Point Systems Etihad Guest

Airline
Points are relatively easy to collect, though we don't love the bank partners or transfer options as much.
Etihad Guest

Etihad Guest

#16 Among Airlines

Point Value

1.10 ¢

Hobby Score

6.0

View Ratings

Sweet Spots

Domestic US in Business on a Partner
Domestic US in First Class on a Partner
See More Sweet Spots

Top Transfers

1:1
Capital One Miles
85% Value Retained
1:1
Amex Membership Rewards
69% Value Retained
See More Transfers

Booking Tips For This Reward Program

Book premium cabins far in advance
Use miles for upgrades
Avoid These Pitfalls

Key Takeaways

Etihad Guest is mostly valuable for partner redemptions, but they’ve become harder to use.

  • Etihad has a consolidated award chart for partners that was severely devalued, eliminating almost all of the former sweet spots
  • Etihad flights themselves tend to have high surcharges and inconsistent availability.
  • But it’s often the best way to book a premium cabin ticket on the airline with points as they release availability way ahead of partners
  • Transfers from Amex, Citi, Capital One, and Marriott, but not all are instant.
  • This program can be useful for niche redemptions but is not user-friendly for casual travelers.

Reward Program Ratings

1.10¢
Point Value
Yes
Points Expire
Yes
to Spouse
Yes
to Friends

Hobby Score

6.0
Brand Footprint 6
Real World Practicality 6
Earn/Redeem Efficiency 6
Policy Fairness 4
Ease of Holding 4
Product Quality 10

Travel Partner Transfers

Transfers In

Capital One Miles
85% Value Retained
1:1
Amex Membership Rewards
69% Value Retained
1:1
Citi ThankYou Rewards
69% Value Retained
1:1
Bilt Rewards
69% Value Retained
1:1
Marriott Bonvoy
52% Value Retained
3:1
IHG One Rewards
37% Value Retained
5:1
World of Hyatt
26% Value Retained
5:2
Accor Live Limitless
25% Value Retained
2:1
Hilton Honors
22% Value Retained
10:1

Transfers Out

No direct transfers out of Etihad Guest. Etihad Guest generally cannot be moved to other point programs.

Points Transfer Guide

5,500 Etihad Guest Points

Transferable Points

Transfer to
Spouse
5,219,403
19,000
74% Value Retained
No
125,000
45,000
85% Value Retained
Yes
34,950
2,000
12% Value Retained
Yes
Total Points Available Including all transfers
30,480

How to Earn Miles

Etihad is not part of an airline alliance, but it partners with more than 20 airlines, including carriers from each major alliance. You can earn miles by flying on Etihad or any of its partners. While Etihad does not offer a co-branded credit card in the U.S., it partners with American Express, Capital One, and Citi for points transfers, along with several hotel programs (though hotel transfer ratios are typically poor).

Earn by Flying Etihad

You can earn Etihad Guest miles by flying directly on Etihad. Your earnings depend on your elite status and the class of service you book. Use Etihad’s miles calculator to see how many miles you’ll earn on a specific flight.

Earn by Opening Transferable Miles Cards

If you hold a transferable points card from American Express, Citi, or Capital One, you can transfer points to Etihad at 1:1 ratios. These are the easiest ways to top up your Etihad Guest balance for award redemptions.

Flying with Partners (alliance and non-alliance partners)

Etihad partners with more than 20 airlines worldwide. American Airlines and Air Canada are the two North American partners. You can earn Etihad Guest miles when you fly with any partner airline. Each partner has its own earning chart, so check the specific partner page to see how many miles you’ll earn based on booking class.

Our Favorite Cards

Other Options to Earn

You can earn or transfer points from various hotel partners. When earning through a hotel partner, you enter your Etihad Guest number and earn airline miles instead of hotel points. The hotel’s own earning rate is almost always better, but if you don’t care about that hotel’s loyalty program, it can still be an easy way to add Guest Miles. Etihad also partners with several hotel programs for point transfers, but we don’t recommend doing this unless you only need a small top up. Hotel-to-Etihad transfer ratios are generally poor.

