It’s March 10, and as anticipated, Etihad Guest has unveiled a brand new award chart with normal pricing for all its companion airways. By doing so, it has eliminated all of its former candy spots.
Here’s what you might want to learn about Etihad Guest redemptions.
Goodbye, candy spots — and do not depend on printed award costs
Etihad Guest has printed its new base award charges right here.
You’ll discover that every companion has similar award charges. However, Etihad’s personal are barely totally different, although we’re nonetheless seeing the identical dynamically priced Etihad awards to the Middle East. In some circumstances, costs for the service’s first-class cabin are nonetheless at greater than 1,000,000 miles.
But the true information is that Etihad has considerably devalued many companion awards. Just a few months in the past, I redeemed 62,500 Etihad Guest miles to fly American Airlines Flagship First from Los Angeles to Sydney. Now, that very same flight would price 200,000 miles — greater than triple the previous value.
We had been additionally massive followers of the 44,000-mile Brussels Airlines business-class candy spot from Washington, D.C.’s Dulles International Airport (IAD) and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Brussels Airport (BRU). As you might have guessed, that is additionally gone — now, you will must spend 80,000 miles one-way, which is greater than what Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles and even United MileagePlus cost for this award.
Remember the times of 25,000 miles for American’s transcontinental Flagship First? Adieu to that one, too. This flight ought to price 80,000 miles, in response to Etihad’s award calculator; nonetheless, if you attempt to e book this flight, it’s possible you’ll discover a totally different value.
As you’ll be able to see, Etihad has even gone so far as to cost 90,001 miles for this route. By charging 90,001 miles as a substitute of 90,000 miles, you are caught transferring 91,000 bank card factors to this system.
Hopefully, that is merely a glitch with the launch of the brand new program, nevertheless it’s nonetheless irritating.
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Related: 9 wonderful first-class seats you’ll be able to nonetheless e book with factors and miles
You can e book American Airlines and Virgin Australia awards on-line
The one (small) constructive of this alteration is that choose companions are actually bookable on-line. Previously, you wanted to name Etihad Guest to e book companion flights. That’s nonetheless the case for many of its companions, nonetheless, now you can view real-time award house on Virgin Australia and American Airlines and e book these two companion awards on-line.
Granted, that is solely two of Etihad’s 20 companions, and it does little to erase the sting of the large award chart adjustments. Hopefully, we’ll see extra companions added sooner or later, however even then, it is going to not often be finest to e book with Etihad Guest given the brand new pricing construction.
Related: The final information to Etihad companions
Bottom line
Etihad Guest has made important adjustments to its redemptions. The program’s ample candy spots are actually gone with the brand new standardized award chart. Unfortunately, it is wanting like Etihad Guest is not the pleasant American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One and Citi ThankYou Rewards factors foreign money it was.