[Award Alert] Fly to The Maldives in Etihad Business Class From 70K Miles per Person

Updated: March 16, 2026, 12:54pm CDT

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Award Alert — Details
How To Book
Final Thoughts

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I’d consider this a needle-in-a-haystack type of award redemption.

Thanks to American Airlines’ AAdvantage program, you can start your trip to Maldivian paradise in the comfort of Etihad’s lie-flat business class from just 70k miles per person. This represents huge savings, given the cheapest round-trip fares start at $3,600!

Here’s everything about the deal, plus how to book it for yourself.

Award Alert — Details

It’s not often we come across deals this good to one of the world’s most sought-after bucket list destinations.

There is currently stacks of award space flying to Malé (MLE) — the capital of the Maldives — from all over the U.S. with none other than Etihad Airways. One-stop itineraries are available from all of Etihad’s U.S. destinations, including Charlotte (CLT), which launches on March 20, 2026.

Even airports that Etihad doesn’t fly to, like Los Angeles (LAX), are included in the 70k offer. These departure cities require an additional connection with American Airlines to an Etihad departure city.

Availability is wide-open in the first couple of weeks in April. Though you’ll fly with Etihad, this deal requires booking through American Airlines’ AAdvantage program.

Class: Business
Route: Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), Charlotte, Chicago (ORD), Los Angeles, New York (JFK), and Washington D.C. (IAD) to Malé (MLE) via Abu Dhabi (AUH)
Cost: From 70,000 miles plus $20 one-way
Travel dates: April 2026 and other random dates
Awards seats: Up to 4 on some dates

Some of the options include a flight on Etihad’s newest Airbus A321LR from Abu Dhabi to Malé. Having tried it out for myself, I can confirm that these narrow-body aircraft are comfier than you might think.

Business Class seat on Etihad Boeing 787 9 Dreamliner — Seat 5A in Etihad’s Boeing 787-9 business class. Image Credit: Daniel Ross

How To Book

It’s easy to find availability by logging into your AAdvantage account.

If your preferred date isn’t available, the handy award calendar will show all alternative options. The example below shows all the available dates in April from JFK to the Maldives for 70k miles.

New York to Maldives using 70k points Etihad — Image Credit: American Airlines

Once you find a date that you like, click on it to verify pricing. You should find flights for 70,000 AA miles plus $20.60 per person.

Charlotte to Maldives award in biz with Etihad — Fly Etihad business class from Charlotte to the Maldives in business class from 70k AAdvantage miles. Image Credit: American Airlines

For those with empty AAdvantage accounts, there are a few options for earn more AA miles. It’s possible to transfer from Citi ThankYou Points, earn from shopping online, dining out, and more.

Hot Tip:

American Airlines offers a selection of co-branded credit cards that boost miles earning and come with a host of perks and benefits when flying the Fort Worth-based carrier.

Final Thoughts

Dreaming of a last-minute escape to paradise? Look no further than these amazing award fares to the Maldives in April. The deal shines a light on the incredible value you can get from niche airline partnerships, such as those between American and Etihad.

We don’t expect these awards to be available for long. You might want to book now and ask questions later.