Etihad Apartments represent one of aviation's most exclusive First Class products. Available only on the A380, these suites feature a separate bed, oversized armchair, personal wardrobe, and more space than most people get in economy rows.

The product has achieved near-legendary status among aviation enthusiasts. Unlike most First Class seats that convert to beds, Etihad Apartments give you both a seat and a completely separate sleeping area. It's as close to a hotel room in the sky as you'll find outside The Residence.

I flew Etihad Apartments from Abu Dhabi to Toronto on the A380, strategically routing through YYZ instead of flying direct to New York to experience this product. Since Etihad switched their A380 routes to North America, Toronto became the only way to fly the Apartments home from the Middle East.

I booked using 110,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles, adding a YYZ-JFK segment in First Class for just $20 in additional taxes when award space opened up.

The journey started at Abu Dhabi's premium check-in wing, continued through the Etihad First Class lounge with complimentary spa treatments, and culminated in what would become the best inflight service experience I've had.

Here's my complete review of Etihad Apartments and whether this iconic product lives up to its legendary reputation.

The Ground Experience

When flying from Abu Dhabi Zayed International Airport (AUH), premium passengers get access to their own check-in wing. This check-in experience can be found near the first doors when being dropped off at departures.

You'll follow signs for the First and Business Class check-in area. Once you arrive, you'll see massive rows of Business Class check-in desks, all infrastructure to support hundreds of passengers at a given time. Given how many Business Class passengers Etihad flies daily, I can see why they have so many desks.

However, hidden in the back is its own dedicated First Class check-in area behind a sliding glass door.

Upon entry you'll see about five counters with a row of comfortable seating on the side.

With all the reviews I'd read beforehand, I thought you'd take a seat while they checked you in. As I was the only passenger checking in at that time, I was encouraged to stand at the desk while being checked in.

I asked if The Residence was available as an upgrade. They told me it was already occupied, unfortunately.

As I'd be flying to New York via Toronto, I was told my bags would be checked all the way through. I knew this wouldn't be true, as I'd have to collect my bags, change terminals, and clear US customs and immigration pre-clearance when I arrived in Toronto.

Once my bags were taken with First Class bag tags on them, I made my way to the private security for premium passengers. This private security lane is shared by First and Business Class passengers. When I went through, I was the only passenger there. Truly private.

Once through security, it was time to make my way to the Etihad lounge. Etihad operates two primary lounge areas in AUH: one for US pre-clearance customers, and another for all other passengers.

Flights bound for the USA can clear US Customs & Border Protection in Abu Dhabi. Customers land and deplane as if they arrived at a domestic gate in the US.

Even though my final destination was the US, my next stop was Toronto, Canada. This meant I didn't pre-clear US customs in Abu Dhabi.

Hence, I had access to the regular First and Business Class lounge that Etihad operates. This is reportedly nicer than the US pre-clearance lounge, as that's one space for both First and Business Class passengers instead of a dedicated First Class lounge.

Etihad First Class Lounge, AUH

After following signs to the Etihad First Class Lounge, I'd finally arrived. I was checked in on the main terminal level and told to take the elevators all the way up to the sixth floor where the First Class lounge was located.

The Etihad First Class lounge is a "lounge within a lounge" concept. It's a dedicated section found within the Business Class lounge. As a result, a First Class ticket gets you access to both the general Business Class lounge and the more secluded First Class lounge in Abu Dhabi.

When I arrived upstairs at the First Class lounge, the attendant downstairs had communicated with staff upstairs and they awaited my arrival. I was promptly let into the lounge without issue.

First impressions walking into the lounge: it was dark. Even though the sun had already set and it was night, the tones of the lounge made it feel really dark and intimate.

The lounge was not nearly as large as I'd expected a First Class lounge for one of the ME3 carriers to be.

The First and Business Class lounges were very long and skinny, running a long length of the terminal without a lot of depth. The First Class lounge was a fraction of the size of many American Express Centurion lounges I've been to, and smaller than many US Business Class lounges.

Walking through the lounge, there was a plethora of seating areas where you could sit and relax before a long flight.

Continuing to walk towards the back, there were two main seating areas with white-tablecloth dining setups. One seating area was more conducive to a buffet that had very appetizing-looking food.

However, when I went to try one, I took the lid off and saw a few flies. I decided not to eat them as I didn't know how long the flies had been there. Something I was genuinely surprised about in a First Class lounge.

All throughout the lounge were bottles of Voss water and coffee machines, along with refrigerators of other sodas. There was even a dedicated Voss Water display.

At the very back of the lounge was a quiet living-room-like space featuring large TVs, semi-private pods where people were sleeping in loungers, mood lighting, and many Dyson air purifying fans.

I decided it was time to sit down for a meal before my flight. I like to stop eating three or so hours before sleeping. Since this was a 2 AM departure, I wanted to finish eating by 11 PM.

Part of this sleeping regimen is reducing alcohol intake, so I only had a few sips of alcohol.

I ordered a glass of champagne to start: a bottle of 2018 Veuve Clicquot, which is a $175 bottle.

