[Expired] Buy Etihad Guest Miles With up to a 30% Bonus [Ends December 3]

Updated: December 4, 2024, 3:36am CST

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Buy Etihad Miles — Promotion Details
Is It Worth It?
Final Thoughts

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Update:

The offer mentioned below has expired and is no longer available.

Etihad Airways is a Middle Eastern airline based in Abu Dhabi that has become popular for its opulent first class.

While it’s regarded as a member of the “Middle East 3” (along with Emirates and Qatar Airways), Etihad is not in any of the world’s 3 major airline alliances. Instead, it operates a variety of individual partnerships with specific airlines, including American Airlines.

And a new promotion lets you buy Etihad miles with up to a 30% bonus, dropping the price as low as 1.54 cents per mile — but is it worth it?

Let’s take a look at the details to find out.

Buy Etihad Miles — Promotion Details

With this new promotion, you’ll be able to buy Etihad miles for as little as 1.54 cents each. This is a bit more expensive than our valuation of 1.4 cents per Etihad Guest mile, meaning it only makes sense to purchase miles here if you’re redeeming them at a higher value than average — or if you just need a few miles to top off your account for a redemption.

Etihad First Class Apartment Suite A380 Space — Etihad First Class Apartment. Image Credit: Juan Ruiz

Here are some more details you should be aware of:

The promotion is valid from now through December 3, 2024
You must buy miles in increments of 1,000
Purchases will be credited to your account within 72 hours
Purchases are non-refundable
Members can buy a maximum of 100,000 miles per year (not including any bonus miles), though Platinum members can buy up to 150,000 miles
The bonus varies depending on how many miles you buy:
- Buy 1,000 to 24,000 miles with no bonus (2 cents per mile)
- Buy 25,000 to 49,000 miles and get a 20% bonus (1.67 cents per mile)
- Buy 50,000+ miles and get a 30% bonus (1.54 cents per mile)

Hot Tip:

Purchases of Etihad miles are processed by Points.com, which means you’ll want to use a credit card that maximizes everyday spending, such as many cards issued by Capital One.

Is It Worth It?

The Etihad Guest rewards program is less popular than other airline programs for award travel, possibly because its system is difficult to use. Although travelers can now book American Airlines and Virgin Australia award flights online, you’ll need to call the airline to book other award flights. That’s because Etihad’s website doesn’t show or provide options for booking these other partners online.

There’s also the fact Etihad launched a zone-based award chart in early 2023, eradicating many previous partner sweet spots. Therefore, this current deal is likely less compelling than offers to buy Etihad miles pre-2023 — unless you’ve got a specific redemption in mind.

However, you may not need to buy Etihad Guest miles at all. Etihad receives transfers from American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One miles, and Citi ThankYou Rewards at a 1:1 ratio, as well as 3:1 transfers from Marriott Bonvoy.

Final Thoughts

Etihad is selling miles for as little as 1.54 cents apiece. While this price is above our valuation of these miles, it could make sense to buy Etihad miles if you have a specific use for them.

While Etihad requires that you call to book for many airlines, you can find award availability using other programs’ websites including British Airways and Qantas, to ensure your desired seats are available before purchasing miles for a redemption.