There are a few other ways to earn Etihad Guest Miles, though none will add meaningful amounts:

How to Redeem Miles

The best way to redeem your Etihad Guest miles is to book airfare on Etihad or one of its 20+ partner airlines. Here are a few notes on booking award flights with Etihad Guest miles:

  • Etihad uses two award charts - one for its own flights and one for partner flights.
  • Both are distance based but not fixed.
  • Prices shown are the minimum costs for GuestSeats, which are Etihad’s saver awards.
  • If a price is higher than what's on the chart, it means GuestSeats are sold out.
  • Note that even when GuestSeats are available, awards can still higher than stated on the chart because they are priced dynamically.
  • Etihad passes on carrier-imposed surcharges. These can make award tickets expensive, especially in premium cabins.
  • You can book some partner awards online, but others require calling Etihad.

After Etihad moved to a consolidated partner award chart in 2023 and then devalued most partner awards in 2024, there are very few true sweet spots left. You’ll often find better award prices by booking directly through that partner’s own loyalty program or through its other partners.

Sweet Spots Finder

Discover your points' highest-value redemption options. Use the filters to find the optimal sweet spot for your next trip.

Booking Tips

Book an economy seat and use your miles for upgrades. They have a chart for upgrades that is dynamic, but you can find an upgrade that matches the chart more often than a reward ticket

Changing your flight with Etihad Guest

  • More than 72 hours: Free on Deluxe bookings; AED 200 fee on Comfort; AED 600 on Value bookings
  • Within 72 hours: Not possible on any booking

Canceling your flight with Etihad Guest

  • More than 72 hours: Free on Deluxe bookings; 25% fee on Comfort; not possible on Value bookings
  • Within 72 hours: Not possible on any booking

Who is it best for?

We can usually find value in every rewards program, but after Etihad moved to a consolidated partner award chart in 2023 and devalued it further in 2024, most of the sweet spot partner redemptions are gone. While they still use award charts for both their own flights and partners, those charts list minimum pricing, and the low rates shown are rarely available. The website and search tool are also clunky, which makes award searches frustrating.

The best use of Etihad Guest miles is for premium cabin flights on Etihad metal. There are still some solid redemption opportunities, but you’ll want to book far in advance (Etihad releases seats 360 days out) or have flexible dates. Since you can only search one day at a time, finding GuestSeat pricing can be slow. Etihad does have strong credit card transfer partners, but you can often find lower redemption rates for the same routes through Amex, Capital One, or Citi partners instead.

Status Levels Explained

Etihad has five tiers of status. Bronze is the entry-level tier for all Etihad Guest members, and you receive it automatically when you sign up for a free account. As a Bronze member, you’ll receive free Wi-Fi for messaging apps on board and access to GuestSeats, which are reduced-fare award seats.

To reach higher tiers, you must earn Tier Miles. Tier Miles are earned based on the number of miles flown and the cabin class you book. Once you qualify for a higher tier, your status is valid for 12 months.

Elite Status Levels

Here are the three other levels, requirements you’ll need to get to each level, and the benefits of each

  • 25% bonus miles
  • AUH Dedicated check-in
  • Guaranteed seat in economy 48 hours prior
  • Select 2 “Custom Benefits”

FAQs

Can I use Etihad Guest Miles on other airlines?
You can use Etihad Guest Miles to book flights on partner airlines, but all bookings must be made through Etihad. Some partners can be booked online, while others require a phone call. It’s best to check availability and pricing before calling.
How to book American Airlines with Etihad Guest points?
American Airlines is one of Etihad’s partners that can be booked online. When you search for award flights on Etihad’s site, any AA flights with available GuestSeat space will appear and can be booked directly through Etihad.
Can economy passengers use the Etihad Guest lounge?
Yes. Economy passengers can pay for access to an Etihad lounge, with prices varying by location. You can also use Etihad Guest miles for entry, though it’s usually expensive. Some elite status tiers include lounge access as a benefit.
How many Etihad miles for business class?
The minimum cost for a business class award is 15,000 miles on short Etihad-operated flights under 500 miles. Etihad uses a distance-based chart, and 15,000 miles is only the starting rate, so you may not always find awards at that level.