Luxury travel isn’t just reserved for private jets, with more commercial airlines upping their first and business class offering to provide something extra special for passengers. One of the world’s most expensive commercial flights offers far more than a seat alone – but will cost over £50,000 to travel one way.
The cost of flights typically fluctuates throughout the year based on demand, however, according to Alpen Air Magazine, the most expensive single flight ticket for a commercial airline comes from Etihad Airways.
The ticket for the Etihad Airbus A380 suite ‘The Residence’ on the route from New York City (JFK) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) costs approximately €61,000 – which equates to roughly £52,361. This price will likely change throughout the year depending on popularity, but passengers tend to be looking at shelling out around £50,000.
However, The Residence offers far more than your typical first class cabin. Etihad described The Residence as a “bespoke journey above the clouds”, though it is only available on select routes.
Exclusively installed on the A380 aircraft, Etihad’s The Residence offers the world’s only three-bedroom suite on a commercial aircraft. The exclusive travel experience begins long before you step onboard, with a personalised welcome at the airport and an attaché to ensure a seamless airport experience.
When flying from Abu Dhabi, passengers can make the most of a private chauffeur who collects them from their door and whisks them to the aircraft.
Once onboard, a dedicated cabin crew team serves The Residence passengers, setting up a dining table at meal times, serving food and preparing the space for sleep.
The apartment is made up of three rooms, the living area, bedroom and private bathroom. Passengers will first enter the living space, complete with sofa-style airline seating and a large television screen with access to hundreds of hours of on-demand movies, TV shows, live sports and more. There is also a second television in the bedroom.
Passengers travelling in The Residence can enjoy complimentary onboard Wi-Fi with unlimited data.
The second room of your apartment in the sky is the bedroom, complete with a spacious double bed to ensure you arrive at your destination well-rested. Passengers are given designer loungewear to change into while the crew prepare a full turn-down service. If you choose, you can even enjoy breakfast in bed.
When you travel in The Residence, the dedicated cabin crew team will prepare your choice of meals, whenever you would like to dine. The menu includes gourmet cuisine and light refreshments, along with a boutique wine list.
The final room of The Residence is the private en suite bathroom, complete with a shower and luxury amenity kits designed in collaboration with Giorgio Armani to allow passengers to freshen up before arrival.
Showers are rare onboard commercial flights due to the extra weight added by carrying water. Etihad is just one of two commercial airlines in the world that offer this amenity onboard, alongside Emirates.
And if you fancy stretching your legs beyond your private apartment, there is also a lounge area onboard for first and business class passengers to enjoy. The Lobby is a serviced lounge and bar area located between the two cabins where guests can order refreshments, watch television or socialise.