Which is the better airline Emirates v Etihad?

One of the frequent flying questions we get living in the Middle East is “should we fly Emirates or Etihad?”.

There is no one right answer to this as it really depends what you want from your airline; what part of the plane will you be flying in? How important is earning airline points to you? Do you like to stop and get out of the airport? And of course the obvious factors such as onboard service, route connections and cost.

We are a frequent-flying family that has lived in the UAE nearly seven years and flown both airlines on numerous occasions in every cabin.

In this post we will take a detailed look at:

• Who exactly are the two UAE airlines and where are they based
• Know before you fly Emirates & Etihad
  • The fleets – aircraft used
  • Baggage Allowances
  • Seat size & preferred seating options
• Economy Class comparison on board
  • Entertainment systems
  • Family services
  • Meals
• Airline Networks & Airline Awards
• Emirates Skywards v Etihad Guest Loyalty Programs
• DXB v Abu Dhabi airports
• Dubai v Emirates as stopover cities

This post is part of our flying with kids and airline review series

Please note this comparison review was written Pre-COVID

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What is the difference between Emirates and Etihad?

In might be easier to discuss their similarities first and then put them on a map!

Both airlines are carriers belonging to the United Arab Emirates – a Muslim country located in the Arabian Gulf. Emirates was established in 1985 as the carrier for the Emirate of Dubai from DXB airport.

Etihad followed in 2003. It is ultimately owned by the Governement of Abu Dhabi and operates from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH). The two cities are some 160kms apart.

Note there is no direct public transport connection between the two airports, nor do any flights operate between the two. You can learn more about how to get between Dubai and Abu Dhabi at ground level here.

Don’t know your Dubai from your Abu Dhabi, or even where to find them on a map? Don’t worry, you are not alone! There’s a detailed guide here explaining what exactly is Dubai and the UAE

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Before you fly – Emirates v Etihad

Whilst on quality and brand reputation they may come across quite similar, Emirates is a far larger airline group than Etihad. Its fleet of 268 Airbus A380’s and Boeing 777 jets (as of March 2019) is roughly three times as big as Etihad’s.

Emirates currently serves over 140 destinations in destinations in 85 countries, making it one of the best connected airlines in the world. You Can explore their full route map here.

Etihad serves 74 destinations (at their peak they served over 110), using a variety of aircraft including A380’s, Boeing 777, Boeing 787, and a range of A340, A330 and A320 aircraft. You can check excatly which aircraft serves which route on SeatGuru.

In our review today we are going to focus on Economy Class offerings for both airlines.

Baggage Allowances – Emirates v Etihad

Emirates did a big shake-up on their baggage allowances in February 2019 (if you booked your ticket prior to the change please check direct with Emirates as different rules will apply). As of the time of publishing, this is the two airlines side by side in the baggage stakes:

These are frequently changing, so please check with the indiviudal airlines, this is correct as at March 2019

There’s really not much separating them when it comes to baggage. Both are incredibly generous with their standard Economy Class fares. Both have fairly recently introduced cheaper ticket categories with reduced weight allowances encouraging carry-on only.

Addtional Infant Baggage Allowances

Both airlines from our experience have been very generous at allowing more than one item per child. We have flown with multiple car seats and strollers and not been turned away or asked to pay extra.

We have much more on kiddy services and dealing with infants on board below.

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Emirates v Etihad: Economy Seats

This all depends on which exact aircraft you have, but I am sure you’ll agree every inch matters when you’re travelling long haul (and let’s be frank, nothing about flying economy is really comfortable, just tolerable).

Emirates economy seats measure in with a seat pitch of 32″ to 34″ and width of 17″ – 18″, whilst Etihad vary from 31.5″ to 33″ and 31″ pitch on the A380 and a width of 17.5″ (though they are currently upgrading the number of extra space seats on their A380 fleet which will give a whopping 36″ pitch).

It’s too close to call on their standard economy seats as there are so many variables by aircraft. We do love the flexible headrest and U-shaped pillows on Etihad though, I think this gives their economy seating the edge.

When looking at flight timing, also look at the aircraft that serves that slot as this can make a bit of difference to you comfort.

