Etihad unveils overhauled premium experience in partnership with Armani/Casa
Editor’s note: Etihad Airways provided Zach Griff with a free flight from Abu Dhabi to Chicago and a one-night hotel stay. All opinions expressed are entirely his and weren’t subject to review by the airline.
Airlines like to throw big parties for inaugural flights, new planes and retrofitted cabins.
However, it’s not often that we see carriers spend thousands of dollars toward the unveiling of a revamped soft product for its business-class cabins. ("Soft product" refers to all the items that aren't physically attached to an aircraft, such as glassware, duvets and pillows.)
In recent weeks, Etihad Airways has been teasing a major reveal described as something "more than what meets the eye" and that "something is about to change."
Well, the wait is finally over, and no, the airline isn’t joining the Star Alliance or bringing back its Airbus A380s (at least not yet).
Instead, the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates is making big upgrades to the onboard experience — so big that it decided to throw a launch party (and invite TPG) to celebrate the occasion.
The airline's overhauled business-class soft product is designed in partnership with Armani/Casa, marking the first time this storied Italian design house is teaming up with an airline.
The collaboration, dubbed "The Constellation Collection," draws inspiration from the starry night sky in the desert of the United Arab Emirates. You'll find a consistent geometric pattern throughout the dishware and bedding that is designed to resemble stars and constellations, Turky Alhammadi, head of product and hospitality, told TPG at the launch event.
At first glance, the new glassware, cutlery, dishware and bedding look quite posh, without being too over-the-top. An understated elegance permeates the entire collection, making these pieces feel like they could be part of one's home.
My favorite addition is the new salt and pepper holder. The coin-shaped design looks great in green, and the embossed Giorgio Armani logo adds a luxurious touch. (Note that these items aren't souvenirs — Etihad will reuse all the dishes and bedding after each flight.)
In addition to the dishware, the collection includes three new pieces of bedding: a thick duvet, a plush pillow and a color-coordinated memory-foam mattress pad.
A 10-hour flight is a lot more snooze-able in first class – see how many points away you are from a cozy, 30,000 foot slumber with the free TPG App!
The new bedding felt soft and luxurious during the hands-on experience at the media preview. The addition of a supportive mattress pad will be welcome news for those flying on some of the airline's longest flights to North America and Australia.
It wasn't immediately clear if Etihad would introduce slippers or pajamas on board its flights — two amenities that distinguish some of the best soft products offered in business class.
Likewise, Etihad will continue to offer amenity kits by Acqua di Parma for the time being, though I imagine the long-term plan would be to introduce an Armani-branded kit.
While "The Constellation Collection" begins rolling out on flights starting in December, the airline will embark on a monthslong mission to bring the new partnership to all of its premium experience touchpoints, focused at first on the airline's lounges, Alhammadi told TPG. "It's all about being consistent," he said.
The revamped soft product will be available in all Etihad business-class cabins, regardless of which aircraft type is operating the journey. Additionally, the carrier isn't making changes to its first-class offering, which it still sells on a few routes operated by a subset of Boeing 777s and 787 Dreamliners.
Along with the new crockery, Etihad will revamp the business-class menu to include new food options and a refreshed take on existing favorites, such as the Arabic mezze. The airline displayed some of the new choices on a long table at the media event, but it didn't provide printed descriptions of what each dish was.
That said, if the finished product looks anything like the staged demonstration, flyers will be in for a treat (literally and figuratively) with the new food options.
Some aviation observers were expecting Etihad to make a "bigger" announcement. Two popular theories were that the airline was joining the Star Alliance or that the airline was bringing back its Airbus A380 fleet from long-term storage.
Tony Douglas, group chief executive officer, acknowledged that some might've overhyped the airline's social media clues. "It's been fascinating listening to the amount of endless speculation," he said, seemingly referencing the bloggers and observers who thought that the airline had something different to announce.
His deputies later explained that the carrier used social media teasers to get people excited about this yearslong project led by the product and customer experience teams. It's a celebration of hard work and many long days, Etihad employees told TPG at the event.
While it may be tough to get excited about new dishware or bedding on your next flight, Etihad hopes that this new collection will complement the improvements it has already made to the hard product to ultimately deliver a "beyond Business" onboard experience.
Earlier this year, the carrier inaugurated its Airbus A350-1000 fleet, which features a brand-new business-class seat for the airline. Etihad customized the highly functional Collins Aerospace Super Diamond product with snazzy sconces, eye-catching mood lighting and subtle gold accents.
The cabin itself looks great, and it represents a big evolution forward for the carrier's premium experience. The new cabin design combined with the Armani/Casa partnership will make sitting at the pointy end of one of Etihad's newest jets an even more luxurious experience.
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- 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.
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| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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Why We Chose It
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.