Etihad Airways inaugurates its premier A321LR flight from Abu Dhabi to Phuket, elevating luxury standards in short-range aircraft travel
Etihad Airways has raised the bar in air travel with the launch of its new Airbus A321LR, offering a widebody experience on a single-aisle aircraft. The airline's latest addition to its fleet aims to redefine narrowbody travel by combining lie-flat seats in premium cabins with enhanced digital entertainment and connectivity across all classes.
First Class
The private First Suites, equipped with sliding doors, provide ample personal space and virtually unlimited foot room. Each suite includes a buddy seat for dining with a companion and Armani Casa-branded amenities such as an amenity kit, pillow, duvet, mattress pad, and slippers. The suite offers an impressive sense of privacy and luxury, markedly above Business class.
Business Class
The Business Class cabin contains 14 widebody-style seats in a 1-1 herringbone layout, ensuring every passenger direct aisle access and window views. The customized Stelia Opera seats are lie-flat pods for comfort on medium to long haul flights. Each seat includes a 17.3-inch 4K touchscreen, Bluetooth headphone pairing, wireless charging, and high comfort similar to widebody standards.
Economy Class
Economy Class offers 144 seats that are some of the widest in Airbus narrowbody aircraft at 18.4 inches. Seat pitch ranges from 30 inches standard to 34 inches in six rows of extra-legroom seats. Economy seats have excellent padding and good legroom. Each seat includes a 13.3-inch 4K touchscreen monitor, USB-A and USB-C charging ports, and Bluetooth connectivity. The cabin features larger overhead bins for significantly more luggage space than traditional narrowbodies, and there are two lavatories spaced front and back to reduce queueing.
Additional Features
High-speed gate-to-gate Wi-Fi powered by Viasat offers hundreds of Mbps for streaming, gaming, and browsing, with roll-out starting on Asian routes in September 2025. The aircraft extends operational range and fuel efficiency, allowing expanded network connectivity from Etihad’s Abu Dhabi hub.
The A321LR's configuration introduces a new benchmark for narrowbody travel, with a premium cabin layout that transforms expectations across all classes. The aircraft features enhanced comfort, stylish cabin interiors, and high-speed Wi-Fi across all seating classes. The A321LR is expected to bring Etihad's widebody sophistication to more destinations and travellers.
Etihad recently took delivery of the first of 30 A321LR aircraft set to join its expanding fleet. The A321LR features two fully enclosed private suites with sliding doors, flat beds, and unique styling. Each private suite offers an elegant design with space for a guest to dine or relax.
Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer at Etihad Airways, stated that the A321LR symbolizes their ambition to deliver extraordinary experiences on every route.
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- The A321LR's private First Suites in First Class are equipped with sliding doors, offering ample personal space, virtually unlimited foot room, and an elegant design for dining or relaxing with a companion.
- Business Class on the A321LR offers 14 widebody-style seats in a 1-1 herringbone layout, providing direct aisle access and window views, along with high-speed Wi-Fi and enhanced digital entertainment and connectivity.
- Economy Class on the A321LR offers seats that are some of the widest in Airbus narrowbody aircraft, with good legroom, 4K touchscreen monitors, USB-A and USB-C charging ports, and Bluetooth connectivity, all while featuring larger overhead bins and spacious lavatories.
- In addition to offering enhanced comfort and stylish cabin interiors, the A321LR also features high-speed gate-to-gate Wi-Fi, enabling passengers to stream, game, and browse hundreds of Mbps, with plans for roll-out starting on Asian routes in September 2025.
