I was booked on a flight from Abu Dhabi to Istanbul in Etihad Business Class so I had high hope for their lounge at their home airport.

This was an early morning flight so I got a cab in Dubai to take me the 1 hour drive to the airport.

Note, this flight departed in Terminal 3 that is soon to be replaced by the much larger and nicer Terminal A

A nice feature of Abu Dhabi airport is the dedicated business check in out front – that’s simply a door right to the left of the main terminal.

While it was very crowded at the business check in – I didn’t have to wait and everything went pretty smooth.

Now, Abu Dhabi airport is a little tricky since there are two business class lounges. One after security in the main departure area and another one if you are flying to the US beyond the customs area.

If you are flying to the US, its nice to be able to do customs before departure, but note you will need to arrive much further in advance and experience a slightly smaller lounge.

For me, I was off to the regular business class lounge in the main terminal and was looking forward to having some breakfast.

Lounge Experience

After you clear security and customs in Terminal 3 – you will make your way half way down the concourse to find the business class lounge.

Entrance to the lounge was pretty smooth and there was no one in line. One quick scan of the boarding pass and we were in.

Immediately entering the lounge you will notice it’s a bit dated but there are many different area separated by a large bar.

As soon as you walk in you will noticed a snack area that opens into a larger buffet as well as a few different types of areas with unique styles of couches and chairs.

There are a number of different seating types in the lounge as well as a dining area. Given it was early morning and I was planning to eat going the dining area route that was completely empty seemed to make sense.

As you look further down the lounge you will notice a large bar and many different sections separated by couches.

I took a quick look at the directory and you’ll notice mainly a business center and den that were not immediately in sight but further down in the lounge.

I of course came for the food and decided to check out the offering. While we were still coming out of COVID protections you’ll notice almost everything cold was individually wrapped.

This included every croissant or even piece of bread – gave off the vibes that these were not very fresh but I didn’t try them to be honest so who knows.

As for the hot food there was a decent selection. I browsed through some familiar but also some unfamiliar dishes.

There was your usual breakfast spread with of course some local specialities.

The buffet was divided into local cuisine as well as western cuisine. What I like best about the Middle East is the type of dips and stews they always have, even at breakfast time.

On the western side there was your usual pancakes as well as a few other staples.

The hash browns were well laid out and did still appear crispy, which is hard to do in a buffet.

The eggs just looked ok but pretty standard for breakfast buffet fare.

There were two types of sausage, I believe chicken and lamb as pork is not common in the UAE.

Same with the bacon, this was beef bacon I believe but can’t recall what the sign said.

By this time a few people started gathering in the dining area as more travelers started entering the lounge.

I took a quick peak at the business center and there were plenty of iMacs as well as printer here if needed.

The couch areas by the bar seemed the most comfortable and while it didn’t look crowded it was decently filled in every space.

I always like when a lounge has a real espresso machine and I couldn’t pass up getting one.

My espresso came out great – especially given that the bartender was questionable about how to use it. I’d say this is a great pull for someone not confident in their espresso making and I really enjoyed it.

I did two quick plates of breakfast to sample both the local dishes as well as the western.

I went with all your standard items and I’d have to say I enjoyed the hummus, toast, and I believe mudamas way better.

Summary & Takeaways

The Etihad lounge in Terminal 3 was probably a great addition when it was first released but it definitely feels dated. The space is pretty spread out and seems comfortable but it could use a refresh that aligns more with the luxury they present in the air.

Etihad is well aware of this and released stunning new lounges in the new Terminal A that really lives up to their name.

While Terminal 3 served its purpose for a long time – Abu Dhabi Airport received a huge upgrade and I think will be attracting many more travelers from now on.

The post Etihad Business Lounge Review at Abu Dhabi Airport Terminal 3 appeared first on Travel Season.

Prior to this trip, I had only flown Etihad once on a short route from Abu Dhabi to Istanbul so I was very excited to try a long haul product, on their new A350-1000 nonetheless.

