Etihad Airways Adds A350 To Sydney

Etihad Airways has confirmed that its state-of-the-art Airbus A350 will debut in Australia later this year.

Set to commence on 1 October 2025, the Airbus A350 will complement an existing service operated by the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

However, from 31 January 2026, the airline will go all in with its 10 weekly Sydney services, utilising the A350-1000. This aircraft will feature state-of-the-art cabin technology to elevate customer satisfaction levels.

The Airbus A350 introduces premium travel options to Australia, bringing the airline’s newest wide-body long-haul product to the country and the popular city of Sydney.

Etihad Airways recognises the importance of Sydney and the Australian market. As a result, premium seat capacity will increase by over 20%, with seat availability set to rise by 10% as well.

Initially, the Airbus A350-1000 will be deployed across EY454/455 with a departure from Abu Dhabi at 2115 and an arrival the following day at 1655 into Sydney.

Meanwhile, the return leg departs Sydney at 2130 with a next-day arrival at 0600 into Abu Dhabi. As mentioned, by January 31, all Etihad Airways’ services to Sydney will be operated by the Airbus A350, with the 787 departing the city for good.

The Etihad Airways Airbus A350

The A350-1000 with Etihad Airways offers what the airline describes as state-of-the-art comfort levels to its passengers, along with a strong focus on the onboard experience.

The aircraft features 44 business studios as part of the Business Class, with each seat equipped with a sliding door to increase the privacy each customer would have.

Meanwhile, with each seat facing forward and having direct aisle access, the suites have been perfectly designed with comfort, privacy and class in mind.

The seats convert into a full flat bed measuring 79 inches in length, and the airline has made an effort to include ample storage with an emphasis on ensuring customers’ belongings stay with them.

There is an 18.5-inch TV with noise-cancelling headphones, which allow passengers in the higher cabin class to experience the in-flight entertainment offering that is present.

The A350 also accommodates those further back in the aircraft with 327 Economy Smart Seats, which feature an innovative recline and a 13-inch touch screen with Bluetooth headset pairing.

For Etihad Airways, the A350-1000 is the high-capacity model in the family, and they’ve leveraged this capacity across their network to ensure a strong focus on a premium configuration.