I started with the Hot and Cold Arabic Mezze. I liked most of it, especially the hummus.

For my mains I had both the spicy fried prawns and an order of roasted chicken.

For dessert, since I mentioned a nut allergy, they wanted to be extra careful. They brought me chocolate ice cream and berries, which was all they could guarantee didn't have nuts.

After dinner, it was time for a quick shower. Showers in this lounge operate on a first-come, first-served basis. There wasn't a line at all when I went in.

The water pressure was mediocre at best. I was very surprised they didn't have any branded product like Qatar had Diptyque. The product was difficult to dispense out of the container.

Nonetheless, a long, warm shower before a long flight was maximally relaxing.

Speaking of relaxing, First Class passengers have access to a complimentary 15-minute massage at the spa downstairs in the Business Class lounge. Inconveniently, the spa is on the complete other side of the lounge from the First Class section. Nonetheless, worth a walk.

I opted for an upper body and back massage. It was more of a stretch than a massage. Nonetheless, it felt great before a 14-hour flight. Not to mention it was free.

Alas, it was time to board.

Boarding

There was about a 10-minute walk over to my gate, B11, where I would board the Etihad A380 taking me to Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ).

My flight had a secondary document verification before entering a secure gate area. This led to tons of boarding chaos.

While I did have pre-board on my boarding pass since I was a First Class passenger, I found that half the plane boarded before I did. Many passengers pre-boarded before they called for pre-boarding.

Once it was my turn to board, everything was orderly and I was eager to step onboard.

I was greeted by one of the flight attendants onboard, Sally from Syria, who would end up being the flight attendant that worked closest with my seat.

She gave me a full seat tour and handed me my folio with the pajamas and amenity kit for the flight.

Sally offered to store my bags in the 3K apartment, which was across the aisle from me.

The Seat

The Etihad Apartments are only available on the A380. They're located on the upper level in the front of the aircraft.

The Apartments are laid out in a 1-1 all-aisle-access configuration, with alternating seats being closer to the window and aisle. Odd-numbered seats face backwards, while even-numbered seats face forward.

Rows 3 and 4 seats are closer to the window, while other rows feature primary seats close to the aisle.

Row 1 on the left (A) side of the aircraft features The Residence, a three-room suite with the normal apartment, a living room, private bathroom with shower, and bedroom featuring a full double bed. Unfortunately, I wasn't so lucky as to be flying this today.

I was seated in seat 3A, a rear-facing window seat.

When you first walk into the apartment, on the right side there's a vanity with push-to-open double mirrors. On the left is the ottoman that flips out and turns into a fully-functioning bed.

Behind the vanity on the right side was the main oversized armchair where I'd be seated when not in the bed. Across from that was the large but outdated TV. The TV was on a swivel you could pop out to view while in bed.

Next to the armchair was a remote to control the TV, along with a console of controls for the primary seat.

While the seat does recline, it does not lie flat, which can be frustrating. If you want to lie flat, you need to use the separate bed.

As I told Sally I wanted to try and sleep immediately after takeoff and have my meals when I woke up, she immediately made my bed prior to departure. She explained this was possible as they're allowed to make the beds before takeoff, as long as you're not seated in it until after takeoff.

Right across from the bed, below the vanity, were two pop-out drawers. One was refrigerated with various non-alcoholic drinks including water and sodas. The other drawer was purely for storage.

I went into the bathroom to put on my provided Emporio Armani pajamas. When I returned, the bed was fully made.

One lovely touch: they left a "Sweet Dreams" card on the pillow with a poem from Dr. Seuss.

Alas, it was time for sleep.

The Bathroom

The bathroom, while luxurious and well-cleaned, was nowhere near what would occupy the same space on the Emirates A380 in First Class. There were two bathrooms where Emirates would have one.

Both bathrooms were dark and cramped, although they were both much nicer than what you'd find in economy.

One of the two bathrooms featured a full-use shower with five minutes of running water. The showers were schedulable, so I showered after I woke up.

Customers are given little sample-sized bottles of shampoo and conditioner.

The Food & Beverage

The food and beverage was definitely up there for the best food I've had in flight.

Since it was an early morning departure around 2 AM arriving at 9 AM in Toronto, I decided to fall asleep immediately without having any food or drinks before sleep.

The great thing about Etihad First Class is the dine-on-demand concept. You can order whatever you want, whenever you want it.

When I woke up, I started with some breakfast: coffee, an Activated Charcoal Lemonade which was actually fantastic, along with a few warm pastries and butter. This came with a fruit plate that was refreshing and delicious.

A little bit later in the flight, I wanted a second meal so I could fit in an all-day menu item. For scientific purposes, of course.

I started with a small quarter glass of Bellini in a bottle. As it was 5 AM in Toronto, I didn't want to start drinking that early. But hey, it's 5 o'clock in Toronto!

Since I did want to try everything Etihad had to offer, I started with a mocktail—Mango Mojito—along with their signature caviar service. Osetra caviar was served with little toasts and all the traditional accompaniments including shaved egg and sour cream.

