14 Best Ways To Redeem Etihad Guest Miles for Max Value [2023]

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways is famous for its lavish planes and luxurious experiences such as the First Class Apartments.

Hailing from the United Arab Emirates, Etihad serves more than 60 destinations around the world, including U.S. cities like Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C.

Even if you don’t fly Etihad often, you can earn Etihad Guest miles by utilizing credit cards and a variety of other strategies.

The Best Ways To Boost Your Etihad Guest Miles

Etihad Guest is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, and  Citi ThankYou Rewards at a 1:1 rate, or from Marriott Bonvoy at a transfer rate of 3:1. Plus, for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points that you transfer, you’ll receive an extra bonus of 5,000 Etihad miles.

Recommended American Express Cards (Personal)

If you’re a business owner, see Amex’s business credit card options.

Recommended Capital One Cards That Earn Miles (Personal)

Recommended Citi ThankYou Rewards Card (Personal)

Etihad Guest Award Chart for Etihad Flights

When you redeem Etihad Guest miles for Etihad Airways flights, you’ll follow a distance-based award chart according to the below table:

Distance Range	Economy	Business	First
0-500	7,000	20,000	40,000
501 to 1,000	11,000	25,000	50,000
1,001 to 1,500	13,000	30,000	60,000
1,501 to 2,000	17,000	45,000	90,000
2,001 to 2,500	22,000	50,000	100,000
2,501 to 3,000	27,000	60,000	120,000
3,001 to 4,000	32,000	70,000	140,000
4,001 to 5,000	37,000	75,000	150,000
5,001 to 6,000	45,000	100,000	200,000
6,001+	60,000	110,000	220,000

For example, if you want to redeem Etihad Guest miles for an economy flight from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to New Delhi (DEL), which measures 1,418 miles in distance, you’ll expect to redeem 13,000 miles each way.

Etihad Guest Award Chart for Partner Flights

If you want to redeem Etihad Guest miles for any partner-operated flights, you’ll follow this award chart below:

Distance Range	Economy	Premium Economy	Business	First
0 to 500	6,000	7,500	10,000	14,000
501 to 1,000	12,000	13,000	20,000	27,000
1,001 to 1,500	15,000	19,000	30,000	40,000
1,501 to 2,000	23,000	25,000	40,000	54,000
2,001 to 2,500	28,000	31,000	50,000	67,000
2,501 to 3,000	34,000	37,000	60,000	80,000
3,001 to 4,000	45,000	49,000	80,000	107,000
4,001 to 5,000	60,000	62,000	100,000	134,000
5,001 to 6,000	67,000	74,000	120,000	160,000
6,001+	75,000	90,000	140,000	200,000

For example, to book an economy class ticket on Royal Air Maroc from Washington, D.C. (IAD) to Casablanca (CMN), which spans 3,830 miles in each direction, you’ll redeem 45,000 Etihad Guest miles one-way.

The 14 Best Ways To Use Your Etihad Guest Miles

The Etihad Guest frequent flyer program is popular among point-earners because it has some great redemption options. Here are some of our favorites!

1. Fly American Airlines in Business and First Class

Beginning our list of the best ways to use Etihad miles is with American Airlines.

Etihad’s award chart for travel on American Airlines is actually better, for the most part, than American Airlines’ own award chart.

You have some good options by flying American with Etihad miles according to the distance-based award chart above.

Here are some example redemptions we have in mind:

• Charlotte (CLT) – London-Heathrow (LHR) one-way in business class for 80,000 miles
• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Madrid (MAD) one-way in business class for 100,000 miles
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Sydney (SYD) one-way in first class for 200,000 miles
• New York (JFK) – Athens (ATH) one-way in business class for 100,000 miles

The main challenge here will be finding award availability, particularly on routes operated by the 777-300ER featuring Flagship First and business class. The best advice we can give is to be flexible and keep searching for award availability, especially closer to departure.

2. Off-peak Economy to Europe, South America, and Asia on American Airlines

You can utilize Etihad Guest miles for great value by flying on economy class tickets aboard American Airlines.

Here are some great flights we have in mind:

• Charlotte (CLT) – Dublin (DUB) one-way in American Airlines economy class for 60,000 miles
• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Santiago (SCL) one-way in American Airlines economy class for 60,000 miles
• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Shanghai (PVG) one-way in American Airlines economy class for 75,000 miles
• Miami (MIA) – Buenos Aires (EZE) one-way in American Airlines economy class for 60,000 miles

3. Book Business Class to Europe on Brussels Airlines

Brussels Airlines offers great business class flights from the U.S. East Coast with nonstop service to Brussels (BRU).

You can fly from New York (JFK), Toronto (YYZ), or Washington, D.C. (IAD) to Brussels (BRU) round-trip for 80,000 miles one-way. Economy costs 45,000 miles.

Availability is hard to find and does not match other websites such as United. Be persistent in calling Etihad Guest until you get an agent who is helpful and competent.

Bottom Line: You can book niche Brussels Airlines awards from North America to Brussels for 45,000 miles one-way in economy and 80,000 miles one-way in business.

4. U.S. West Coast to Tokyo on ANA in Business Class

One of the best value ways to redeem Etihad Guest miles is for U.S. West Coast flights to Japan.

