Etihad Airways Launches A380 on Abu Dhabi–Toronto Route

There’s some very exciting news out of Abu Dhabi today for Canadians, as Etihad Airways has revealed that it will operate the A380 on its Toronto route as of later this year.

As of June 24, 2025, the behemoth aircraft will fly between Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Toronto Pearson (YYZ), offering passengers a range of elevated travel experiences.

Etihad Airways Launches A380 on Abu Dhabi–Toronto Route

Etihad Airways is set to operate the Airbus A380 between Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Toronto Pearson (YYZ) as of June 24, 2025. This represents an upgrade in capacity from the Airbus A350-1000, which currently flies between the two cities.

Once launched, Etihad Airways will offer passengers a choice of economy, business class, First Class, and the beyond premium The Residence on the ultra-long-haul route.

The flight times for the route, which is set to run daily, are as follows:

• EY21, departing Abu Dhabi (AUH) at 2:40am and arriving in Toronto Pearson (YYZ) at 9am
• EY22, departing Toronto Pearson (YYZ) at 1:40pm and arriving at Abu Dhabi (AUH) at 1:40pm the next day

Westbound from Abu Dhabi, the flight is set to run 14 hours 45 minutes, while eastbound from Toronto, the flight is blocked at 13 hours 20 minutes.

The A380 offers 337 standard seats in economy, as well as 68 economy seats with extra legroom. On the upper deck, there are 70 business class seats, complete with The Lobby, which is a lounge and bar area situated between the First Class and business class cabins.

Also on the upper deck are nine First Class seats, known as the First Apartments, which offer one of the most exclusive experiences in the skies. You’ll benefit from the privacy of a sliding door, a huge amount of personal space, access to the onboard shower, excellent food and drink, and more.

Passengers will also have the option of flying in The Residence, which is a three-room suite complete with a living room, bedroom, ensuite bathroom, shower, and a dedicated cabin crew.

Etihad Airways is offering promotional cash fares to celebrate the launch of the service, with round-trip sample prices as follows:

• Economy: $1,380 (all figures in CAD)
• Business class: $3,380 
• First Class: $10,380

Booking Etihad Airways Premium Cabins on Points

If you’ve got your eyes on flying the A380, the good news is that you can book Etihad Airways business class and even First Class Apartments using points.

When it comes to booking business class, you can use the following programs to book flights:

• Etihad Guest: 100,000 miles 
• American Airlines AAdvantage: 70,000 miles
• Air France KLM Flying Blue: 88,500 miles
• Aeroplan: Etihad Airways business class inventory will return as of March 25, 2025

As it stands, the only way to book Etihad Airways First Class Apartments on ultra-long-haul routes is using Etihad Guest miles.

In Canada, Etihad Guest is a transfer partner with American Express Membership Rewards at a 1:0.75 ratio, while in the United States, you can transfer points in from American Express US Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Citi ThankYou Rewards at a 1:1 ratio.

A one-way flight in either direction costs a minimum of 200,000 Etihad Guest miles, plus around $800 in taxes and fees.

While it’s not possible to book The Residence directly with miles, you may be offered a cash upgrade with a First Class redemption ticket. Expect to pay a few thousand dollars for the elevated experience.

There are a few important notes to keep in mind about Etihad Guest:

• It has an extremely punitive cancellation policy, whereby you’ll lose 25–75% of the miles used for a flight if you cancel
• 200,000 miles for the flight is only when there’s “saver”-level GuestSeat availability (you may see the flight for much more)

If you’re sitting on a stash of Etihad Guest miles, the good news is that there appears to be wide open GuestSeat availability in both directions, with two seats available. 

Conclusion

As of June 25, 2025, Etihad Airways will fly the mammoth Airbus A380 between Abu Dhabi and Toronto. This marks the first time the ultra-exclusive Etihad Airways First Class Apartments and The Residence will be available on the route.

Fortunately, there’s fairly wide-open GuestSeat availability for Apartments, though it costs a tidy sum of miles.

If you decide to book, you’ll be handsomely rewarded for your efforts with one of the most exclusive in-flight experiences available in commercial aviation.