Etihad Will Operate the A380 Twice Daily to JFK Starting Next June
Etihad Airways will soon be upgrading its second daily flight from New York (JFK) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) from a Boeing 777-300ER to an Airbus A380. This means starting June 1, 2017, you'll have a better chance of finding availability to book yourself a $32,000 ticket in the over-the-top, super-opulent Etihad Residence on future trips to the UAE — there will be more Etihad Apartments available as well, which you can book with Etihad Guest Miles. Etihad's A380 planes also feature a very large business-class cabin on the upper deck that's very comfortable, though not as extravagant.
While the first day of double A380 service is almost a year away, we're seeing some award availability in both the business-class cabin as well as The Apartment on flights originating in Abu Dhabi (AUH), however flights originating in New York (JFK) are less available to book with Etihad Guest miles. A one-way ticket from AUH to JFK will cost you about 118,000 miles + $225 in cash, while business-class fares will set you back about 89,000 miles + $173 in cash.
Alternatively, you can use AAdvantage miles to book these awards. One-way tickets in The Apartment cost 115,000 AAdvantage miles, while one-way business-class fares cost 70,000. But, to book these flights with AAdvantage miles, you'll have to call American Airlines' Australian reservations line at +61 02-9101-1948, as you're not able to book these awards through AA's US call center.
If you prefer to purchase your tickets in cash, a round-trip fare in The Apartment between JFK and AUH costs an eye-watering $22,000. Business-class fares are closer to Earth, starting at about $7,000 round-trip. While prices are certainly high, flying on Etihad's A380 gives you a chance to experience one of the most unique products in the sky today.
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