, book now and think later.

Ground Experience and Lounge

Our Residence journey began at the jet bridge in Abu Dhabi as we deplaned off our flight from Jakarta. We were greeted by Etihad ground staff, who carried our luggage as we made our way to the lounges. With about five hours between our flights, we intended to enjoy the premium services of the new Etihad lounges at Abu Dhabi Zayed International Airport. It’s important to note that if our layover were longer, we would have been entitled to a free hotel stay with chauffeur service to and from the hotel.

Since our aircraft from Jakarta parked at a gate at the far end of the terminal, it was a good 20-minute walk to get to the lounge. Given this lengthy walk, I was pretty surprised that there was no buggy service. I’m not complaining, as the walk was needed, but the lack of a buggy service was odd.

We were welcomed to the First Class lounge and escorted to a private VIP room with a very comfortable sofa (suitable for sleeping), a TV, a dining table, and an ensuite with a shower. We also had a dedicated Etihad staff member to look after us and the F&B manager, who took care of every dining and drink need. An odd aspect of the room was that there was no phone or call button if you had to call someone.

Immediately after entering the room, a bowl of fruits, baklava, dates, Arabic coffee, and Voss water were brought to us.

My first order of business was a quick shower. As would be expected, all the amenities were provided.

Our short time in the lounge was spent relaxing, having food and drinks, and showering. We did not explore the other parts of the lounge (first and business class); however, I have toured them prior, and the upgrades over the previous lounges at the old Abu Dhabi terminal are tremendous.

All of the food and drinks we indulged in were excellent and some of the best I’ve had in an airline lounge.  Here’s a look at the menu, which happens to be the same for First Class.

As residence passengers, we were entitled to a 30-minute service at the SPA, which we also took advantage of.

We were asked if we wished to board first or last on the plane, and we opted to board last.  When the time came, we were again escorted to the plane, with our luggage being carried for us. Upon boarding, we were handed off to the flight attendants on board, who warmly welcomed us.

The Residence Suite

Score: 5/5

The Residence suite occupies the front of the first class cabin on the upper deck of the A380. The living area, which has a higher wall, separates itself nicely from the rest of the cabin, with the ensuite shower room and bedroom nestled into a hidden corner of the aircraft.

I had seen The Residence living area from afar before, and to be frank, it didn’t look anything too special. After all, I’ve had this much personal space before in a product like Singapore Suites.

The wow factor hit me upon opening the door to the bedroom! WOW! It had been a long time since I had seen an airline product that dropped my jaw to the floor!

Here are the highlights that I found fascinating about the bedroom:

• An actual double bed mattress with silky bedsheets and a duvet that is an an experience like no other in the sky!
• A large mirror to give the illusion of a bigger room than it is
• The bedroom is sound-dampened and quieter than the rest of the aircraft.
• 2 adults could occupy the bed. It would be tight but certainly not uncomfortably impossible.
• Dual headphone jacks for watching a movie together is a nice feature.
• A large, comfortable seatbelt.
• Finally, the option to dine in bed

Anything negative? Not a single thing! I’ll let the following pictures speak for themselves.

The living area comprises a large 2-passenger seat, a bench that can be moved toward the passenger to act as a footrest, a large television, a non-refrigerated drawer of drinks, and two tray tables for dining. There are independent seat controls so each passenger can find a sitting position that is comfortable for them.

Some negative aspects of this living area?

• It would have been nice if the seating could be converted into a bed, given that the double bed in the bedroom could be a little tight for 2 adults.
• The wall adjacent to the corridor could have been higher for more privacy.
• Similar to the “Apartment,” there is a lack of storage. The under-bench area is very tight to accommodate many larger than 20″ carry-ons.

Lastly, we have the Ensuite Shower Room. This is the same size as the first-class shower room, with the advantage of having it all to yourself. While having a private bathroom is nice, it was the least exciting part about The Residence. However, being able to dress/undress in the privacy of your bedroom, without having to do it all in the small bathroom, was a nice convenience.  There is a door that can lock to separate the shower room and bedroom from the rest of the aircraft. Oh, and a robe was also provided, which was a nice touch!

I’ve taken many showers in the sky aboard Emirates and Etihad First Class, so the shower experience was nothing special, except that Residence passengers get a full 10 minutes of running water versus 5 minutes for First Class.  If you have ever showered on a plane before, you know that 5 minutes is tight and you must conserve water. Having 10 minutes truly felt like a luxury and was a highlight of The Residence. I’ll also add that the Etihad shower is much better than Emirates in terms of physical size and water pressure! The only advantage Emirates has is a overall larger shower room with heated floors.