Now this was going to be a long haul flight, about 11 hours from JFK to Abu Dhabi airport. Etihad had only recently started flying their new A350 when I took this route so I got a glimpse of the new seat configuration from other travelers that have taken it.

The business class on the A350 is unlike any other from Etihad, configured in a 1-2-1, each seat is considered a “suite” with a door at each seat. While some think the seat door is a gimick, I think it makes a big difference, especially once you figure out how to unlock it.

I planned to take full advantage of this flight to experience the seat, food, and overall experience of Etihad staff.

Booking Process

Etihad is known as a premier airline, so flight prices don’t come cheap, especially in business class. A flight on the A350-1000, one of Etihad’s newest aircraft, can run you over $5,000. This is even greater than what Emirates charges on the same route.

There was no way I was paying that much, so naturally using points and miles was the obvious choice.

Now I could book with Etihad points directly but in my experience they often ask for hundreds of thousands of points for redemptions making it not at all worth it.

This is where Air Canada Aeroplan has once again come to the rescue. I have used Aeroplan for a number of flights in the past including on Etihad from Abu Dhabi to Istanbul and on Gulf Air from Bahrain to Singapore.

I was surprised to find availability via Aeroplan for 85,000 miles per person in business class. A steal compared to the 400,000+ booking via Etihad directly.

This was a no brainer and provided an incredible value the amount of points.

Luckily Aeroplan transfers from all major credit cards so it was easy to gather the required points for the booking.

I was heading to the UAE for a wedding and even had a few other attendees book the same deal on the same flight. I was excited to not only experience this flight but also have other people with me on the trip.

Airport Experience

While I was very excited to sit on one of Etihad’s newest planes on a 11 hour journey to Abu Dhabi. However, my airport experience did not start out as expected.

When I arrived at JFK, I was shocked at the scenes of chaos at every single check in counter. This couldn’t be good.

I was shortly informed that all computer systems at JFK were down and no airline was able to secure a check in. The line up around the terminal was unlike anything I’ve seen, especially on a normal weather evening.

I waited in the check in line for about 1 and 1/2 hours before we were slowly moving through to the desk.

To my surprise when we got there, the system actually wasn’t even back up and running and they were issuing manual boarding passes.

This was definitely a first for me as I watched the attendant write down all my details on a pass before handing it to me.

While I had arrived with plenty of time until check in, this fiasco caused all flights to be delayed so I wasn’t concerned about missing my flight.

The flight boarded about 3 hours late and given it was an overnight I didn’t mind too much.

Flight Experience

It was finally time to board, 3 hours later than expected, but I was ready to get on our way. Since this flight departs pretty late at night, even on time, I knew shortly after boarding I would have a quick meal then get some sleep.

My first look at the cabin, it was rather dimmed with a yellow mood light. The flight was going to be full this route but I was boarded in the middle so still got time to see the full cabin without it being full.

I made my way through the back rows of seat and I had selected a solo seat 8A since I knew I would mostly want to relax on this trip. The middle seats looked good if you’d like to have a conversation with your partner during the flight but given the timing I found booking seat 7A and 8A for my wife and I to be a better option.

The view of the cabin from the seat really stresses how much more spacious it feels without overhead bins. I also felt the amount of space in the bins on the sides was plenty even when you include the middle passengers needing to use them.

I arrived at my seat and immediately noticed the simple yet elegant color choice. The seat is fairly standard, similar to British Airways new club suites, but with certain touches that make it unique to Etihad.

I like the way the colors showcased in this cabin but it is a toned down version of the seats on their 787. You can definitely tell this is a safer bet by Etihad in terms of design but I think the seat still gives off the elegance they want it to.

The addition of this lamp adds a lot to the ambiance in your seat and is signature Etihad. The seat also had a built in wireless charging station, which is a nice touch.

The IFE is fairly large and equipped with all the latest tech. There is no moving the IFE and its positioned fixed right in front of you.

The seat controls have their own dedicated panel, similar to the 787, with a mix of digital buttons and physical ones. I found these easier to use than the 787 and definitely more responsive given the newer plane.

