See inside Etihad's giant Airbus A380 that is flying to the US again after being nearly forced into retirement

The famous double-decker left Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport at about 3:20 a.m. local time and landed at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport just after 10 a.m. ET, according to FlightAware.

The A380 replaced one of the Boeing 787 Dreamliners that previously flew the Abu Dhabi-New York route, leaving one Dreamliner and the superjumbo flying the two daily frequencies.

If it needs even more capacity, Etihad has another six A380s on "reserve," CRO Arik De told Business Insider in December when the NYC route was first announced.

Etihad's 415-seat economy cabin is located on the lower level of the mammoth superjumbo, and the nice finishings like a cupholder and a touchscreen remote highlight its five-star status.

Coach comes with a winged headrest and a tray table, as well as a seatback pocket, 17.5 inches of seat width, and 31 inches of pitch — putting its legroom on par with the likes of Delta Air Lines and British Airways, according to SeatGuru.

"Economy Space" seats offer five more inches of pitch than the regular coach seats. The bulkhead is in the first row of the cabin and won't have a row in front.

Neighbor-free seating is similar to Lufthansa's option, which guarantees the adjacent seat will be empty — essentially a 2-in-1-type booking.

Former CEO Tony Douglas said at its launch that Etihad has not added premium economy because it wants simplicity.

"We listen to our guests, and space is what they tell us that they really want," he told Executive Traveller in 2022. "But what we haven't done is put in a lot of cost and unnecessary complexity."

The second level of the A380 hosts Etihad's most premium cabins. There are 70 lie-flat business class seats, nine fully enclosed first class "apartments," and the one-of-a-kind "The Residence" suite.

Filling up its expensive upper deck on every flight is essential in making the gas-gusting A380 profitable — meaning it has to have an attractive product to compete with the other five-star carriers also serving New York.

Customers can expect the common bells and whistles of business class plus a few special perks, but it's not cheap.

Flights for mid-July in A380 business class between New York and Abu Dhabi on Etihad's website show fares starting at about $4,000 each way.

There is no sliding door on Etihad, as seen in business class cabins in Qatar or Japan's All Nippon Airways, but there is a partition between the pair of seats in the center section for privacy.

The flexible dining plan can be useful on some early-morning or late-night flights, like Etihad's New York-bound A380 departure that leaves Abu Dhabi at around 3 a.m.

Carriers like Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Emirates have added grandiose first-class suites to their A380s as well, thanks to the mammoth size of the jet.

Singapore has a similar setup in its A380 first class, but the airline does not fly the superjumbo to JFK anymore.

The bed stretches nearly seven feet, so it'll be long enough for even the tallest travelers — and a convenient remote allows passengers to control the far-away television when lying down.

First-class meals include high-dollar Champagnes, wines, steaks, and other gourmet food.

Emirates has its own shower spa onboard its Airbus A380s, while Singapore does not.

The latter has installed two giant lavatories with separate vanities in its upper deck first class.

The Residence is an actual flying hotel room as it is the only three-room suite onboard a commercial jetliner. It is considered the cream of the crop for long-haul flying and goes beyond the typical first class.

"We had our first bookings within minutes of the announcement that the A380 was coming to New York," De told BI in December. "It's a famous experience, and there are plenty of people out there who want to sample it, either as a dream one-off or as part of their overall travel mix."

The 125-square-foot space is designed to accommodate up to two people thanks to the double couch and bed.

It's about as close as possible to flying on a private jet without the six-figure price tag. At launch, the route between NYC and Abu Dhabi cost $32,000 each way for either single or double occupancy, according to Etihad, but that has varied over the years.

Looking on Etihad's website in December for a flight between New York and Abu Dhabi for mid-May, the A380 apartments were priced between roughly $9,000 and $10,000 each way, with another $3,000 per leg on top for the Residence, totaling about $24,000.

Searching again on Monday, it appears the Residence is already booked up on most days for May, as it cannot be added to first-class bookings. Apartments are going for between $5,000 and $8,000 now each way.

SeatGuru shows a prayer room toward the front of the economy cabin, in the middle of business class, and right behind the last row of first. A curtain adds privacy.

Middle Eastern competitor Saudia also has a prayer room onboard its widebody planes.

The exclusive space sits on the upper deck between the two premium cabins and is a place to socialize, work, and stretch your legs.

Emirates and Qatar also offer a similar bar for premium passengers flying on their A380s.

Business and first-class passengers can access luxe airport lounges in other cities outside Abu Dhabi, including in New York-JFK.

While many carriers have turned a cheek to the A380 due to high operating costs, Emirates, Singapore, Qatar, and Etihad, as well as a handful of other Asian and European airlines, all continue to fly the A380.

"We are entering a new phase of sustainable growth to meet the demands of our customers, and the A380 is the right aircraft to meet capacity demands on very select routes," De told BI. "We brought it back on our London services earlier this year, and saw tremendous commercial success, with guests loving the experience."