Remember those lavish Etihad suites Nicole Kidman was filmed flying in? Well, they’re coming to Australia.

Etihad Airways’ much-anticipated A380 arrives in Sydney tonight, kicking off a new era of luxury travel on the Sydney-Abu Dhabi and Sydney-London routes.

The A380 features The Residence by Etihad, the luxurious private three-room suite in the sky, a first in commercial aviation, and every Aussie is going to want a peek.

The inaugural Abu Dhabi-Sydney A380 flight – EY454 – departed Abu Dhabi International Airport at 10pm last night and is scheduled to touch down at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport at 5.55pm this evening.

The aircraft, sporting hot new livery, will be welcomed to Sydney by a traditional water cannon salute, while her return Sydney-Abu Dhabi flight will depart Sydney at 9.25pm tonight.

The A380 will now operate one of the airline’s two daily services between Sydney and Abu Dhabi. The airline’s additional four weekly Airbus A340-600 flights will be upgraded to a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Etihad’s president and CEO James Hogan said this is just another milestone in the short history of the airline.

“Guests on the A380 between Sydney and Abu Dhabi will enjoy a superior level of luxury, comfort, service, and inflight technology that will totally transform their flying experience,” he said.

“The A380 will provide us with much-needed additional capacity, particularly in business class, where we consistently enjoy high levels of demand for our services. This capacity increase is particularly good news for our premium guests and for high-end leisure and business tourism at both ends of the Sydney-London route.”

Sydney Airport’s MD and chief executive Kerrie Mather said the airport is thrilled to be Etihad’s one and only for the flagship A380 service.

“The upgrade will bolster Sydney Airport’s status as the leading airport globally for next-generation aircraft and boost tourism to Sydney and NSW by increasing seat capacity,” Mather said.

Tourism Australia’s MD John O’Sullivan said the decision by Etihad Airways to deploy both its Airbus A380 and the Boeing Dreamliner aircraft on two key Australian routes was a great outcome for inbound tourism.

“Through their strong global footprint, particularly within Europe and their global alliances, Etihad Airways is now one of Tourism Australia’s most important aviation partners, playing a critical role feeding traffic to Australia’s key international gateways,” he said.

“We’re under absolutely no illusions as to the commercial realities that underpin these sort of aircraft deployment decisions. With a rapidly expanding international route network of more than 100 destinations, Etihad Airways has plenty of places where it can point these new aircraft, so for them to choose Sydney and Brisbane is a big win for Australian tourism.”

“It’s a decision which I think further demonstrates the airline’s commitment to the Australian market and also the strength of our growing partnership.”

The Residence by Etihad features a living room, separate ensuite shower room, double bedroom, and a dedicated Savoy-trained Butler.

Also included is a large 32” LCD monitor in the living room and a separate 24” version in bedroom, and located on the forward upper deck of the A380, available for single or double occupancy.

The nine First Apartments in First Class are private living spaces featuring a reclining lounge chair and an ottoman, upholstered in Poltrona Frau leather, which opens up to become a separate 80.5 inch long fully flat bed. A fully equipped shower room is available for the exclusive use of First Class guests.

70 Business Studios are located on the upper deck of the A380, all offering direct aisle access, a fully flat bed of up to 80.5 inches long, and an increase of 20 per cent in personal space.

The Lobby, a luxurious lounge located between the First Class and Business Class cabins, features two comfortable leather sofas and a staffed bar serving a selection of snacks and refreshments.

Etihad Airways’ partner airline, Virgin Australia, will codeshare on the new A380 services.