Etihad First Class Lounge Abu Dhabi (AUH)

One great perk of getting a complimentary upgrade to first class on my way to Singapore was that Etihad would also let me access the first class lounge. Upon arrival, I made my way towards and into the lounge. I can say without a doubt that I was incredibly impressed by the Etihad first class lounge in Abu Dhabi.

Etihad First Class Lounge in Abu Dhabi Location and Access

The lounge is located just past security. It should not be hard to miss. After entering, an agent will check you downstairs before allowing you to proceed up the elevator or stairs. 

To access the Etihad first class lounge, you need to be flying Etihad first class. Multiple business class passengers were trying to enter, but all turned away towards the business class lounge in the airport.

The lounge is open 24/7 and never closes due to the nature of late-night flights in the Middle East.

Etihad First Class Lounge in Abu Dhabi 

The first thing that stood out about the Etihad first class lounge in Abu Dhabi was how large and empty it was. Upon arrival, I explored the lounge to see if I could find anyone else. In the back corner of the lounge, there was one business traveler, but other than that, we had the lounge to ourselves. Of course, as the evening went on, it became busier. 

In the entryway to the lounge was luggage storage, where you could trade your bags for tags. This was convenient not to have to drag my bags around the lounge. 

Walking further into the lounge, there is a spa on the right and customer service on the left. Unfortunately, spa services have not been brought back since the pandemic. It seems as if spa services will resume with Etihad’s new first class lounge opening when the new terminal in Abu Dhabi opens. The customer service desk was incredible for answering questions.

Next to the spa was a gym. This is the second airport lounge I have ever seen with a gym, with the first being in Dallas (DFW) in the Capital One Lounge. After a 13-hour flight, I will say that it was nice to work out and get my heart beating a little bit.  

Further down the corridor, there were shower suites on the right. I had no trouble getting one right away after my workout. It was a bit different that they held onto my boarding pass until I returned to the front. 

Of course, next on the list was food. The dining room was large and expansive, with more than enough tables, each beautifully plated. There was also a large bar parallel to the restaurant. 

The space in the lounge that I did not get to check out was the old private residence area. It is hidden behind a restricted door meant for passengers that flew the residence back when it was flying in the skies. 

There was also a children’s area.

Food and Beverage

Similar to on board, the food in the lounge had great variety and was incredible. This is definitely the place to have a meal before your flight with a la carte service. 

Immediately after seating, a waitress offered me something to drink. With confused time zones, I just went for some freshly squeezed orange juice. Of course, there were plenty of options, including some nice bottles of alcohol. My friend who had previously flown Etihad recommended the champagne, but I didn’t go for it this visit. 

As for food, I ordered some soup and an Arabic mezze. To avoid gluten, I asked if getting cut-up veggies instead of pita was possible. The waitress impressed me by noting that it was possible but would take a few minutes since they had to get the veggies from catering in a different part of the airport. Talk about impressive. 

I was planning on ordering the also recommended steak, but at this point, I was still stuffed from all of the food on board. I ended up just thanking the staff and heading to the gate.

The Last Point

The first class lounge in Abu Dhabi was incredible. Having a gym in a lounge is one of the most underrated perks, especially in long-haul flying. It helps with jet lag and, with a post-workout shower, is the perfect way to reset mid-journey. 

The food was incredible, with outstanding options that all came out quickly and presented beautifully. The only thing better than the food was the service. The staff in the lounge was incredible on all fronts. All were very nice and incredibly willing to help to go above and beyond to ensure passengers had the best experience.

If you ever have access to the Etihad first class lounge in Abu Dhabi, don’t miss it. It will be an incredible experience you won’t forget.

Trip Report

This article is part of my Asia Trip Report:

• Review: Turkish Airlines Business Class Lounge IAD
• Review: Etihad B787-9 First Class IAD-AUH
• My Lucky Day: A FREE Upgrade to Etihad $10,000 First Class
• Review: Etihad First Class Lounge Abu Dhabi AUH
• Review: Etihad B787-10 Business Class AUH-SIN
• Is First Class on Etihad Worth It?
• Booking 21 Hours in Business Class for $45: My Best Redemption Yet!
• Wandering Singapore: My Thoughts
• Exploring the Jewel at Changi: My Thoughts
• Review: Plaza Premium Lounge Singapore (SIN)
• Review: Air Asia SIN-DPS A320
• Review: Hyatt Regency Bali Deluxe Room
• Review: Alila Ubud Deluxe Room
• Review: Alila Seminyak Studio
• How I Saved 20,000 Hyatt Points Per Night
• Bali in 2023: Does it Live Up to the Hype?
• Review: Singapore Airlines Economy Class
• Review: Hyatt Place Bangkok Sukhumvit
• Luxury For Cheap: Category 1 Hyatt Hotels
• Exploring Bangkok: My Thoughts
• Review: Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge Bangkok (BKK)
• Review: Japan Airlines B777-300er Business Class BKK-HND
• Review: Japan Airlines Domestic Sakura Lounge HND
• Review: Japan Airlines Domestic Business Class Experience
• Review: Moxy Osaka Shin Umeda
• Visiting Hiroshima: My Thoughts
• Trains in Japan: My Thoughts
• Traditional Townhouse Kyoto: My Thoughts
• Hiking to the Top of Fushimi Inari in Kyoto
• Review: Capsule Hotel Experience in Tokyo
• Watching Baseball in Japan: My Thoughts
• Review: ANA First Class Lounge Tokyo Narita (NRT)
• The Best Flight of My Life: ANA First Class NRT-ORD Review
• Craziest Travel Turn Around: From Capsule Hotel to ANA First Class
• No Lounge on a $13,000 First Class Ticket?!?
• Booking a $13,000 First Class Ticket for 47,000 Points