Paying for preferred seats

Both airlines have now brought in preferred seating fees that most passengers on economy tickets will need to pay to guarantee the seat of their choice. After years of not charging for this service, it was inevitably going to happen….

Emirates has quite a complex tiered structure for paid seat selection that apply to preferred seats, twin seats and extra legroom seats. As you move up the airline’s loyalty program these fees are removed. Seat selection opens up to all 48 hours before the flight.

On Etihad, since July 2018, if you are travelling on an Economy Deal, Saver or Classic fare, you can reserve your seat in advance for a fee. Otherwise, seating opens up to all passengers 24 hours beforehand. You can also upgrade for a larger fee to an “economy space” seat which will get you those extra few inches in seat pitch.

Both airlines have a good reputation for seating family groups together, though the only way to guarantee this now is with preferred seating.

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What to expect on board Emirates & Etihad

Both airlines have relatively new fleets, so expect in most cases you will have a good quality aircraft, and you SHOULD be getting top of their class service crews but we all know this can be a huge variable with any given crew on any given day.

Emirates and Etihad both rank in the top 10 airlines for safety according to JACDEC.

Service on board Emirates & Etihad

I’ll be honest. I most often fly internationally with 3 kids on my own; nothing can really make that less painful! It’s gotten easier over the years as they have grown, but I can think of very few occasions where a member of staff has actually made a massive difference to my flying experience.

What has helped is my own confidence in flying and loyalty. Repeated routine helps all of us as we’re familiar with the airports and procedures. You can read more of our flying with kids tips here.

Loyalty matters

The only real difference has come through holding an Etihad Gold Card. I’ve been able to skip queues lining up in business class while flying economy and when possible, they allocate an extra seat next to you. On several occasions flying with a lap baby + 2 kids, I was able to get a spare seat enabling me to have a whole row of 4 with the 3 kids. Those perks make a massive difference to the solo flying experiences but I’m well aware they come from airline status, not standard passenger service.

Amentity kits for comfort

Both airlines include personal amenity kits for long-haul flights including toothbrush, eyeshade, socks and ear plugs. You will also be offered a blanket, pillows and headphones on boarding for your comfort. Etihad’s pillows wrap around your neck and have that little extra comfort factor!

Update August 2019: On our last Etihad flight both the amenity kits and the U shaped pillows were absent! There goes any economy cabin advantage we though Etihad held.

On board Entertainment

Both offer excellent onboard entertainment systems, but Emirates ICE systems (Information Communication Entertainment) is just unsurpassable. Over 4000 channels can be found and you can even sync your playlist ready before you fly with the Emirates app!

The seat \back screen’s in both Emirates’ A380 and 777 aircraft come in at an industry-leading 13.3″ in Economy.

Comparatively, Etihad advertises on their E-box system over 350 TV Shows and 180 movies, 16 radio stations and 60 games. It’s a decent selection but obviously not a fraction of the Emirates catalogue. Take more than a couple of long-hauls in a month and the menu starts to look sparse. Screen size varies between aircraft, expect around 11″.

A huge frustration we have found with E-box is that it does not start until well after you are in the air and is turned off what feels like an exceptionally long time before you land. You may want a smartphone / tablet / book up your sleeve for entertainment too.

Irconically, given our assessment, Etihad actually one the Best In Flight Entertainment World Travel Awards 2018 (and has done so for 14 years).

Kids Entertainment

Each airline gives out kids entertainment packs on long haul flights. Recently Etihad has made attempts to refresh their range of “Explorer” packs but they’re really not a touch on the Emirates Fly with Me animals and activity packs.

Emirates Fly with Me animals convert into colourful kids blankets (that my kids still take with them everywhere!) and special kids headphones are also issued. The ICE System includes 50 classic Disney movies and over 90 dedicated kids channels.

E-box has a dedicated kids section too but it is much more limited and not always intuitive for kids to use independently. It does come with parental controls if there are shows or games you’d rather they not watch.

The Etihad Flying Nanny

Now you may have heard of the mysterious Etihad Nanny. The existence of the orange-aproned lady on every flight we’ve taken can be confirmed. However, after 20+ flights, I can tell you of only one instance where in the last hour of the flight the Nanny attempted to “entertain” my children for me.