The ammenity kit was an Acqua Di Parma with the standard items but I found the kit to be a bit small to keep so I ended up leaving it on the plane.

The storage bin had over the ear headphones, an additional remote, and outlet. I really like the outlet placement here making it much easier to use. I find some airlines tend to hide the outlet in hard to reach places but this makes it way more practical. To the right of the outlet is also the wireless charging area that I used for most of the flight.

One of the best things of newer planes is the ability to connect bluetooth to the IFE. I’ve always flown around with my AirFly Pro that can do the same but on these planes its much easier than needing to add an external device.

Now onto the suite door that is situated in a “locked” position while on the ground. The height of the door doesn’t provide complete privacy but I do still think it makes a difference, especially when laying down.

You will only be able to use the suite door once the FA has “unlocked” it after takeoff. I’ve been on flights where they forgot to do it so if I shared here how you can unlock it yourself.

Now onto one of my favorite things about traveling in business class, the food. Etihad certainly had great food on my first route from Abu Dhabi to Istanbul but I was curious how JFK catering was going to do for them.

The menu is broken up into a set meal as well as an anytime ordering section.

There is definitely a lot of options on Etihad so you will not go hungry as in other airlines – I’m looking at you United Polaris.

I settled into the flight with a glass of champagne and some warm nuts. The glassware on pre departure beverages really makes a difference since there is nothing like a real champagne glass to get your flight started.

Next up was mealtime shortly after the late takeoff.

I started off with the Tuna Tataki that was paired with an asian style salad underneath. The tuna was served at a good temperature and the sauce was not overly sweet as I would have imagined.

A closer look at the tuna – it felt fresh and was easy to eat. The pairing with the cabbage really worked and it was a nice light started.

Now given I wanted to get the most out of my Etihad food experience – I asked for a second appetizer that they happily provided.

I’ve been on other airlines where they scoff at you for asking for an additional dish and nice to see Etihad stands out as a willing airline. My friend on the flight also got a second entree, just to further confirm their willingness to make passengers happy.

I decided to also get the curried cauliflower soup and it was delicious. The soup was well balanced with a nice turmeric and curry flavor.

The soup was a nice change of pace from the cold tuna and I liked the idea of getting two dishes that I could try before the main meal.

Now onto the entree, where I ordered the Lamb machbous.

From the description I knew this was going to be a type of comfort food – a well seasoned lamb served over rice with a side of yogurt sauce.

I really enjoyed this dish, especially the fried onions on top, and it is similar to the one I ordered last time on Etihad.

Many of the middle eastern carriers serve these well spiced rice dishes as mains and I feel you can never go wrong when you choose them.

After dinner I decided to browse a bit on the internet with the prices listed below.

Internet price wasn’t too bad until you notice they cap the amount of data you use. I really dislike when airlines do this and for Etihad to cap at 350MB its very low. I would expect either a discount or free wifi for business class or a free 1,000 MB like Turkish Airlines does.

After some light browsing and some sleep I got up with only 2 hours to go in the flight.

I tried waving down a flight attendant to order a drink and some food but she told me I can just order from my screen.

What I didn’t notice before is the entire menu was on the screen in front of me. It had all the selection of their drinks as well as the ability to make your own coffee.

I filled out my order for a macchiatto and tried to hit confirm… but it didn’t work. I tried a few times and the order never went through.

In the end I had to flag the FA again and order directly but the menu idea of the IFE is great if it ends up working.

I got my coffee and I loved how it came in this high end tray. It really elevates the experience when flying to receive items like this vs just a cup being placed down on your table.

After my coffee I knew I needed to have something to eat and had heard about the steak sandwich being very popular. I decided to give it an order.

Only about 10 minutes later my sandwich arrived with a side of chips. Again the plating and presentation was top notch and made me look forward to enjoying my meal.

The steak sandwich itself was pretty decent but nothing over the top. It was served warm and had two pieces of steak but didn’t really stand out too much.

Maybe getting this sandwich on a departure from Abu Dhabi would make it better but I thought it was decent. I of course still ended up eating the entire thing and before I knew it we were getting ready for landing.

