Understated Emirati Luxury: Etihad Airways A350 Business Class from Abu Dhabi to New York

by Krish Patel

For slightly over a year, Etihad Airways had been flying its A380s on the New York route. When demand for a large number of passengers decreased, the airline started flying the Airbus superjumbo to Toronto instead. Due to this switch, what happened to the New York route?

If you guessed that Etihad started flying their A350s into JFK, you’d be correct. Etihad’s A350-1000 features a Business Class cabin that’s super comfortable, but doesn’t receive as much hype as the products of its competitors. Almost two years ago, I wrote about Etihad’s impressive A380 Business Class. Later in time, I have even better things to say about the airline’s cabin on their A350.

Transiting in Abu Dhabi

Upon landing from a connecting flight, I quickly cleared transit security and made my way to the Etihad Lounge.

The Etihad Business Class Lounge is absolutely massive, spanning three stories. I spent about two hours in the lounge, where I grabbed a light snack, took a shower, and checked out the stunning rooftop bar. I’ve already covered this pristine lounge in another article, which is linked below.

Almost an hour and fifty minutes before my scheduled departure time, I made my way over to the U.S. preclearance facility. When departing Abu Dhabi on a U.S.-bound itinerary, you’ll clear customs and immigration prior to boarding, allowing you to walk off at your destination as you would for a domestic flight. The facility for U.S. pre-clearance can be found at the end of Concourse C.

Etihad has another lounge in the secure zone after going through customs, which is accessible to First and Business Class passengers. It’s noticeably smaller than the Business Class lounge, but still feels modern and spans two levels.

Inside, there’s a small but beautiful bar with a geometric inspiration and ambiance similar to the one in the Business Class lounge. A wide array of beverages such as cocktails, wines, and espresso are available for guests to drink. Several seating options can also be found throughout the first floor, but I recommend going upstairs if you’re seeking more open furniture.

The lounge lacks amenities, with no showers, dedicated work station, or relaxation corner. However, you’ll find a buffet, offering hot and cold snacks and meals.

Plenty of seating extends throughout the second story, with much of it being occupied as the early morning departures to New York and Chicago neared.

The gate was barely a three-minute walk from the U.S. Preclearance Lounge. When I arrived, it was packed with people, many of whom were standing. Boarding would commence through a double jet bridge, one of them being reserved for Business Class.

Etihad Business Class Cabin and Seat

The A350-1000 has 44 forward-facing Business Class pods arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration. Each Business Class suite includes a closing door for an added layer of privacy, as well as a massive enclosed storage unit. The Collins Aerospace Super Diamond Seat is a simple yet luxurious seat design that makes for a very suitable and competitive choice on a 14-hour flight.

Etihad’s choices for dark brown seating, lighter exterior walls, and golden trims truly represent the airline brand better than the cabin on the 787. The understated black splashes are complemented well by the various golden edges throughout the seat. You’ll notice brown seat padding and leather headrests that are soft to the touch, providing a visually striking contrast to the white marble finishes on the side consoles.

Situated in front is a touchscreen Panasonic entertainment system, which is one of the largest seatback screens offered in Business Class. Beneath the entertainment monitor is the tray table furnished with a trim of gold and two wooden panels. Additionally, a coat hook can also be found along the outer shell of the seat.

Beneath the tray table, you’ll find the leg rest, under which you can store a small carry-on bag or pair of shoes. A small storage compartment, along with a USB-A and C outlet, can be found adjacent to the ottoman.

Along the windows is a massive storage unit composed of a faux marble surface featuring two enclosed compartments embellished with a gold trim. The deeper compartment houses the IFE remote, headphone jack, and universal outlet. You’ll also find a wireless charging pad for your phone.

Beneath the storage compartments is a panel for the seat controls and a brown leather armrest. Travelers will also appreciate the side pocket for inflight literature and the sconce lamp. The latter features a signature Etihad pattern inspired by the date palm trees native to the Middle East. In addition, there’s a flip-out reading light embedded into the inner seat wall.

The inner end of the seat is where you’ll find the sliding door, as well as an adjustable armrest. The door was locked on the ground, but could be closed in the air. Inside the armrest, you’ll find a bottle of water waiting for you.

After takeoff, passengers could cocoon themselves in the suite simply by closing the door. The height of the door isn’t as high as other Business Class products such as Qatar Qsuites, since you’re still able to slightly see outwards.

The lavatories for Etihad’s Business Class passengers are quite spacious and well-furnished. It boasts plenty of space to stretch out and features a mosaic-tiled trim, along with dark brown flooring and a black counter.

