What’s inside? Etihad Airways 1st Airbus A321LR brings widebody comfort to narrowbody routes
July 25, 2025
Etihad Airways has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321LR, featuring a unique 3-class configuration. The airline will utilise the long-range narrowbody to open new short- and medium-haul routes. Notably, the new narrowbody will replace the airline’s Boeing 787-9 widebody aircraft on select routes.
The aircraft offers Etihad’s widebody experience, with premium cabins typically reserved for long-haul flights.
“We welcome an aircraft that changes everything we thought possible on a single-aisle plane,” said Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways. “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.”
What’s inside Etihad’s Airbus A321LR?
Etihad’s A321LR features a 3-class configuration, including the airline’s first-ever narrowbody First Suites. They offer a comparable experience to the airline’s first class on long-haul widebody aircraft.
The two window-facing Stelia Opera SA platform suites are located in the first row of the aircraft. They feature:
- Sliding doors for privacy
- 22.5″-wide seats that convert to fully-flat beds
- A large 20-inch 4K screen with Bluetooth headphone pairing
- Universal AC, USB-A, and USB-C sockets plus wireless induction charging
- An ottoman for a travelling companion to sit on during the flight
The aircraft is equipped with 14 business class seats, also based on the Stelia Opera SA platform. These are arranged in a 1-1 herringbone layout, with seats facing the windows. Each 22.5″-wide Business seat is set 38″ apart. They feature a 17.3-inch 4K in-flight entertainment screen with Bluetooth headphone pairing, Universal AC, USB-A, and USB-C sockets, plus wireless induction charging.
Etihad’s economy class on the A321LR features 144 Collins Aerospace Meridan slimline seats in a 3-3 configuration. The 18.4″-wide seats are set 30” apart, but rows 16 to 20 are set 34” apart, offering more legroom.
The seat has a 5″ recline, and passengers can enjoy in-flight entertainment on 13.3-inch 4K touchscreen displays with USB charging for electronic devices and Bluetooth headphone connectivity.
The A321LR cabin also has larger overhead bins, with more luggage space than those of other narrowbody aircraft.
The aircraft is equipped with Viasat Global Xpress Ka-band satellite communications service, which delivers high-speed WiFi with speeds of up to 100 Mbps. The WiFi service on Asian routes will be rolled out progressively and will be available starting in September 2025.
“The delivery of Etihad’s first Airbus A321LR is a powerful symbol of innovation and partnership, strengthening the long-standing relationship between Airbus and the UAE,” said Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus Executive Vice President Sales of the Commercial Aircraft Business. “This 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.”
Where will Etihad fly its Airbus A321LR?
The A321LR will support Etihad’s expansion of routes. The aircraft is scheduled to enter commercial service on August 1, 2025, initially operating between Abu Dhabi and Phuket.
The airline’s announced destinations include Algiers, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Copenhagen, Düsseldorf, Kolkata, Krabi, Kraków, Medan, Milan, Paris, Phnom Penh, Phuket, Tunis, and Zurich.
According to data from AeroRoutes, the scheduled deployments by date of introduction to service are:
- Abu Dhabi – Phuket: The 3-class A321LR will replace the airline’s Boeing 787-9 on one of three daily scheduled flights (EY414/415) from August 1 to September 30, 2025. Starting January 1, 2026, the airline will increase service from three to four daily flights, with EY420/421 operated by the A321LR.
- Abu Dhabi – Kolkata: Beginning September 26, 2025, the A321LR will replace the A320 on the airline’s eight-times weekly service.
- Abu Dhabi – Copenhagen: Starting on October 1, 2025 the airline will increase service from five to seven weekly flights. The 3-class A321LR will replace the airline’s Boeing 787-9.
- Abu Dhabi – Dusseldorf: From October 1, 2025, the airline will increase its flight frequencies from three to seven times weekly with the 3-class A321LR replacing the 787-9.
- Abu Dhabi – Medan Kualanamu: Starting October 2, 2025, the new route will offer three weekly flights on the 3-class A321LR.
- Abu Dhabi – Phnom Penh: The new route will launch on October 3, 2025, with four weekly flights operated by the A321LR. This frequency will increase to five weekly on November 6, 2025 and to six weekly on February 3, 2026.
- Abu Dhabi – Krabi: Beginning October 9, 2025, the new route will offer service three times weekly on the 3-class A321LR. The airline plans to increase the schedule to eight weekly flights starting on November 1, 2025.
- Abu Dhabi – Milan Malpensa: Starting on November 1st, the 3-class A321LR will replace the Boeing 787-9 on flights EY087/088.
- Abu Dhabi – Tunis: This new route will launch on November 1, with three weekly flights operating on the 3-class A321LR.
- Abu Dhabi – Zurich: Starting November 1, 2024, the A321LR will replace the Boeing 787-9 on flights EY141/142. The airline will also reduce service from 7 to 6 weekly flights until February 2, 2025. The airline is adding a new three-times weekly EY139/140 service with the A321LR. The overall service will increase from 16 weekly to 17, starting on February 3, 2026.
- Abu Dhabi – Chiang Mai: This new route will launch on November 3, 2025, with four weekly flights operating on the 3-class A321LR
- Abu Dhabi – Algiers: This new route will launch on November 7, 2025, with four weekly flights operating on the 3-class A321LR
- Abu Dhabi – Bangkok Suvarnabhumi: Starting December 15, 2025 the airline will increase flight frequencies from 3 to 4 daily. Flights EY404/405 operate on the Boeing 787-9, but Etihad plans to switch to the 3-class A321LR starting February 1, 2026.
- Abu Dhabi – Paris Charles de Gaulle: Starting February 1, 2026, the airline will increase flight frequencies from 14 to 18 weekly. The additional service will operate on the 3-class A321LR.
Some planned A321LR routes have been cancelled
Interestingly, Etihad has cancelled plans to deploy the aircraft on three routes based on the most recent schedule update posted on AeroRoutes on July 21.
- Abu Dhabi – Riyadh: Starting October 1, 2025, EY551/552 will operate on the airline’s A320, instead of the initially planned A321LR.
- Abu Dhabi – Athens: Etihad had planned to launch an A321LR service on January 1, 2026, on one of its two daily flights, and then on all flights starting February 1, 2026. The airline has since removed the aircraft from the schedule.
- Abu Dhabi – Chennai: Etihad had planned to launch A321LR service on October 2, 2025. EY346/347 would have featured the 3-class aircraft on three of the seven weekly flights, replacing the A320neo. The aircraft would also have operated EY340/341 starting February 1, 2026.
The schedule may change again as the airline receives additional aircraft of this type. This is the first of 30 A321LR aircraft Etihad has ordered. Airbus has committed to delivering nine more A321LRs to Etihad Airways this year.
