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.
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| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets |
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels |
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Annual Fee
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Why We Chose It
The Citi Premier’s 3 points per dollar spent across a wide range of popular categories is one of the more lucrative offerings in the world of points and miles. The Citi Premier comes with a $95 annual fee and is currently offering a solid sign up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. It also has some valuable transfer partners to make the most of your rewards. Add in access to Citi Entertainment plus a $100 hotel credit for any single-stay hotel booking that exceeds $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through the Citi travel website, there are few reasons why the Citi Premier should not be in every traveler’s wallet.Pros
- Earns 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
- $100 annual hotel savings benefit (on single hotel stay bookings of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through thankyou.com)
- Points transfer to 16 airline programs, from JetBlue to Virgin Atlantic.
- World Elite Mastercard benefits, extended warranty, damage and theft protection.
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Lacks travel protections that other travel rewards cards come with
- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
Rewards Rate
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets |
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels |
| 1X | Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
Intro Offer
For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account openingEarn 80,000 ThankYou® points60,000 pointsAnnual Fee
$95Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.670-850Excellent, Good
Why We Chose It
The Citi Premier’s 3 points per dollar spent across a wide range of popular categories is one of the more lucrative offerings in the world of points and miles. The Citi Premier comes with a $95 annual fee and is currently offering a solid sign up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. It also has some valuable transfer partners to make the most of your rewards. Add in access to Citi Entertainment plus a $100 hotel credit for any single-stay hotel booking that exceeds $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through the Citi travel website, there are few reasons why the Citi Premier should not be in every traveler’s wallet.Pros
- Earns 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
- $100 annual hotel savings benefit (on single hotel stay bookings of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through thankyou.com)
- Points transfer to 16 airline programs, from JetBlue to Virgin Atlantic.
- World Elite Mastercard benefits, extended warranty, damage and theft protection.
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Lacks travel protections that other travel rewards cards come with
- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases