Abu Dhabi, June 26 - Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, has made a significant adjustment to its Airbus A380 operations, discontinuing the superjumbo’s service to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) as of June 23, 2025, and redeploying it to a new destination: Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ). This strategic shift reflects the airline’s focus on optimizing capacity to meet evolving market demands, particularly in the Canadian market, while maintaining its commitment to premium travel experiences. The move marks the end of the A380’s presence in New York, a route it had served intermittently since 2015, and introduces the iconic double-decker aircraft to Canadian skies for the first time.
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The final A380 flight to New York's JFK airport departed on June 23, 2025, concluding a chapter that began with the aircraft’s reintroduction to the route in April 2024, following a pandemic-induced hiatus. The A380, known for its luxurious offerings, including The Residence, a private three-room suite with a living room, bedroom, and en-suite shower, and nine First Apartments with 80-inch lie-flat beds, had been a hallmark of Etihad’s premium service to the United States. However, the airline has replaced the A380 on this route with the Airbus A350-1000, a more fuel-efficient aircraft featuring Etihad’s latest business class but lacking first-class cabins or The Residence. This swap reduces capacity on the New York route, as the A350-1000 carries fewer passengers (371 seats) compared to the A380’s 486 seats across four classes: The Residence, First Apartments, 70 Business Studios, and 405 Economy Smart Seats, including 68 with extra legroom.
On June 24, 2025, Etihad launched daily A380 flights from Abu Dhabi Zayed International Airport (AUH) to Toronto, a route previously served by the A350-1000. The inaugural flight, operated by the 10.4-year-old A380 registered as A6-APD, was celebrated with a ceremonial water-cannon salute upon arrival at YYZ. This deployment increases seat capacity by 31%, from 2,597 to 3,402 seats weekly, addressing growing demand from business, leisure, and visiting friends and relatives (VFR) travelers. Toronto, Etihad’s first North American destination since 2005, has seen significant traffic, particularly from passengers connecting to India, Pakistan, and other parts of the Gulf and Indian subcontinent. The decision to introduce the A380 to Toronto aligns with Etihad’s strategy to bolster its North American network, where it also serves Boston, Chicago, and Washington Dulles, with new routes to Atlanta starting July 2, 2025, and Charlotte in May 2026.
Etihad’s choice to redirect the A380 to Toronto stems from operational and market-driven factors. Bilateral agreements between the UAE and Canada limit flight frequencies, making the A380’s higher capacity an efficient solution to meet demand without adding flights. The airline currently operates seven A380s, with the remaining three from its original fleet of ten permanently grounded. The Toronto route’s introduction follows the A380’s successful return to other key markets, including London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, and Singapore, reflecting a broader revival of the superjumbo driven by post-pandemic travel demand and delays in new aircraft deliveries. Etihad’s $750 million investment in cabin refurbishments across its A380, Boeing 787, and Boeing 777 fleets underscores its commitment to enhancing passenger experiences, with updates to the A380 focusing on soft furnishings and potential expansion of the business-class cabin. This redeployment highlights Etihad’s adaptability in a competitive aviation landscape, balancing operational efficiency with its reputation for luxury. While New York loses the A380’s unique offerings, Toronto gains a premium travel option, strengthening Etihad’s presence in Canada and supporting its ambitious growth plans, which include tripling passenger numbers to 33 million by 2030 and expanding its fleet to 150 aircraft.