Summary & Takeaways

All in, I had a great experience on Etihad and for the price I paid for this trip I thought it was great value. Etihad seems to have a strong reputation as a luxury airline but often gets iffy reviews on their service from the FA’s.

On this flight the FA’s were very friendly and helpful and you can tell when someone is genuinely wanting you to enjoy your trip. That is what I experienced on this flight and will be looking forward to flying Etihad again.

After this trip, I did notice the A350 is not flying as often on this route but the A380 is actually coming back in service! The downside to this change is I’ve noticed the availability on Aeroplan to be decreasing while Etihad direct miles are getting cheaper.

Perhaps next time I book this route I’ll book through Etihad directly for 110,000 miles and will hopefully get to experience their largest plane while its still flying.

The post Etihad A350 Business Class Review from New York to Abu Dhabi appeared first on Travel Season.

To say I was excited is an extreme understatement.

Now this was going to be a short flight, only 4.5 hours from Abu Dhabi to Istanbul, but the journey was going to be on one of their largest planes they are still flying, the Boeing 787-9.

I was booked in business class as this particular aircraft was not equipped with a first class cabin. I planned to take full advantage of the short flight and see exactly what Etihad was about.

Booking Process

Etihad is known as a premier airline and with that the flight prices don’t come cheap, especially business class. For this ticket the one way fare was a whopping $3,355 and was no cheaper when you searched for a round trip.

There was no way I was paying that much, let alone for a 4.5 hour flight, so naturally using points and miles was the obvious choice.

Now I could book with Etihad points directly but in my experience they often ask for hundreds of thousands of points for redemptions making it not at all worth it.

This is where Air Canada Aeroplan has once again come to the rescue. I have used Aeroplan for a number of flights recently and the redemption offers on airlines like Etihad, Emirates, and Gulf Air are unmatched to any other program.

I found an incredible deal via Aeroplan for only 20,000 miles per person in business class.

This was a no brainer and provided an incredible value for such a low amount of points.

Luckily Aeroplan transfers from all major credit cards so it was easy to gather the required points for the booking.

On my way out to the UAE, I flew on Swiss Airlines via Zurich and spent a few nights at The Dubai Edition. I was much more excited for this flight even though it being a short jounrey.

Boarding and Airport

I arrived at Abu Dhabi International Airport early in the morning after a 1 hour car ride from Dubai.

The airport was starting to get very busy and I noticed a number of tour groups departing that day.

Luckily there is a business and first class check in terminal that wasn’t too crowded but definitely still full.

I wouldn’t say there was a huge advantage here, although I didn’t see the economy side, but as soon as you get your boarding pass you are merged with all passengers to go through security and customs.

I made a quick pit stop at the Etihad Business Class Lounge that was way bigger than I was expecting. This lounge was located in the main terminal, although Etihad has another lounge after you go through US Immigration at Abu Dhabi Airport.

Yes, there is US Immigration here that allows you to clear and fly into a domestic terminal when you get to the US. If you are departing this airport to the US make sure you give yourself extra time since the screening can take a bit before you can get to your gate.

When I arrived at my gate I immediately noticed how packed it was.

I was departing from one of the last gates at the terminal and could already see the dreaded buses waiting to take us to the plane.

The boarding lines were split into two groups, one for priority boarding and remaining for economy. What I found odd was the economy line was moving much faster but soon realized why they did them both at the same time.

I finally made it to the front of the line and was ready to get onto my bus to get to the plane.

I took one look at the remote gate bus and was confused. Was I supposed to be getting on this packed bus as well or was there going to be another bus? I would also be shocked if Etihad, known for their luxurious business class cabins, would not provide a separate bus.

Luckily a gate agent stopped me and pointed me left to another bus waiting for business class passengers.

The business class bus was not too full and to be honest wasn’t anything special. It was the same bus that you would get regardless of the class of service you fly.

Aircraft and Cabin

We pulled up to the aircraft after about 10 minutes in the bus. One of the perks of remote gates is getting to see your airplane up close and this was no small aircraft. You never really realize the size of airplanes until you see a 787 up close.

