Use Etihad's Improved Partner Booking Process for Great American Airlines Awards
In May 2016, TPG's Richard Kerr wrote a helpful guide on how to book Etihad partner award flights. At the time, a number of aspects made the booking process maddeningly complicated. Among them:
- Only Etihad's Manchester, UK, call center really knew how to book partner awards.
- Availability visible to Etihad agents didn't match partner airlines' websites or ExpertFlyer.
- Etihad agents didn't use the same fare codes as the partner airlines.
- Partner awards had to be booked at least 14 days in advance.
Since then, there have been some positive changes to Etihad's partner award booking process. This post outlines what's changed, and offers some sample award itineraries on American Airlines that I was able to confirm with both Etihad's agents and ExpertFlyer.
These changes are particularly helpful for those trying to book flights on American Airlines using Etihad Guest miles, given Etihad's relatively favorable redemption rates. As a result, this post will focus on Etihad Guest redemptions on American metal.
A New Etihad Guest Call Center in Serbia
Multiple Etihad Guest agents explained to me on several calls that at some point in 2017, Etihad created a dedicated Etihad Guest call center in Serbia. After about 10 calls with this team, I can confirm that they know what to look for when making partner award bookings, and they're generally more capable than the team in Manchester.
This is great news, since it eliminates the need to hang up and call again (HUCA) until reaching someone at a particular call center. To reach the dedicated Etihad Guest call center, you'll need to call Etihad at 1-877-690-0767, press 1 for English, then press 4 (don't press 2 for "first and business class" bookings), then press 1 to book or change a flight, then press 1 to book or change a flight using Etihad Guest miles.
Etihad Agents Can See the Correct Fare Class and Number of Seats
This is maybe the biggest news: After spot-checking several sample itineraries on American metal, I found that the number of award seats that Etihad agents can see exactly matches the number of saver-level seats shown on ExpertFlyer. In the case of American Airlines, at least, that also means that Etihad agents can see the same availability that you'll see when searching American's website for saver-level awards.
In addition, Etihad agents can now see the same fare classes that American uses for saver award tickets. If you're looking for a first-class award on a three-cabin flight, ask for fare code "Z." If you're looking for three-cabin business, international business, or two-cabin (domestic) first, ask for fare code "U."
You Can Now Book Partner Awards at the Last Minute
Another helpful change is that Etihad now appears to allow last-minute partner awards. All of the sample itineraries I checked had a departure within 14 days of calling, and all were allowed.
Since I haven't spot-checked every partner airline, it's possible that the rules may still differ across airlines. But at least for American metal, last-minute awards are now a possibility.
Sample Itineraries
Now, for some sample itineraries. All of these itineraries were checked online and confirmed with Etihad on the phone on March 7, 2018.
Sample Itinerary 1: New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX), March 12, 13, or 14, 2018
The first itinerary I checked is a popular one: JFK to LAX in Flagship First on American Airlines' three-cabin premium transcon Airbus A321T.
First, I took a look at what American's website was showing for First MileSAAver availability the following week. Note that I toggled "Non-stop only" on the left-hand side of the page.
American's website showed some availability between Monday, March 12 and Wednesday, March 14. Specifically, the 8:15pm flight was available on Monday; and the 6:00am, 7:00am, and 9:15pm flights were available on both Tuesday and Wednesday.
Then, I headed over to ExpertFlyer to see how many seats were available on each of these flights. Interestingly, each of these flights had two saver-level seats available in Flagship First.
After confirming that each of these flights had two seats available in Flagship First, I called the dedicated Etihad Guest center. After giving the agent my desired itineraries, it took the agent only a few minutes to confirm the exact same availability.
The best part? Etihad quoted me 25,000 Etihad Guest miles for either business or first. It's no glitch: I was able to book a 25,000 Etihad Guest award for my wife in transcon Flagship First a few weeks ago. For MileSAAver awards, American charges 50,000 AAdvantage miles for the same ticket.
Sample Itinerary 2: Los Angeles (LAX) to Hong Kong (HKG), March 14, 2018
The next itinerary I checked was LAX to HKG in American's best seat: Flagship First on its Boeing 777-300ER. TPG reviewed this flight in June 2017, though that was before American opened its refreshed Flagship Lounge and its fantastic Flagship First Dining, which I recently reviewed.
On American's website, I found availability on its single nonstop flight on Wednesday, March 14, which departs LAX at 12:45am Pacific time:
ExpertFlyer showed a single seat available in Flagship First:
Then, I called Etihad Guest. The agent quickly confirmed that there was, indeed, one seat available in first. The best part: This itinerary requires only 55,000 Etihad Guest miles. American charges 110,000 AAdvantage miles.
Sample Itinerary 3: Los Angeles (LAX) to London Heathrow (LHR), March 19 or 20, 2018
Finally, I checked availability on American's LAX to LHR route on both March 19 and 20. American's website showed first MileSAAver availability for March 20:
ExpertFlyer confirmed that one saver-level seat was available on that flight:
After calling Etihad Guest, it took only a few minutes for the agent to confirm the same availability. The cost? 50,000 Etihad Guest miles. American charges 85,000 AAdvantage miles for the same trip.
For this route, I decided to see if Etihad could see the right business-class availability. American showed Business/First MileSAAver availability on March 19:
ExpertFlyer showed one saver-level business seat available on the flight:
And finally, the Etihad Guest agent confirmed that she could see one seat available on that flight. Keep in mind, however, the cost for business and first class between these regions is the same: 50,000 Etihad Guest miles. American charges 57,500 AAdvantage miles for saver-level business, and 85,000 AAdvantage miles for saver-level first. So if you're considering options and your schedule is flexible, you might do well to try to find a 777-300ER with a seat in Flagship First available if you're using Etihad Guest miles.
Bottom Line
Booking Etihad partner awards appears to have gotten far easier in the past year or so. This is particularly good news for those with large reserves of Etihad Guest miles, or of the three flexible currencies from which you can transfer points to Etihad Guest: American Express Membership Rewards points, Citi ThankYou points and Starwood Preferred Guest points.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended 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.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.