You can read my full thoughts on the Etihad Nanny here. I will sum it up in one word for you though; gimmick.

A note on kids leg pillows

This is a big differentiator that has recently developed that concerns some families. Emirates categorically will not allow the likes of Bed Box or flying pillows to extend children’s seats to make a bed.

Etihad, on the other hand, is still allowing them – or at least no where do they explicitly ban their use. We have used the Bed Box several times on Etihad, and one of our readers also tested the Kooshy Kids Kooshion without issue.

We have a full comparison of which airlines allow these products to be used, as well as plane sleeping tips for kids here.

Baby Bassinets

Both airlines offer baby bassinets that attach in the bulkhead row of economy cabins. These seats need to be requested in advance but cannot be guaranteed. They are free to reserve without needing to pay for a preferred seat (see our seating section above).

• The Emirates bassinet is 75 x 33 x 22cm (29.5 x 13 x 8.8 inches) and can hold babies weighing up to 11kg (24.2lbs).
• The Etihad Bassinets are suitable for babies weighing up to 11kgs but no size dimensions are given.

Parents are given priority for the bulkhead seats when they share a PNR (Booking reference) with an infant.

You can learn more about how baby bassinets work on airlines here.

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Emirates v Etihad: Meals

Economy class, what can you say? A plane meal is a plane meal. Perhaps better than many airlines, I can’t recall having any real shockers but they will definitely keep you satisfied.

Both airlines give you the option to order kids meals at least 24 hours in advance. You can also order a huge range of special diet meals on both airlines as well, from gluten-free to low sodium, you name it!

The frequency and timing of meals varies completely by route.

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Both airlines offer alcoholic drink service trolleys too. It seems to entirely depend on the route and the crew on the day how efficiently these trolley services come around. Certainly, on the ultra long-hauls, we’ve never had issues getting water or juice when we need, though you may need to go to the galley to get it. You will be served in those tiny plastic cups, so best take your own water bottle on board when possible after security (this can’t be done for Australian bound flights with strict liquid rules).

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Emirates & Etihad Airline Networks

Both airlines have stayed independent of the “big 3” airline alliances – Star Alliance, One World & Sky Team. They do have individual airline partnerships and codeshare arrangements, however, as follows:

If you are frequently flying with any of these network airlines and have an interest in collecting points, then these may make a difference to your decision.

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Awards & Industry Accolades

Now remember for all we are looking at the nitty gritty, on the worldwide scales, these two airlines are considered excellent on the world scale. In the last 12 months, here are just some of the awards we’ve identified:

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Frequent Flyer Programs

Customer loyalty is important to these airlines. Both offer their entry level frequent flyer programs for free, but we believe it is easier to accumulate rewards with Etihad due to their generous family and friends policies. Here’s an overview of what to expect with both airlines:

Emirates Skywards

Emirates Skywards allows you to earn miles on both Emirates and FlyDubai. Entry level blue is for new joiners, then move up the tiers to Silver, Gold & Platinum through miles flown and tier miles. Silver membership onwards gets you priority check-in, extra baggage and lounge access perks.

Children can be joined up to their Skywards Skysurfers from 2 years old, and family members can now be connected under one account. Any old miles they had previously earned on their individual accounts can be transferred to your family account at cost.

Etihad Guest

Very similar on the surface; Entry level is Etihad Guest, then move to Silver Gold & Platinum through tier miles and tier segments. Silver membership onwards gets you priority check-in, extra baggage and lounge access perks.

Etihad Guest has long run a points pooling system where each family member has their own Guest account but these can be pooled to accumulate points faster. The points can then be used to book anyone’s ticket. Family members do not need to be living together.

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Flight routes and costing difference

Let’s be honest, at the end of the day it comes down to whether the route and the fare fit, right? 

We have been loyal Etihad flyers for years, both Hubby and I sitting on Gold status, but purely from the personal view of an expat family living in the UAE, Emirates is coming up trumps for us every time of late both in terms of pricing of flights and available routes.

Since Etihad went through a large financial and organisational restructure they have significantly cut routes. We can no longer fly direct to our “home” airport, and even taking multi-city stopovers, they are coming out vastly more expensive with a lack of flexibility. Mr Globetroter is equally finding he cannot make all the connections he needs on his work tickets to make round trips so it has become increasingly difficult to remain loyal. Sorry Etihad.