For starting dish, I got the Canadian Lobster Flan. Really tasty and flavorful, but a little dry.

They brought out a melon sorbet as a palate cleanser after the Lobster Flan, which was a very nice touch.

For my main dish, I got the Beef Tenderloin. I ordered it medium rare.

Before they brought it out, they came to let me know they thought the oven they were using ran a little hot and that it was overcooked. They told me they threw another one in the oven and it would be out shortly, but that they'd bring the first one out anyway.

This was such nice attention to detail. I ended up having two full filet mignons.

The filet was tender and perfectly cooked both times. It was served with a side of spinach, onion, and circularly sliced potato.

For dessert, similar to the lounge, the only thing they could guarantee didn't have nuts was the Häagen-Dazs ice cream. I had cookies and cream ice cream. What a treat that was.

Prior to landing, they came around with a box of Etihad chocolates which had a label and didn't seem to have nuts.

The Service

The service on this flight was hands down the best service I've had on a flight to date.

My primary flight attendant Sally was so incredibly friendly and helpful. Not only was she amazing, she embodied wonderful service that I'd expect from a flight like this.

There were so many warm touches, and they were all very respectful without being over the top. From the thoughtfulness around the food being overcooked to the little details throughout, the flight was just amazing.

Prior to landing they came around with porcelain Arabic coffee cups that are apparently collector's items with various Etihad flight locations on them.

I went with the one from Osaka, as I'd just come from Osaka on my round-the-world adventure and thought Osaka was one of my favorite places on this trip.

Booking

I booked this flight using American Airlines AAdvantage miles. Their award chart states that a First Class ticket from the Middle East to North America will run you 110,000 AAdvantage miles.

Since Etihad recently switched the routes they fly on their A380 to North America, and I really wanted to fly home in Etihad First Class in the Apartments—a product exclusive to the A380—I needed to fly home via Toronto (YYZ) if I wanted to fly the Apartments. Even though my final destination was New York City.

Since AA uses a zone-based award chart, flying from any Middle East airport to any North American airport costs the same amount. However, ticketing them requires special inventory to be available.

To ticket through Economy on a regional flight, you need "T" space to be available. To ticket in First Class, "U" space has to be available.

I set an alert on ExpertFlyer, and when U space opened up, I was able to call AA. They were able to add a segment from YYZ to JFK in First Class for only the additional cost of about $20 in taxes and fees.

Hence, I flew AUH-YYZ-JFK in First Class for 110,000 AAdvantage miles. The cash price of this ticket was (rather reasonable for what it is) $5,990.

Final Thoughts

Etihad Apartments on the A380 is, while not the best First Class product I've flown, certainly up there. The combination of the dated hard product, food quality, and especially the service created an experience that exceeded even my expectations.

The Apartments themselves are cleverly designed with the separate bed being the star feature. Having a dedicated sleeping area instead of converting your seat meant I could go to sleep immediately after takeoff while Sally made my bed, then wake up for meals later. The oversized armchair was comfortable for sitting, the vanity provided useful storage, and the refrigerated drawer kept drinks cold.

The seat not lying flat is the one frustration. You must use the separate bed to lie flat, which while luxurious, means you can't recline your seat for a quick nap without fully converting to bed mode.

The bathrooms were dark and cramped compared to Emirates' larger A380 First Class bathrooms. Having two bathrooms where Emirates has one shows the design tradeoff. The shower with five minutes of running water worked well though the sample-size amenities felt less premium than expected.

The food was among the best I've had in flight. The dine-on-demand concept meant I could sleep after departure and order both breakfast and a full lunch later. The Osetra caviar service, Canadian Lobster Flan, and especially the Beef Tenderloin were all excellent. Getting two filet mignons because they thought the first was overcooked showed incredible attention to detail.

The service from Sally was hands down the best I've experienced on any flight. Warm, attentive, respectful without being over the top. From making my bed before takeoff to the thoughtfulness around the overcooked tenderloin to offering the porcelain Arabic coffee cup collector's items, every detail felt genuinely cared for. This is the service that separates great First Class from merely good First Class.

The ground experience at Abu Dhabi was smooth with dedicated First Class check-in, private security, and the First Class lounge. The complimentary 15-minute massage before the flight was a nice touch even if it felt more like stretching. Finding flies in the buffet food was disappointing for a First Class lounge, though the sit-down dining more than made up for it.

At 110,000 AAdvantage miles for AUH-YYZ-JFK routing through Toronto, this represented exceptional value. Being able to add the domestic US segment for just $20 in taxes when award space opened showed the power of AA's zone-based pricing and careful award monitoring.

Etihad Apartments lives up to the hype. This isn't just a great First Class product—it's the product that every other First Class is measured against. The separate bed, the dine-on-demand service, and most importantly Sally's incredible service created an experience that justifies the legendary status.

If you have the miles and can find the award availability, book this immediately. Etihad recently reduced A380 routes to North America, making this product increasingly rare. The Toronto routing might not be direct, but it's worth it to experience what might be the world's best First Class product.

This is what premium air travel should be.