Etihad’s final two superjumbos are soaring back

Etihad Airways’ last two Airbus A380s will return to the skies over the next 12 months as the Gulf carrier rides the premium travel surge with its superbly-appointed superjumbos.

The original fleet of ten double-decker jets was stood down in 2020 during the global pandemic, with one dismantled in 2025.

Seven superjumbos have since returned and are darting daily from Etihad’s Abu Dhabi hub to London, Paris, Toronto and Singapore.

The eighth has just returned to Abu Dhabi from long-term storage at Tarbes, France, and after a heavy maintenance check at Etihad Engineering will be rostered onto daily flights to Tokyo Narita from June 2026, in time for the busy northern summer travel season.

The final two Etihad A380s are on their way back.

That leaves just one more A380 waiting in the wings. Executive Traveller understands this ninth and final jet, which is also parked at Tarbes, will return later this year, for daily flights to another Asian destination – tipped to be Seoul – from January 2027.

Etihad Airways now expects its resurgent nine-strong A380 fleet to be flying into the next decade, with CEO Antonoaldo Neves last year telling Aerotelegraph he intended to keep his A380s in the air “at least until 2032.”

That’s good news for premium leisure and corporate travellers who enjoy Etihad’s A380 Studio business class, with each superjumbo adding 70 business seats to satisfy continued strong demand.

Etihad's A380 business class.

Even more appealing are the A380’s spacious private first class Apartment suites.

Etihad's A380 first class.

Each of the nine Apartments includes a separate wide armchair and fold-down bed, so there’s no compromising on comfort; other high-end touches include a vanity cabinet and chilled mini-bar.

Of course, the first class experience moves into a new realm of luxury with the opulent three-room Residence.

The Residence is almost a private jet experience.

The Residence boasts its own living room, a bedroom and a shower-equipped bathroom.

Etihad's A380 Residence.

Passengers booked in Etihad’s A380 first class cabin can upgrade to The Residence using money or Etihad Guest Miles.

Etihad's A380 Residence.

Business and first passengers can also adjourn to The Lobby, a social space whose design was inspired by the Arabian concept of the Majlis – a room where guests to a home are met and entertained.

Etihad's A380 Lobby.

Also read: How the A380 almost had a split-level first class ‘loft’ suite