Now live: Etihad Guest makes changes to award redemptions, elite status and more
Etihad Airways has implemented a wide range of changes to its Etihad Guest loyalty program. Under the new system, there are some winners and losers.
Etihad Guest is an under-the-radar frequent flyer program, and customers can usually find valuable partner sweet spots on its published award charts. For example, some TPG staffers prefer to book American Airlines flights through Etihad as they’ve found award redemptions for a fraction of the miles American was charging.
Here are the changes this airline loyalty program has made.
Etihad Guest 2024 loyalty program changes
In positive news, the cost of economy- and business-class award redemptions on some popular routes has decreased. Economy-class redemptions will start at 5,000 miles, and business-class redemptions at 15,000 miles, per Etihad’s website.
Pricing from the U.S. to Abu Dhabi remains the same at the time of publication, starting at 60,000 miles in economy and 120,000 miles in business class each way. But, because some airlines use dynamic pricing, you can sometimes save money by booking business-class tickets through Etihad; other international tickets can be much higher than this.
Another exciting development? Customers can now redeem miles to upgrade to Etihad’s famous A380 Residence between Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) and London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) or New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Upgrade prices and rules have not yet been announced.
The not-so-good news is that Etihad Guest miles now expire after 18 months and will only be extended if you take a flight operated by Etihad or a partner airline within that time frame. This is far more restrictive than other programs, which allow any earning activity (such as a small shopping portal purchase or purchasing 1,000 miles) to extend the mileage expiration.
New redemption cancellation charges are likely to also be unpopular, with a 25% mileage penalty when canceling an Etihad Guest redemption more than 21 days before departure, up to a steep 75% penalty for cancellations within seven days of departure. Again, this is much more restrictive than competing programs; for instance, Qatar Airways Privilege Club charges just $25 to change or cancel a redemption up to 24 hours before departure.
Related: How to avoid airline change and cancellation fees
Etihad Guest elite status changes
Elite status members will continue to receive benefits like priority check-in and boarding, complimentary Wi-Fi, and additional mileage earnings. However, Etihad Guest members no longer need to earn tier segments to earn elite status; instead, tier miles are now the sole earning metric for the airline. If you have any remaining eligible tier segments, they will be converted to tier miles.
Elite members can now choose different perks: Core, Custom and Beyond. In addition to the Core perks available at each elite status tier, the number of Custom benefits will increase as your status level increases. Silver members can choose two Custom perks, Gold members can choose four and Platinum members can choose five.
Silver members who earn 20,000 tier miles in a membership year (10,000 from flying) can choose two of the following:
- Lounge access in Abu Dhabi
- Free seat selection
- 25% discount on baggage fees
- Two carbon offset vouchers
Gold members (earning 40,000 tier miles with 20,000 from flying) can choose four of the following Custom benefits:
- Lounge access (with one guest) in Abu Dhabi
- One extra checked bag
- Two free chauffeur services within the United Arab Emirates
- Free chauffeur service in the UAE for GuestSeats in business or first class
- One free refund on a GuestSeat booking
- Two free home check-ins within the UAE
- Four carbon offset vouchers
Platinum members who earn 100,000 tier miles (with a minimum of 40,000 tier miles from flying) can choose five of the following benefits:
- First-class lounge access (with one guest) in Abu Dhabi
- One extra checked bag
- Two upgrades on eligible routes
- Extra-legroom seats for up to four guests
- Move to an earlier flight the same day for free
- Two free chauffeur services within the UAE
- Two free refunds on a GuestSeat booking
- Four free home check-ins within the UAE
- Six carbon offset vouchers
A brand-new status tier, Diamond, has also been introduced for members who spend at least $150,000 with Etihad Airways in 12 months. The benefits of this new tier are still to be announced.
As for Beyond perks, these benefits are exclusively available to Gold and Platinum members.
Gold members who earn 75,000 tier miles can gift the following Beyond benefits to family and friends:
- Two business-class lounge passes
- Silver tier status nomination
- 10,000 bonus Etihad Guest miles
Platinum members who earn 175,000 miles can also gift the following Beyond benefits to family and friends:
- Three business-class lounge passes
- Three passes for priority check-in, boarding and baggage
- 20,000 bonus Etihad Guest miles
Related: Etihad brings flagship Airbus A380 — with private onboard Residence — back to the US
Bottom line
Overall, the Etihad Guest loyalty program has implemented positive and negative changes. Hopefully, award redemptions will be reduced more, though we haven’t seen anything significant at the time of publication.
Although the rates have yet to be revealed and may be steep, being able to redeem miles to upgrade to Etihad’s famous A380 Residence is an exciting development.
For elite members, the option of choosing benefits will be welcomed by some, though other programs offer top-tier elite members all benefits rather than forcing them to choose.
If you want to redeem transferable points for flights operated by Etihad, it’s worth considering Air Canada Aeroplan. Aeroplan has fixed rates for partner redemptions and much more reasonable redemption cancellation fees than Etihad Guest now charges.
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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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- 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.
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- $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.
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- 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. |
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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.