Price difference between Emirates & Etihad

So how do they stack up in the all-important price comparison test? Plug your dates in here and give them a try:

(Note if you use the code XNB you get Etihad flights that originate from Dubai using a coach connection. Or use ZVJ to see Emirates flights that coach connect from Abu Dhabi – sneaky I know, you’re welcome!)

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DXB v AUH Airport Terminals

Dubai has the far bigger terminal with more facilities, restaurants, entertainment and sleeping options. Until the new Abu Dhabi International Airport opens (currently queued for Q4 2019 but this is a creeping deadline) there is really no comparison between the two.

On the other hand, Abu Dhabi is easier to navigate as it’s smaller. Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 where most flights leave from are about a 10-minute walk apart. A large proportion of flights out of AUH leave from the tarmac, not via jet bridges so you need to factor this in when moving between flights.

Dubai Airport has a transit service between terminals, again leave plenty of time between flights if you have connections due to the size of the airport. It does mean if you have a layover you shouldn’t get bored for a few hours – check out our extensive list of DXB layover ideas here.

Both airports offer complimentary strollers for families to use, though we have had difficulty locating these strollers at both airports when we’ve really needed them so don’t take these as a given. If you have a longer layover I would play it safe and bring your own compact stroller on board.

A big plus for travels to the US from Abu Dhabi is that they have a US Customs & Immigration pre-clearance facility. This can shave a lot of time off for passengers at the other end in the US, but don’t forget to arrange in advance ESTA for your family or group.

Sleeping at the airport DXB v AUH

Another one that you really have to hand to Emirates and DXB over Etihad and AUH if you want comfort and convenience.

AUH – Abu Dhabi International Airport has Aerotel Sleep Pods in Terminal 3, and Aerotel Hotel Rooms in Terminal 1 if you want to stay airside. Immediately adjacent to the airport is a Premier Inn. Otherwise, your choices are to drive to several hotels about 10 minutes away, all of which involve clearing customs and passport control and checking back in.

DXB – Dubai International Airport meanwhile has Dubai International Hotel airside, a good quality 5 star offering without leaving the Terminal. You can also use SnoozeCubes in Terminal 1 or Sleep n’Fly at Terminal 3.

There are several hotels within a few minutes drive of DXB that run free shuttles to and from the hotel (that involve passing customs and passport control).

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Getting out of the airport

Distance to city & city sightseeing options

Both airports have good access back to their city centres.  Dubai by its size is the larger and more challenging city to navigate if you are in a hurry but also has the Metro public transport system which aids visitors being able to self navigate out of the airport at minimal cost.

We have a full guide on what to see and do outside of Dubai Airport here.

It is comparatively quite straight forward to get a taxi to Abu Dhabi’s most famous site the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in about 15 minutes, or all the way to the Corniche beachfront in under 40 minutes and under $40USD.

Dubai overall is a city more built for tourism. Abu Dhabi has less tourist attractions per se, but is arguably the more elegant and pretty city. Cost-wise for meals, hotels, entertainment for tourists, they are much the same.

Either city makes a fabulous short stop over destination and we would highly encourage you to get out at both to explore.

Related Reading: Our complete guide on where to stay and best hotels in Abu Dhabi

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If all things were 100% equal, in terms of route & cost and you are flying Economy, I would give a tiny edge to Emirates. But as we know there are all the other variables we’ve mentioned here to consider.

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Further reading and reviews on Emirates & Etihad

We have taken a much more in-depth look at each of the airlines, as well as what is in offer in each of the cities as a stopover destination in these detailed blog posts:

• Family Flying Airline Review Emirates
• Flying Emirates with a Toddler and a Baby
• Things to do and where to stay DXB
• Family Flying Airline Review Etihad
• Discover the UAE
• Things to do and where to stay AUH

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Have you flown with both Emirates & Etihad? Do you have a preference or anything about either service that really stood out? 

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Disclosures: This post is in no way sponsored by either of the airlines mentioned. We are, however, an affiliate for both of the airlines. Should you make a booking with either of these airlines after clicking on one of our links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Information correct as of early 2019. Our full disclosures and terms of use can be found here.

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