Etihad to debut long-haul luxury on short haul routes

The airline says the A321LR fleet brings Etihad’s signature luxury with a First-Class experience to narrow body flying.

“The A321LR proves our commitment to luxury, customer experience, and connectivity,” said Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways.

“With our new First Suites, we’ve taken the luxury experience on our widebody fleet and adapted it to offer guests the same experience in a single-aisle aircraft.”

“More broadly, the A321LR marks a transformational moment for Etihad.”

Etihad’s A321LR introduces an all-new adapted First Suite with a private space with a sliding door and lie-flat bed.

There are just two exclusive First Suites on each jet.

The First Suite offers additional space for a companion as well as a large 20” 4K screen for entertainment, with Bluetooth pairing and wireless charging.

The new Business cabin features widebody-style seats, all forward facing with direct aisle access (1-1) in a herringbone layout.

In Economy there are 144 seats with up to 5” recline.

Every guest gets access to USB charging onboard.

In the UAE and all First destinations, guests will enjoy a private chauffeur service to and from the airport.

First class guests will also be personally escorted through a dedicated Check In to the Etihad First Lounge and then for boarding.

In Abu Dhabi, First guests will also soon benefit from complimentary Home Check-In and Land & Leave services, offering a baggage-free airport experience.

Etihad’s first A321LR enters service on 1 August 2025, with ten aircraft joining the fleet this year.

The aircraft will fly from Abu Dhab to destinations including Algiers, Athens, Bangkok, Chennai, Chiang Mai, Copenhagen, Dusseldorf, Kolkata, Krabi, Medan, Milan, Paris, Phnom Penh, Phuket, Riyadh, Tunis, and Zurich.