The boarding process was quick since the business class cabin is not too big. We took the stairs right up and turned left into the cabin.

I boarded and got my first few looks at the 787 business class cabin. Note, this is one of the airplanes in Etihad’s fleet that does not have a first class offering.

I am booked to fly on Etihad A350 in a few weeks so I was kind of excited to check out the slightly older 787 cabin with different seats.

The seats in this cabin are split into 1-2-1 configuration, with the couple seats facing forward and individual seats facing backwards.

We chose two seats facing forward and I really liked the feel of this cabin, even if it is old. There is something about the gold finishings and lamps that make Etihad’s fleet feel so elevated.

What I also liked about the seats is how close you can be to your partner or how much privacy with the middle barrier raised. I did end up finding it odd that I could directly see the person across the aisle from me but it didn’t bother me.

The benefits of the cabin is also how spacious it feels. Since there is plenty of overhead bin space the ones in the middle are smaller giving the look of more space.

We were welcomed onboard with a glass of champagne and although it was 9:00am, I couldn’t resist. Etihad typically serves Bollinger La Grande Année 2005, which tastes pretty good but not the best compared to other airlines.

I decided to take a look around while we waiting for boarding to complete.

What I really liked about the seat was the controls. You had this little digital panel on the left side that had various seat controls and a do not disturb button.

I messed with the seat a little bit and you only have a few options to recline and move you seat down. Overall the seat was pretty spacious and comfortable even in recline mode.

Even though its an old plane the IFE was still pretty big and had plenty of options to choose from.

I really like when airplanes have Live TV. Often times I don’t know what to watch, especially on short flights, so I tune into some channels while I get some work done.

The move selection on the screen was plenty and I really like the filter feature. You can type in genre, keywords, or categories to find the movie you would want to watch but even better you can move a slider to show just how many of a certain type you want to come up.

There was decent storage space in the seat although I didn’t need to use it much.

The headphones Etihad provides were just ok but nothing special.

Food and Beverage

Now comes the highlight of flights for me, checking out the food offering. I had high hope since I have Etihad ranked as one of the airline with the best food.

We were handed menus shortly after boarding and I scanned it before take off.

There were a decent number of options to choose from and I decided to go with the arabic mezze and lamb shank but no dessert for me on this flight. I also resisted the temptation to get some wine, something I don’t do very often.

The mezze platter came out pretty quick after we took off and was very well presented.

The offerings included hummus, tabouleh, muhamarra, and grape leaves. All looked very fresh and were actually served at just the right temperature.

The dishes were served with a side of pretzel bread and another very soft roll. I did get served pita but it looked a bit sad in its plastic so I didn’t really eat much of it.

While you may not be able to tell from the pictures just how soft this bread was, it was incredible.

As I dove into the mezze I came across this fried ball that I originally thought was falafel. It seemed to be stuffed with meat and although I didn’t know what it was it was delicious.

The lamb came out shortly after and was very well presented. It was a lamb shank on top of cous cous with vegetables and onions.

The dish and the presentation is exactly what I was looking forward to on Etihad. It was well put together and the plates they use fit the aesthetic of the dish very well.

The lamb itself was incredibly tender and I would have to say this probably the best lamb meal I’ve ever had on an airplane. I easily took down this whole dish regardless of what time it was in the morning.

I know I should’ve ordered tea given I was in the middle east but I had to finish with an espresso. Surprisingly not every airline serve espresso in business class but coffee on Etihad was nothing to overlook.

Summary & Takeaways

Overall my Etihad flight to Istanbul was short but a great way. The seat was incredibly spacious and made the 4 hour journey fly by in no time.

Even better was the points deal offered by Aeroplan. I’m finding more and more that Aeroplan rates are unmatched on Middle Eastern airlines so if you want to fly this same flight or Etihad in general then that is definitely the best place to get the most value from your points.

The post Review: Etihad 787-9 Business Class from Abu Dhabi to Istanbul appeared first on Travel Season.