Etihad is one of ten scheduled users of the Airbus A380. According to ch-aviation, the UAE operator has nine remaining superjumbos. Only seven are active, although in January, an eighth frame arrived back in Abu Dhabi after being stored in France. It will re-enter service this year.

Etihad’s double-decker quadjets are, of course, by far the airline’s highest-capacity equipment. Each aircraft has 486 seats. There are two The Residence suites (multi-room), nine first-class apartments (2-2), 70 business seats (1-2-1), and 405 economy seats (3-4-3; 31″-32″ pitch). I was delighted to fly an Etihad A380 in business class last year.

The Type No Longer Flies To These 6 Airports

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The carrier’s first commercial service on the A380 took place in December 2014. It was from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow, a route that does, of course, still see the 486-seater. The type’s introduction on that route came six years after Emirates first deployed the superjumbo from Dubai to the UK’s busiest airport. Etihad’s offering materialized half a year after Qatar Airways first flew the A380 from Doha to Heathrow.

In the subsequent 11-plus years, Etihad has deployed the 486-seater to 11 airports globally, of which six no longer see the type. They are outlined below. The end of superjumbo service to Melbourne, New York JFK, and Sydney means it is no longer deployed to Australia or the US. Both countries are critical A380 markets for Emirates, while Qatar Airways uses its double-deckers to Australia, but not to the US.

New York JFK Was The Most-Served Route

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With 2,413 departures to JFK, Etihad was the fifth-largest superjumbo user there of all time. Only Emirates, Korean Air, Air France, and Singapore Airlines used the type more frequently. In 2026, only Emirates and Korean Air—along with Asiana—still deploy the A380 there.

Etihad’s final A380 flight to the Big Apple occurred on June 23, 2025. It is possible that it will return, but there’s no suggestion that it will. The next day, the 486-seater was replaced by the two-class, 371-seat A350-1000. The swap meant the route saw Etihad’s newest business class, but it lost first class and The Residence. The freed up aircraft was deployed to Toronto instead.

According to the US Department of Transportation, Etihad carried 162,677 round-trip JFK passengers between July and November 2025, when the A350-1000 operated alongside the Boeing 787-9. Compared to the same months in 2024, when the A380 and 787-9 were used, 9% fewer seats were available. Despite the sizable reduction in capacity, traffic fell even more—by 10%; perhaps removing the superjumbo contributed. As such, the load factor fell, from 88.5% in 2024 to 87.3% in 2025. Etihad will be hoping that yields are now stronger.

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Where Does The A380 Fly In 2026?

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As of February 24, and subject to change, Etihad plans 2,104 departures on the A380 from Abu Dhabi this year. It will be its fourth-best year on record, behind 2018 (2,765), 2019 (2,733), and 2017 (2,662). Compared to 2025, superjumbo flights have risen by 11%. This means the type will now operate nearly 8% of the carrier’s widebody services, up marginally year-over-year.

In 2026, Etihad will fly the 486-seater to London Heathrow, Paris CDG, Singapore, Tokyo Narita, and Toronto. Changi first saw the airline’s highest-capacity equipment last year, while Narita—and Japan generally—will do so for the first time on June 17, ahead of the peak summer. While Emirates flies the double-decker to Narita, Qatar Airways doesn’t.