Deal alert: Widespread Etihad business-class award space bookable through Aeroplan
Etihad business class is a comfortable way to fly. Whether you want to visit Etihad's hub (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) or connect to another destination, you may have been waiting for award availability to appear for an upcoming trip.
If so, this might be your lucky day if you were hoping to originate in the U.S. and book more than one seat. There are multiple business-class seats on many dates for Chicago, Washington and New York, as first reported on Rapid Travel Chai. Here's what you need to know.
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The deal
Airline: Etihad.
Routes: Chicago, New York and Washington to/from Abu Dhabi and various connecting destinations.
Cost: From 85,000 Aeroplan points plus 48 Canadian dollars (about $37) per person one-way for business class.
Dates: September 2022 through July 2023 (not on every date; spotty throughout).
Pay taxes/fees with: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5 points per dollar on airfare booked directly with the airline, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), Chase Sapphire Reserve (3 points per dollar on travel) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2 points per dollar on travel) for travel protections on the award flight.
Related: The best way to book Etihad award flights with transferable points
Sample itineraries
Chicago to Abu Dhabi one-way in October 2022
New York to Abu Dhabi one-way in February 2023
Washington to Abu Dhabi one-way in April 2023
Washington to Male, Maldives, one-way in April 2023
Washington to Johannesburg one-way in April 2023
Earning Aeroplan points
There are many ways to earn Aeroplan points. One of the quickest methods is to transfer points to Aeroplan from the following programs:
- American Express Membership Rewards points: Transfer at a 1:1 ratio.
- Bilt Rewards points: Transfer at a 1:1 ratio.
- Capital One miles: Transfer at a 1:1 ratio.
- Chase Ultimate Rewards points: Transfer at a 1:1 ratio.
- Marriott Bonvoy points: Transfer at a 3:1 ratio.
Be sure to consider the expected transfer times, though. Transfers from Chase Ultimate Rewards and Capital One are generally instant, while transfers from Marriott Bonvoy usually take four days.
Purchasing Aeroplan points is also an option, especially if you don't have enough transferable rewards.
Related: The best ways to maximize Air Canada's Aeroplan program
Maximize your purchase
Air Canada lets you add one stopover per one-way flight for 5,000 Aeroplan points. However, you'll need to call Air Canada to book if you want to add a stopover; check out our guide to adding a stopover to your Aeroplan award ticket for more information.
Savvy travelers may also remember that you can book Etihad award flights through American Airlines AAdvantage (usually at lower rates than with Aeroplan). Air Canada's Aeroplan seems to be getting more award availability from Etihad than AAdvantage. Even so, if you already have AAdvantage miles and find an Etihad award bookable through Aeroplan, it's worth calling American to see if they see the same award availability.