When it’s time to sleep, the suite can be converted into a luxurious mini bedroom. I slept incredibly well thanks to the support of the soft, cool-touched mattress and found there to be plenty of legroom, definitely more than that on the 787-9.

Delicious Dining and Drinks in Etihad Business Class

On the ground in Abu Dhabi, a menu card was provided at the seat. It outlined the food and drink options for the 14-hour flight to New York, which included delicious appetizers, entrees, mouth-watering drinks, and appealing desserts.

Shortly before pushing back, I settled in with a pre-departure glass of lemon mint and a refreshing towel.

Etihad lets Business Class passengers dine on demand at any time during the flight. I chose to have dinner right after take off, which kicked off with some mixed nuts and a Cipriani Bellini on the mocktail menu.

Since I was traveling on Etihad after all, I went for the Arabic mezze as my appetizer. It was phenomenal for the standards of Business Class and presented beautifully on a Giorgio Armani tray alongside traditional breads and a salad. Out of all the Mediterranean delectables on the tray, my personal favorite was the muhammara.

For the entree, passengers could choose from the following options:

Beef tenderloin
Seared sea bream
Chicken biryani
Paneer kofta

I went for the kofta, which was warm and tasty. It was flavored with the right amount of spice, making it a favorable and hearty option.

For dessert, I went for the chocolate fondant. It was absolutely decadent, with a soft outer layer and warm gooey inside. I’ve had many chocolate desserts in Business Class before, but most are certainly not as memorable as this one. The flavor almost reminded me of a moist lava cake.

After dessert, I ordered a mug of warm Moroccan mint tea, which was delightful. The tea was presented beautifully on a tray alongside a piece of dark chocolate.

A few hours later, I was hungry again, so I ordered breakfast after perusing through the All Day menu. I first ordered a mocha and Butterfly Effect mocktail, both of which were excellent drink choices.

For breakfast, I selected the Bircher muesli, a light and refreshing meal. It was served alongside yogurt, a croissant, and fruit bowl.

Just before landing, I was offered a refreshing towel to conclude the inflight service.

Amenities in Etihad Business Class

After boarding the aircraft, I was greeted by several goodies at the seat. Notably, there was a pillow, blanket, and luxurious memory foam mattress from Giorgio Armani. I was also provided with a pair of noise-cancelling headphones and a bottle of water.

The amenity kit is composed of a dark brown leather pouch branded with the Armani logo. It’s contents consist of:

Espa face mist, lip balm, and body lotion
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Eye mask
Earplugs

Loungewear and slippers are available upon request and make the flight experience so much more enjoyable. The pajamas were soft, silky, and comfortable to sleep in.

The airline’s E-BOX IFE system is loaded with hours of on-demand entertainment, including newly released films and TV shows. Travelers can also choose from various music playlists, audio podcasts, and games. You’ll find dedicated tabs for kids, the inflight map, and airline information. Overall, E-BOX is an impressive entertainment system, but doesn’t have as many movies as Emirates and Qatar Airways.

Booking Etihad Airways Business Class

One-way Etihad Business Class tickets from Abu Dhabi to New York start at $4,070 and can cost nearly $7,900 for flights on peak days. Etihad operates two daily flights from Abu Dhabi to New York, one of which departs at 3 o’clock in the morning and is generally slightly cheaper than the second flight, which takes off later in the morning. Typically, the airline’s first daily flight to JFK is operated by the A350.

Although not part of any major airline alliance, there are ways in which you can book Business Class with Etihad using points. Travelers can choose to redeem miles through Etihad’s own Guest program by transferring American Express Membership Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio.

However, it’s also possible to book via Air Canada Aeroplan and American Airlines AAdvantage. Aeroplan is a transfer partner of American Express, Chase, and Bilt Rewards, just to name a few. Meanwhile, American has less transfer partners, with only Marriott Bonvoy and Citi ThankYou. One-way flights operated by Etihad between AUH and JFK start at 70,000 AAdvantage miles.

Overall Thoughts

Etihad’s A350-1000 provides an understated Business Class experience, especially when compared to the likes of the Emirates A380 and Qatar’s Qsuites. The seat itself is private and luxurious, but doesn’t have a ‘wow’ factor. Instead, the Emirati airline went for a product that emphasizes both luxury and simplicity. There are generally less couples and solo travelers on business flying Etihad, which makes this an underrated experience. If you find yourself seated up front on an Etihad A350, you’re going to have a great time.