Seattle (SEA) to Tokyo (HND or NRT) one-way on ANA is 100,000 miles in business class or 60,000 miles in economy.

Because Etihad’s ANA award chart is distance-based, San Francisco (SFO) or Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo (HND or NRT) is more: 120,000 miles in business class or 67,000 miles in economy.

5. Fly Around Eastern Europe on Air Serbia

Air Serbia’s short flights from Belgrade start at just 6,000 miles in economy.

Many of these flights are cheap to pay outright in cash also, so always compare the cash prices to the award cost.

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6. Fly to Casablanca With Royal Air Maroc

With distance-based charts, travel award value can depend on slight distance differences that put a flight into a lower or higher price bracket.

Even so, New York (JFK) to Casablanca (CMN) costs 45,000 miles one-way in economy or 80,000 miles one-way in business class. You can also book the nonstop service from Washington, D.C. (IAD) to Casablanca for the same price.

This pricing falls under the 3,001 to 4,000 miles bracket.

However, if you book the Miami (MIA) to Casablanca (CMN) nonstop flight, it would cost 60,000 miles in economy and 100,000 miles in business class each way.

This is due to the fact that this flight spans 4,321 miles, which falls under the 4,001 to 5,000 miles bracket.

7. Fly Oman Air in Business Class

There is 1 great Etihad Guest award value on Oman Air:

• London (LHR) to Muscat (MCT) in business class is 80,000 miles

Oman Air’s business class is not as internationally well-known as Etihad, but it receives high marks from travelers in the know.

8. Bali to Australia on Virgin Australia in Business Class

Virgin Australia operates flights from Bali (DPS) to Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL), or Brisbane (BNE). All of these flights fall under the pricing from the 2,501 to 3,000 miles distance band.

These 6+ hour flights can be booked for 34,000 miles in economy.

9. Hop Around Australia and New Zealand on Virgin Australia

Etihad Guest’s award chart for Virgin Australia flights is perfect for short, expensive flights to incredible destinations such as Brisbane (BNE) to Hamilton Island (HTI) for the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsundays. This flight is only 12,000 miles in economy, and booking flights between Sydney (SYD) and Ayers Rock (AYQ) will cost 15,000 miles.

Hot Tip: Certain Western Australia routes, including from Perth (PER) to several popular diving destinations, are served by Virgin Australia Regional. Etihad may not be able to book awards on these flights. You can try alternate programs such as Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer or Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

10. Australia and New Zealand to the Pacific on Virgin Australia

Getting to the Pacific Islands is rarely cheap using miles.

Using Etihad Guest miles will only cost 15,000 miles in economy on Virgin Australia on routes like Brisbane (BNE) to Vanuatu (VLI).

Other Pacific Islands that cost more are Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea.

11. Travel With an Infant

Traveling with an infant lap child using Etihad Guest awards is really reasonable. You will only be charged an additional 10% of the original mileage cost of your ticket to add your infant.

On that Brussels Airlines New York (JFK) to Brussels (BRU) flight in business class, adding an infant is only 8,000 miles extra!

12. Fly Air Serbia Business Class from New York to Belgrade

Air Serbia’s sole U.S. flight is between the capital city of Belgrade (BEG) and New York (JFK).

You can book this niche business class flight for 100,000 Etihad Guest miles. If economy is more your tastes, you can redeem 60,000 miles for a one-way flight in coach.

13. Access Enhanced Etihad Premium Cabin Availability

One of the latest developments in Etihad’s premium cabin availability is that Etihad will not release all of its availability to partners.

For example, if you’d like to book a high-season vacation in December aboard Etihad first or business class, you’ll have much better luck redeeming Etihad Guest miles. So you can access better availability, but it will usually cost you more points.

Here are some great example redemptions you can make:

• New York (JFK) – Abu Dhabi (AUH) – Malé (MLE) for 220,000 miles in Etihad Airways first class or 110,000 miles in business class
• Chicago (ORD) – Abu Dhabi (AUH) – Johannesburg (JNB) for 110,000 miles one-way in Etihad Airways business class
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Abu Dhabi (AUH) for 220,000 miles one-way in Etihad Airways first class or 110,000 miles in business class

14. Buy Miles as Cheap as 0.9 Cents to Save on Etihad Flights!

Plenty of airlines will sell you miles at high prices. None may be as cheap at the roughly 0.9 cents per mile Etihad charges for its Miles Plus Cash option.

For an online award on Etihad flights only, you can purchase as many as 25% of the total miles needed for an award flight. The price varies slightly by trip, though is usually around 0.9 cents per mile. In perspective, most airlines sell miles for 1.7 to 2.5 cents per mile.

At this favorable rate, the overall cost in miles and cash for an award ticket on Etihad can be a great value!

Final Thoughts

Etihad Guest provides many ways to redeem your miles so you can enjoy that well-deserved vacation! We outlined some of what we feel are the best ways to use Etihad Guest miles, but the best redemptions for you will depend on your travel goals.

Some of the program’s greatest values come by redeeming flights with several of its many partners. For Etihad flights including the famed First Class Apartments, use American Airlines AAdvantage miles or Korean SKYPASS miles to book.

Happy redeeming!

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