UAE: Etihad Receives First Airbus A321LR As It Aggressively Expands

Etihad Airways received its first Airbus A321LR aircraft on Thursday at the Airbus facility in Hamburg, Germany, as the UAE national carrier continues to aggressively expand its route network.

The new aircraft delivery comes as the Abu Dhabi-based carrier has launched or announced 27 new routes in a single year as part of its ambitious growth strategy. The aircraft will enter commercial service on August 1, 2025, initially operating to Phuket before serving destinations including Algiers, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Copenhagen, Düsseldorf, Kolkata, Krabi, Krakow, Medan, Milan, Paris, Phnom Penh, Phuket, Tunis and Zurich.

Moreover, nine A321LR aircraft will be delivered throughout 2025 as the airline aims to carry 38 million passengers annually by 2030.

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“Today marks an extraordinary moment for Etihad as we welcome an aircraft that changes everything we thought possible on a single-aisle plane. The A321LR enables us to serve more destinations with the same premium experience our guests expect across all cabins, perfectly embodying our commitment to delivering luxury at every altitude,” said Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways.

Neves said this new aircraft will“is going to shape the growth of the airlines and is going to be the backbone of its growth".

He added that Etihad Airways is going to be getting 30 of these new planes over the next three to four years.“This year is going to be about 10 and another 10 next year, and then we have about five and five,” he said.

Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, executive vice president sales of the Commercial Aircraft Business, Airbus, said the new aircraft sets a new standard for comfort in the single-aisle category and paves the way for increased connectivity as Etihad expands its operations from its Abu Dhabi hub.

“The delivery of Etihad's first Airbus A321LR, on lease from AerCap, is a powerful symbol of innovation and partnership, strengthening the long-standing relationship between Airbus and the UAE,” he said.

Etihad's all-new Airbus A321LR delivers wide-body comfort on short and medium-haul routes.

A standout feature of Etihad's A321LR is its high-speed Wi-Fi, delivering speeds of up to 1GB per second, allowing travellers to stream, play games and browse throughout their journey. This gate-to-gate connectivity, where permitted, ensures guests remain productive and entertained.

The Abu Dhabi-based carrier revealed that full Wi-Fi coverage on Asian routes will be available from September 2025.

The A321LR features a three-cabin configuration, including Etihad's first-ever narrowbody 'first suites' - private, enclosed spaces with sliding doors and fully-flat beds which are normally reserved for long-haul widebody operations. Each window-facing first suite features a large 20-inch 4K screen, bluetooth pairing, wireless charging, and additional space for a companion to sit.

The aircraft's 14-seat business cabin features widebody-style seats in a 1-1 herringbone layout, giving every passenger direct aisle access and window views. Each business seat includes a 17.3-inch 4K screen, bluetooth headphone pairing and wireless charging.

In economy, 144 seats are equipped with 13.3-inch 4K touchscreen displays, USB charging, and bluetooth connectivity. Cabins feature enlarged overhead bins for more luggage space than traditional narrowbody aircraft.

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