How to Fly Etihad First Class With Points

By Bryce Casson, Founder · Cardocrat · Updated August 2026

The short answer: Etihad First Class, The Apartments on the A380, gives you a separate seat and bed plus a shared shower, one of the most spacious first-class products ever built. The most direct route is Etihad Guest miles, which transfer from several major US banks, with A380 routes the key to the best experience.

What Etihad First Class is

The Apartments are Etihad First Class on the A380, with a private suite containing a separate armchair and a full bed, plus access to an onboard shower and the famous three-room Residence at the very top. It is among the most spacious and exclusive cabins in commercial aviation, flown on select A380 routes from Abu Dhabi.

Booking it with Etihad Guest

The cleanest route is Etihad own program, Etihad Guest, which has the best access to First award space on its own metal. Etihad Guest is a transfer partner of Citi and Capital One, plus Bilt, so the miles are reachable from flexible points. See our Etihad Guest guide.

Availability and surcharges

Etihad flies The Apartments only on A380 aircraft and only on certain routes, so the first task is matching your trip to an A380 rotation. Surcharges and award pricing vary, so total miles plus cash before booking. See best first class redemptions and finding award space.

Who it is for

Etihad First suits travelers routing through Abu Dhabi who can target an A380 route and want one of the roomiest suites in the sky. Confirm an A380 First seat, then transfer the miles. Award prices and availability change constantly as programs devalue and adjust, so treat every points figure here as a rough, illustrative guide rather than a guarantee. Always confirm the current price and that an award seat is actually available on the airline own site before you transfer points, since transfers are one-way and cannot be reversed.

See exactly what an award costs

Stop guessing at point values. Look up the real award price and live availability for a specific trip before you transfer.

Search award flights on seats.aero →

Frequently asked questions

What miles book Etihad First Class?

Etihad Guest miles offer the best access to First on Etihad own metal, and they transfer from Citi and Capital One, plus Bilt. Match your route to an A380 rotation first.

Where does Etihad fly The Apartments?

Only on its A380 aircraft and only on select routes from Abu Dhabi, so the first step is finding an A380 rotation that fits your trip. The product is not on other aircraft.

What is the Etihad Residence?

The Residence is a three-room private suite, with a living room, bedroom, and shower, at the very front of the A380. It is even more exclusive and expensive than The Apartments First Class.

Do Etihad awards have surcharges?

Surcharges and pricing vary by route, so total the miles plus any cash charges before booking and weigh it against the very high cash fare for the cabin.

Which Etihad aircraft has The Apartments?

Only the A380. The Apartments and The Residence exist solely on Etihad A380s, so you must match your route to an A380 rotation or you will not get this product at all.