Food and Drinks 

Score: 5/5

If there is one consistent aspect of flying with Etihad Airways, it’s the food. Regardless of the class of service flown, the food quality has always been exceptional, from First Class to Economy.

The dining and drink experience aboard The Residence was exactly what I expected from Etihad Airways: perfection. However, there was no special menu; it was the same as the first class menu. Here it is:

As a champagne enthusiast, I was happy to see the Duval Leroy Rose champagne on the menu. It’s one of my favorites, along with Cipriani Bellini, which Etihad serves in both First and Business class.

I always evaluate the caviar service aboard First Class, and Etihad really impresses by offering full accompaniments along with Balik salmon! If you are not aware, Balik salmon is considered by most aficionados to be the best smoked salmon in the world. So far, I’ve only had it on Swiss First, Qatar First, and Air France La Premiere. It was not offered in Etihad First Class, which leads me to believe it’s only offered in The Residence.

For meals, I indulged in the seared venison, braised lamb (not pictured), blood orange cake, a full breakfast with ice latte and a date smoothie, the famous Etihad steak frites, and an afternoon tea (without the tea). Everything was excellent.

My daughter enjoyed dining in bed!

Arabic mezze along with a beef tenderloin that was cooked to medium-rare as requested:

There are few airlines today that consistently offer quality food in the air. I’m glad that Etihad Airways makes an effort to ensure that every passenger receives the finest food possible.

Pyjamas and Amenity Kit 

Score: 5/5

Etihad Airways recently upgraded its first and business class inflight amenities by offering Giorgio Armani products. For Residence passengers, the following items were provided:

• Specially designed Giorgio Armani sleepwear and comfortable slippers. This is a huge upgrade from their previous pyjamas and slippers.
• A large leather Giorgio Armani/Etihad branded folio large enough to accommodate a laptop (my favourite item!). This is one of the largest amenity kits in the sky.
•  All in-flight essentials plus luxurious ESPA hand cream, rest and recovery balm, facial mist, lip treatment and pulse point oil.

While I collect sleepwear from my air travels, amenity kits are normally thrown in the basement. However, I’ll actually be using the Etihad amenity kit products, including the much improved sleepwear and the leather folio for my laptop.

Service 

Score: 4/5

The quality of service an airline exhibits can make or break a flight experience. I’ve flown many flights, such as ANA First Class, where the hard product excelled, but the service was lacklustre, leaving a sour taste in my mouth, and I have no desire to fly it again. Conversely, good service can make an otherwise poor, hard product enjoyable! So, quality of service is of utmost importance.

The baseline standard I expect in the first class is a flawless, personalized experience. This isn’t business class, where a robotic experience is acceptable; this is first class, no, sorry, this is The Residence. I expected service that is above and beyond, where a customer’s needs are anticipated, and where service happens like magic.

Sadly, there were no surprises in the service I received. Unfortunately, it was a perfect first-class quality of service from all Etihad staff. This sounds like an oxymoron; however, my expectations of The Residence were higher. In fact, my Etihad First Class flight last year was better service, as have been most of my Emirates First Class flights, and let’s not forget my 22-Hour Singapore Airlines Suites Experience.  If I had to shout out to anyone, it would be the F&B manager at the Etihad Lounge. He got to know our food and drink preferences, surprised us with some off-menu items, and gave us some treats for takeaway.

Bottom Line

Flying The Residence aboard Etihad Airways A380 for 14 hours was a dream come true. Five years ago, I never thought I’d get the opportunity to fly this exclusive product and share the experience with my daughter. I feel very fortunate that I was able to take advantage of the seat sale, both for the first class ticket and the upgrade.

What makes The Residence a winner is The Bedroom. Having a proper bed in the privacy of an enclosed, sound-insulated room was truly magical, and this is what makes the product really shine!

I am constantly asked, “Is the upgrade to The Residence worth it?” My answer has been that if you are an aviation enthusiast and love to indulge in unique flight experiences as I do, then it is worth it at the right price. I have heard reports of customers being called by Etihad with $4000 upgrade offers on my exact route. This is even true for award tickets purchased through Etihad Guest points. Would I spend $4000? No, however, it’s also not an outrageous price for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Etihad Airways, thank you for the unforgettable experience aboard The Residence; I will cherish the memories I made.