Etihad Airways Launches A380 Flights to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport

Etihad Airways has launched Airbus A380 flights to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).

Etihad’s A380 features The Residence by Etihad, the only commercially available three-room suite in the sky, First Apartments, comfortable Business Studios and Economy Smart Seats.

The A380 now serves passengers travelling on one of the airline’s two daily flights between Abu Dhabi and New York.

“The arrival of our A380 service at JFK International Airport is an important milestone for Etihad Airways as we respond to increased demand from our guests travelling between Abu Dhabi and New York and it represents the significant growth our airline has undergone in just 12 years of operation,” said James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ President and Chief Executive Officer. “Etihad Airways has stayed ahead of the competition by providing our guests with the luxury, comfort, and hospitality they expect and deserve when they fly with us, and by remaining focused on continuing to transform the air travel experience across all cabins of service.”

The introduction of the airline’s signature A380 travel experience comes in time for the busy holiday travel season, as well as to serve guests travelling to the 2015 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix taking place 27 - 29 November 2015.

The Residence by Etihad

Located on the forward upper deck of the A380, The Residence is available for US$32,000 one way between Abu Dhabi and New York - for either single or double occupancy.

The three-room suite features a living room with a 32” LCD monitor, bedroom with a double bed, separate en-suite shower room, and a Butler trained at the Savoy Academy in London.

The cabin also comes with a private chef ready to custom-create menus to order.

The Residence by Etihad is exclusive to Etihad Airways’ fleet of A380s, which currently serve Sydney, London Heathrow and New York’s JFK, with services to Mumbai and Melbourne scheduled to commence on 1 May 2016 and 1 June 2016, respectively. The airline’s A380 fleet will grow to 10 aircraft.

First Apartments in First Class

The nine First Apartments in First Class are private living spaces featuring a reclining Poltrona Frau leather lounge chair and ottoman, which opens up to become a separate 80.5 inch long fully-flat bed. This marks a 74% increase in space from Etihad Airways’ current First Class Suites.

Each Apartment features a 24-inch flat-screen television, a chilled mini-bar, personal vanity unit, and wardrobe. A fully equipped shower room is available for the exclusive use of First Class guests.

Business Studios

Seventy Business Studios, in a 1-2-1 configuration, are located on the upper deck of the A380, all offering direct aisle access, a fully flat bed of up to 80.5 inches long and an increase of 20% in personal space.

The Lobby, a luxurious lounge located between the First Class and Business Class cabins, features two comfortable leather sofas and a staffed bar serving a wide selection of hot snacks and refreshments, perfect for relaxing and socialising.

Economy Class

The main deck features 415 Economy Smart Seats which offer unique ergonomic fixed-wing headrests, lumbar support and an 11-inch personal, high-definition monitor screen to enjoy over 750 hours of on-demand movies and series, improved gaming and live TV programming via the state-of-the-art Panasonic eX3 entertainment system.

US Customs and Border Protection

Guests on all Etihad Airways flights from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) to the airline’s six US ports of entry, including New York’s JFK Airport, are processed through the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance facility, which allows them to clear all US immigration and customs checks in Abu Dhabi and arrive at their US destination as domestic passengers.

Other US airports served by Etihad Airways include Chicago (ORD), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO) and Washington’s DC (IAD).