Etihad Will Operate the A380 Twice Daily to JFK Starting Next June

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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.