How to Earn Etihad Guest Miles
Because Etihad partners with most major bank programs, their miles are surprisingly easy to get your hands on.
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Credit Card Transfers | Very easy to collect. Etihad is a transfer partner of Amex Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Capital One Miles. |
| Flying Etihad & Partners | Earn miles when you fly on Etihad or any of its many individual airline partners. |
| Other Travel Partners | Earn miles through various hotel, car rental, and retail partners. |
How to Use Etihad Guest Miles
This is where things get interesting. Etihad has a completely separate award chart for each of its partner airlines. This means you have to find the specific chart for the airline you want to fly. The best value is almost always found on these partner charts, not on Etihad's own flights.
- One Chart Per Partner: The program's value is in its individual partner redemptions.
- You Have to Call: This is the catch. Most of the best partner awards can't be booked online. You have to call the Etihad Guest service center to book them.
Pro Tip: Find the Flight First!
The Best Deals (Sweet Spots)
If you're willing to do a little research and make a phone call, the payoff can be massive:
This is a fantastic hack. You can use Etihad miles to book American Airlines flights using their old, more generous award chart. Think Business Class to Europe for just 50,000 miles.
An amazing deal. Fly from the US to Casablanca, Morocco in a lie-flat business class seat for only 44,000 miles one-way.
Another great way to get to Europe. Fly from the US to Brussels for only 44,000 miles in business class.
Use just 44,000 miles to fly from the US to Prague in business class on partner Czech Airlines.
Partners & Rules
Etihad isn't in a major alliance, which is why it has such a unique and valuable collection of airline partners.
- Key Partners: American Airlines, Air Canada, ANA, Brussels Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, Virgin Australia.
- The Rules: Every partner has its own rules. Generally, you need to book simple point-to-point flights. You usually can't mix partners on a single award ticket.