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No, American and Etihad's partnership is not ending

March 06, 2020
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3 min read
Etihad 787-9 Business Class AUH to KUL Review
No, American and Etihad's partnership is not ending
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American Airlines' AAdvantage program includes partnerships with Oneworld airlines along with some notable carriers that aren't full alliance members, including Air Tahiti Nui and Fiji Airways. This morning, it briefly appeared that one of these partnerships was coming to an end, as One Mile at a Time noted that Etihad had been pulled from American's list of partners on AA.com. While the page touting the partnership is still accessible, this was an ominous sign.

Thankfully, for anyone looking to book Etihad's fantastic first-class with AAdvantage miles, you can breathe a sigh of relief, as an American spokesperson has clarified that the partnership remains intact and that Etihad was removed "in error" from the partner page. It has now been corrected.

Unfortunately, it's worth noting that Etihad awards are no longer appearing on AA.com, a functionality that was added less than a year ago. Sure enough, here are the search results from ExpertFlyer (which is owned by TPG's parent company, Red Ventures) for a flight from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to New York-JFK in November:

The award inventory also appears through the Etihad Guest program:

However, none of the three classes appear on American's website:

That being said, you can still book Etihad flights over the phone. I called American and spoke to an agent, who was able to pull up Etihad award tickets in all classes of service within 20 seconds.

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An American spokesperson confirmed in an email to TPG that the lack of online award inventory was related to a technical glitch:



“Our teams are working to resolve a technical error impacting Etihad (EY) award itineraries, and have temporarily removed the ability to book awards with EY as the governing carrier on aa.com. Customers may contact our Reservations department to book EY awards in the interim, and we apologize for the error and the inconvenience.”

Bottom line

For the time being, it appears that both of these issues are technical in nature. However, if you've been eyeing an Etihad award ticket with AAdvantage miles (or an American flight with Etihad Guest miles), I'd still encourage you to book these sooner rather than later. Rumors have circulated for some time now about American and Etihad cutting ties, and given American's recent reinstatement of codesharing with Oneworld member Qatar — a key competitor of Etihad — it wouldn't be surprising to see changes to the partnership in the future.

WATCH: TPG staff reviews all four classes on Etihad

Remember that loyalty currencies should never be a long-term investment, and redeeming American miles is a fantastic way to enjoy Etihad's First Apartment or its solid business-class product, so don't wait until it's too late.

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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)

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  • 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.