Etihad The Residence Review: The Closest You’ll Ever Get to Flying on a Private Jet
Almost all airlines compete through larger seats, better food, or nicer lounges. Etihad chose to take a completely different path.
Instead of making another first-class suite, it came up with an actual three-room apartment within a plane itself.
Welcome to The Residence. Only available on certain Airbus A380 aircraft, The Residence is far from being just a first-class seat. It’s a fully private living area featuring a separate lounge, bedroom, and even a personal shower.
Add to this a highly trained butler educated at London’s renowned Savoy Hotel, top-quality restaurant-style meals whenever desired, and one of the most exclusive airport experiences globally, and you start to see why aviation fanatics still regard The Residence as the ultimate way of flying.
If you ever thought about having your very own apartment at 40,000 feet, here’s the entire experience.
Luxury Begins Before You Reach the Aircraft
Your Residence experience actually begins well before you board.
When you arrive at Zayed International Airport, you’ll be treated a lot less like an airline passenger – and much more like a very important person, a VIP guest indeed.
Priority boarding and baggage handling is standard fare here, but this is just the start of things really.
You’ll also have access to chauffeur services, as well as personal concierge help. And when possible, even get whisked away in a private transfer right to your plane itself.
Before boarding, you’ll be spending time within Etihad’s truly amazing First Class Lounge & Spa itself. It’s almost more like being in a luxury hotel rather than an airport lounge, after all.
Guests get to relish à la carte dining, top-of-the-range wines, champagne, expertly crafted cocktails in a cigar lounge, beautifully relaxed spaces, shower suites and treatments courtesy of the Six Senses Spa – all within one fantastic location.
Every single thing will feel perfectly serene, really made-to-order, and truly wonderfully exclusive itself.
Even though Etihad does team up with some of the finest lounges across the globe, there isn’t anything quite comparable to the whole experience set aside for The Residence guests leaving Abu Dhabi itself.
Your Own Three-Room Apartment in the Sky
When you get on board, it quickly becomes apparent why The Residence is like nothing else in commercial aviation.
There’s only one Residence on each Airbus A380. Rather than walking into a seat, you step right into your own private suite.
The first room you come to is the living area. Here you will find a comfortable leather sofa just right for two people, a dining table, very tasteful lighting, ample storage space, and a huge 32-inch entertainment screen.
This is a place where you can really relax, take a meal, watch films or even have informal meetings.
Take a couple more steps forward, and you’ll be in your private bedroom. In stark contrast to almost every first class product out there, the bed isn’t created from the seat itself. It’s actually already installed.
Your bedroom will have a genuine double bed (about 6′ 10″ long) complete with luxury linens, extremely large pillows, and top-notch bedding – plus loads of room to move around quite comfortably while you sleep. Sleeping feels incredibly close to staying in a high-end boutique hotel instead of crossing continents by air travel itself.
And then there’s probably the most well-known feature of all. Your personal shower facility. The Residence contains its own en-suite bathroom with a complete shower unit, vanity, mirror, luxury toiletries and loads of space to get ready for arrival before landing.
Very few commercial aircraft in the world offer anything remotely like this. The whole suite combines leather, wood finishes, delightful soft lighting and very refined design which looks classic rather than ostentatious. It’s luxurious but never feels too overpowering.
A Personal Butler and Restaurant Whenever You Want It
Maybe the biggest difference between The Residence and traditional first class lies in the service.
Every Residence booking features a dedicated butler specially trained at The Savoy. Their job isn’t merely serving meals. They’re really there to make your whole trip truly yours.
Whether you would like your breakfast right after take-off, dinner a few hours later, fresh coffee whilst viewing a film, or have your bed made before finishing your dessert – all will occur exactly when you want them to.
Dining itself really does feel very adaptable. There isn’t a set meal service. Instead, Etihad’s onboard chefs create restaurant-quality dishes whenever you’re prepared to dine.
The menus combine specialties from the Middle East along with top-level international cuisine. Guests are going to have the chance to taste Arabic mezze, wagyu beef, lobster, premium seafood, exquisite handmade desserts and seasonal treats made to order for your preferences.
Meals are presented on beautiful china with silverware, crisp linen tablecloths and carefully chosen glasses.
The wine program is equally amazing. Superior champagnes like Krug and Dom Perignon feature alongside some truly exceptional wines, handmade cocktails, Arabic coffee and premium teas.
It really does feel much closer to having a private dining experience than your average airline food.
Entertainment That Follows You Around the Suite
Since The Residence is divided into several rooms, the entertainment system will be different from that in conventional airline cabins.
Large HD screens are installed in both the lounge area and the bedroom, allowing you to keep watching films whenever and wherever you choose to take a break.
Your content library will comprise Hollywood blockbusters, films from other countries and Arabic cinema, TV series, documentaries, music and children’s programs.
Active noise cancellation provided by special headphones gives a very immersive viewing experience, whilst onboard Wi-Fi makes sure you stay connected all through the journey.
Whether catching up on some work, streaming your favorite content, or merely browsing the net, staying online is really quite easy.
With a tailored configuration, your entertainment will feel less like an airline seatback system and more like a very private media room.
Every Detail Is Designed Around Comfort
Flying in one of the world’s most exclusive airline cabins will have your amenities truly reflecting the philosophy of that cabin.
Passengers receive luxury sleepwear, comfortable slippers, very large pillows, top-quality duvets, mattress toppers and a full turndown service all made ready by their own personal butler.
Your private shower room is fitted out with the finest products. Expect toiletries, facial care products, essential grooming items and luxurious towels. They actually make freshening up before arriving at your destination a real pleasure.
Although Etihad has justly introduced new LANEIGE amenity kits within its Business Class cabins, The Residence still provides a far more exclusive range of luxury skincare and wellness products specially selected for our first class visitors.
Every item is very thoughtfully chosen so as to make your long-haul flight as comfortable as possible.
Added to the adjustable mood lighting, total seclusion and attentive personal service throughout the flight, it won’t be hard to forget that you’re traveling on a commercial airliner.
The Bottom Line
Years post-debut, Etihad’s The Residence is still one of the most unusual products in commercial aviation.
Only a handful of airlines will give you a private living area, separate bedroom, personal shower, your own butler, restaurant-style service, and an airport experience truly competing with those found in the finest five-star hotels.
It’s not merely First Class. It is quite different itself. If your aim is to have the most luxurious scheduled flight globally, The Residence will remain at the top of the list.
While such a high level of luxury does come with a higher cost, travelers looking for exceptional value can really make some savings using Simply Business Class (SBC). In fact, depending on your route and seat availability, SBC may be able to get you those super-premium Etihad fares for a lot less money (up to 50% off).
If flying commercially has started to lose your interest, then The Residence could well change your mind.
