Etihad to bring back more of its posh Airbus A380s, says new US city coming
The Airbus A380 continues to find a new lease on life with Etihad Airways planning to bring back two more of the superjumbo jets as part of its strong post-coronavirus recovery.
Etihad’s sixth and seventh A380s will return to its fleet in February and June of 2025, respectively, said Arik De, the airline’s chief revenue officer, at the Routes World conference in Bahrain on Oct. 7. The planes will be used on flights to Singapore and a yet-to-be-named destination on the airline's map.
The carrier first resumed A380 operations on flights to London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) last year from its base at Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport (AUH). Etihad has since expanded use of the superjumbos to flights to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) in Mumbai, India; New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK); and Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG).
The A380's new lease on life comes after many wrote off the 400-plus-seat plane early in the pandemic. Former Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker famously panned the plane as being a “mistake” early in the crisis. But as passengers surged back to air travel and Airbus and Boeing struggled to deliver new planes, many airlines reactivated their A380s to meet demand.
“The Airbus A380 we never thought we’d bring back, and [soon we will] have seven of them flying,” De said.
Lufthansa and Qatar Airways are two other airlines that “retired” their A380s only to later bring them back.
Etihad’s A380s are known for their posh Residence product, essentially a three-room private cabin at the front of the first-class section on the upper deck. It is one of the most exclusive products on a commercial aircraft today.
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The Residence is staying even as Etihad undertakes a $750 million refurbishment of the cabins on its A380s and Boeing 787s, De said. The A380 updates will focus on “soft furnishings” and a potential expansion of the 70-seat business-class cabin, he added. The majority of the investment will go to the airline’s 43 Boeing 787s and 14 Boeing 777s.
Etihad plans a new US destination
“You’re going to hear at least one new U.S. destination very, very soon,” De said on the airline's growth plans.
When asked if it could be one of the three cities Etihad has not returned to since its 2017 restructuring — Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles and San Francisco — De declined to comment except to say that the destination was “not a usual suspect.”
The airline serves Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), where flights began in March, plus Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD), New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, D.C., from Abu Dhabi.
Etihad counts JetBlue, with its large Boston and New York hubs, among its global network of partner airlines.
Superjumbo: Etihad's flagship Airbus A380 — and the exclusive Residence — is officially back in the US
The carrier plans to increase seats to the U.S. by about 24% this year compared to 2013, Cirium Diio schedule data shows.
Despite the growth, Etihad will fly about 30% fewer seats to the U.S. this year than it did at its peak in 2017, the Cirium Diio data shows. The airline cut flights to the U.S. and elsewhere as part of its restructuring following years of cash-fueled growth and questionable equity investments in smaller airlines in various corners of the globe.
Etihad’s flights to the U.S benefit from the only Department of Homeland Security preclearance facility — where travelers clear customs before they board their flight to the U.S. — outside of Canada, the Caribbean and Europe. That allows its flights to arrive as domestic flights at American airports and speeds up the arrival process for travelers.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.