Save up to 54% using miles, up to 88% using money, or buy miles to save 64%.
Etihad’s First Apartment (only available on its A380 fleet) is First Class surpassing itself. The suite contains a seat and an 80.5-inch-long couch that serves as a footrest and turns into a bed. (See video here.) Among Etihad’s A380 routes is New York-Abu Dhabi. (See map below for other routes.)
Where to Find Etihad’s A380
Etihad’s First Apartment comes with a hefty price tag: New York-Abu Dhabi starts at $13,717 round-trip. Perhaps that sounds inexpensive compared to The Residence, the First Apartment’s big sister. It’s a three-room cabin (living room, bedroom, en-suite bathroom, and shower) in the nose; price: $64,095.
A380 First Apartment Fares and Deals
Here’s a look at the five ways you might book the First Apartment.
Low(er)-Fare Routes
Currently, it’s Abu Dhabi-Mumbai at $1,608 round-trip or $958 one-way—you’re doing this for the experience, remember. Second best deal is London-Abu Dhabi, 15 hours round-trip for $5,200. See chart below for more sample fares.
A380 First Apartment Fares
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American Express International Airline Companion Program Low-Fare Routes
First Class fares on some Etihad routes are often expensive as the chart above shows. One way to cut the cost is by using Amex’s IAP 2-for-1 program, which offers a free, second ticket (plus taxes) with the purchase of a full-fare non-restricted ticket (F class) together with a low(er)-fare route.
For example, New York-Abu Dhabi is about $27,000 for two passengers, but fly a low(er)-fare route beyond Abu Dhabi and the cost can drop by as much as $7,147. Take the New York-Hong Kong route for example. The IAP rate is $20,287 for two, a savings of $7,147, and you can still fly the A380 First Apartment on the JFK-Abu Dhabi segment, so in a way you get a second destination for free. See chart below for three low(er)-fare-route examples.
A380 First Apartment Using Amex IAP Low(er) Fare Routes from New York
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Mileage Award Travel
With:
235,112 round-trip on New York-Abu Dhabi. See chart below for A380 routes with award space and mileage cost on other routes.
Using Starwood Points:
190,112 round-trip on New York-Abu Dhabi. See chart below for cost on other routes.
Sweet Redeem Survey: Etihad’s A380 First Apartment to Abu Dhabi
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Etihad Partner Award Opportunity
Using Partner Miles:
Asiana has the lowest mileage award rate, 160,000 miles round-trip, on New York-Abu Dhabi. Using Starwood points transferred to Asiana reduces the cost to 130,000. See chart below for cost of other routes.
With Amex Rewards Points:
All Nippon is an Etihad mileage partner and an Amex Rewards partner, which means you can take advantage of Amex’s sky-high mileage purchase limit (500,000 per year) to get the miles to book the First Apartment through All Nippon. On New York-Abu Dhabi, that comes to $4,875, plus $115 in award taxes. See chart below for cost on other routes, and go here for more information on the “Buy Miles Strategy”.
(Note that booking via partner-award space for Etihad’s A380 First Apartment is usually scarcer than Etihad’s own inventory.)
Best Surpass First Class Deals
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Wondering About Upgrades? Don’t.
Etihad has four different upgrade options: Buying a Business Class ticket and using miles to upgrade, bid for an upgrade, buy an upgrade, or hope for an airport upgrade.
In a nutshell: not worth it. FCF found that the upgradeable Business Class fares and miles needed to upgrade are not worth it, and other cash upgrades offered are all based on a cash payment which varies, most likely based on demand on the route.