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Etihad to Fly Flagship A350 to Sydney with Private Business Suites
Etihad Airways will introduce its flagship Airbus A350-1000 on the Sydney-Abu Dhabi route from 1 October 2025, offering a step up in comfort and premium capacity, including Business Suites with sliding doors for enhanced privacy.
By 31 January 2026, all 10 weekly Sydney flights will be operated exclusively by the A350, replacing the current Boeing 787-9 mix. Meanwhile, Melbourne will continue to be served daily by Etihad’s latest 787-9, also fitted with the airline’s new Business Suites.
The A350 features 44 Business Studios, each equipped with a sliding door, providing a suite-like experience with direct aisle access. Each seat converts into a fully flat 79-inch bed and includes:
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Wireless charging dock
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Bluetooth audio pairing
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18.5-inch HD screen
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Noise-cancelling headphones
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Generous storage space
The aircraft also offers 327 Economy Smart Seats with 13-inch touchscreens, Bluetooth support, improved recline, and complimentary Wi-Fi chat packages for all passengers.
The move increases overall seat capacity by 10% and premium seats by over 20% on the Sydney route. Etihad has also added extra flights to Sydney in 2025, boosting connectivity via Abu Dhabi to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
Flight Schedule: Abu Dhabi – Sydney (from 1 October 2025)
(Partial A350 deployment)
| Flight | From | Dep | To | Arr | Days | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EY450 | AUH | 10:25 | SYD | 06:10 +1 | Mon, Thu, Sat, Sun | 787-9 |
| EY454 | AUH | 21:15 | SYD | 16:55 +1 | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun | A350 |
| EY451 | SYD | 15:40 | AUH | 00:05 +1 | Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun | 787-9 |
| EY455 | SYD | 21:30 | AUH | 06:00 +1 | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat | A350 |
Full A350 Operations: From 31 January 2026
| Flight | From | Dep | To | Arr | Days | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EY450 | AUH | 09:40 | SYD | 06:10 +1 | Mon, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun | A350 |
| EY454 | AUH | 21:55 | SYD | 18:35 +1 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sun | A350 |
| EY451 | SYD | 16:20 | AUH | 23:55 | Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun | A350 |
| EY455 | SYD | 21:30 | AUH | 05:00 +1 | Mon–Fri, Sun | A350 |
Combined with Etihad’s Abu Dhabi stopover perks and increasingly competitive fares that we are still seeing come up in our Fare Round Ups, this move strengthens its appeal to Australian itineraries.
JetBlue and United Announce Partnership – What It Means for Avios Collectors
In a what seems like a major shake-up to the US airline landscape, JetBlue and United Airlines have confirmed they’re entering a new partnership, to include frequent flyer reciprocity, slot swaps at key airports, and the long-term possibility of a full merger.
While the main focus is on US travel, there are clear international implications, particularly for UK travellers who’ve taken advantage of JetBlue’s Avios redemptions via Qatar Airways Privilege Club.
The agreement will initially include:
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Mutual earning and redemption of miles between JetBlue’s TrueBlue and United’s MileagePlus
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Interlining, including baggage transfer
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Flights bookable on both airlines’ websites (but no codesharing)
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Reciprocal loyalty recognition, but only for MileagePlus elites, not other Star Alliance members
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United adopting JetBlue’s ancillary sales platform for hotels and car hire
To facilitate the deal:
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JetBlue will give United seven daily slot pairs at New York JFK
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United will hand JetBlue eight daily slots at Newark (EWR)
This cleverly avoids triggering US regulatory alarms, but it also sets up United for a long-desired return to JFK, likely with premium transcontinental routes.
This will almost certainly affect JetBlue Avios redemptions, which have been a sweet spot for low-tax transatlantic flights, especially in Mint business class, thanks to its partnership with Qatar Airways Privilege Club. Taxes and fees from the US to the UK can be as low as $10, and reward availability has been good due to a separate allocation for partner bookings.
However, with United MileagePlus soon gaining redemption access to JetBlue, competition for those seats is expected to increase sharply
Avios collectors using Qatar Airways to book JetBlue should act soon, award seats may become scarce. This deal could lead to a United takeover of JetBlue, reshaping competition at JFK and possibly ending one of the best Avios redemption options in the process.
