12 Best Ways To Redeem Etihad Guest Miles for Maximum Value [2025]

Key Takeaways

• Etihad Guest Miles can be redeemed for flights on Etihad Airways and partners like American Airlines and ANA, with better value typically found in premium cabins.
• Some redemption options include American Airliness first class, Brussels Airlines business class, and ANA business class.
• You can boost your Etihad Guest Miles by transferring points from programs such as American Express Membership Rewards and Capital One Miles.

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

Etihad serves more than 60 destinations around the world, including many 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 using credit cards and other strategies. Although Etihad Guest is probably not the first program you think of when booking award tickets, the program does have good redemption opportunities.

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. All these transferrable rewards transfer at a 1:1 ratio.

Etihad Guest is also a transfer partner of Marriott Bonvoy. Marriott Bonvoy points transfer at a rate of 3:1. Plus, for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points that you transfer, you’ll receive a bonus of 5,000 Etihad miles.

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BEST LOUNGE ACCESS

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The Platinum Card^® from American Express

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The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

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The Platinum Card^® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Welcome Offer

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

80,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $1,760

Annual Fee

$695

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card^® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required), Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $695 annual fee (rates and fees)
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

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Card Highlights

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card^®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
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• With American Express Global Lounge Collection^® you can enjoy access to over 1,400 airport lounges globally, including The Centurion^® Lounge, Unlimited Delta Sky Club^® Access when flying an eligible Delta flight, Escape Lounges, Lufthansa Lounges when flying Lufthansa Group, Plaza Premium, Priority Pass™ Select Lounges, & Additional Global Lounge Collection Partner Lounges subject to visit limitations. Lounges may have their own rules, like additional access rules and guest fees, and for Priority Pass Select, you need to enroll and there are unlimited airport lounge visits for Card Members. With Delta Sky Club Access, Card Members will receive 10 Visits to the Delta Sky Club to be used from February 1 until January 31 of the next calendar year and can unlock Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on their Card in a calendar year. To find a lounge, visit the membership section in the American Express^® App or visit http://www.americanexpress.com/findalounge#/loungefinder.
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• $199 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: CLEAR^® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck^® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card^®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
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• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card^® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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American Express Membership Rewards

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American Express^® Gold Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

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Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

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American Express^® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

60,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $1,200

Annual Fee

$325

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $325 annual fee (rates and fees)
• No lounge access

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Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points for Uber Eats purchases made at restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
• $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
• Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $325.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

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The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

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Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

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UP's Offer Valuation*:

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$395

APR

Purchases: 19.99% - 29.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Excellent (740-840)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

 

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $395 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
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Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

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The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

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Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 within the first 3 months of account opening, plus receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first cardholder year – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.

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UP's Offer Valuation*:

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APR

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Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

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Pros

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Cons

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Read Full Review

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• Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
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Financial Snapshot

• APR: Purchases: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
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U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.

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Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

The card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.

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In addition to no annual fee, the Capital One VentureOne card offers no foreign transaction fees.

But is this card worth its salt, or is it merely a shell of the more popular Capital One Venture card?

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Cons

• Weak earn rate at 1.25x miles per $1 spent on all purchases
• No luxury travel or elite benefits

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
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• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
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Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months
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U.P. Rating 

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Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

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Cons

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Card Highlights

• For a limited time: Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $750 in gift cards or travel rewards on thankyou.com.
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Financial Snapshot

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Etihad Guest Award Chart for Etihad Flights

The Etihad Guest program has undergone significant changes over the years. When you redeem Etihad Guest miles for Etihad Airways flights, you follow a distance-based award chart according to this table:

However, it is worth noting that this award chart displays introductory pricing. Etihad has an award calculator that shows how many miles you need for a redemption.

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’d expect to redeem 13,000 miles each way. However, this is just the introductory pricing, often costing significantly more miles.

Hot Tip:

Using a tool like Great Circle Mapper is an excellent way to calculate the distance between 2 airports.

Etihad Guest Award Chart for Partner Flights

Although Etihad is not a member of any major airline alliance, it has individual partnerships with over 50 airlines.

Etihad has a unified partner award chart for all partner flight redemptions. If you want to redeem Etihad Guest miles for any partner-operated flights, follow this award chart:

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’d redeem 45,000 Etihad Guest miles one-way.

The 14 Best Ways To Use Your Etihad Guest Miles

Although the Etihad Guest frequent flyer program has undergone recent changes, it is still popular among points-earners. Here are some of our favorite redemptions.

1. Fly American Airlines in Business and First Class

Let’s begin with Etihad partner American Airlines.

Etihad’s award chart for travel on American Airlines is actually better than American Airlines’ own award chart. For its flights, American uses dynamic pricing, making it difficult to know how many miles are needed for a redemption.

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

Here are 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 is finding award availability, particularly on routes operated by the 777-300ER featuring Flagship First and business class. If you are flexible with your travel dates, finding award availability will be significantly easier, especially closer to departure.

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

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

Here are a few great flights:

• Charlotte (CLT) – Dublin (DUB) one-way in American Airlines economy class for 45,000 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 an excellent business class product on flights between the U.S. East Coast and Brussels (BRU).

You can fly from New York (JFK), Toronto (YYZ), or Washington, D.C., (IAD) to Brussels (BRU) in business class for 80,000 miles one-way. Economy seats cost 45,000 miles one way.

Award availability can be challenging to find, but this is an excellent way to redeem Etihad Guest miles and is worth the time it takes to find award space.

Bottom Line: You can book Brussels Airlines awards between the eastern U.S. and 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. You can book a one-way business class ticket between Seattle (SEA) and Tokyo (HND or NRT) on All Nippon Airways (ANA) for 100,000 miles in business class. You can also fly in economy for 60,000 miles one-way.

You can also fly between Tokyo and San Francisco (SFO) or Los Angeles (LAX). However, this one-way award is 120,000 miles in business class or 67,000 miles in economy. This is because these flights fall in the next distance band.

5. Fly Around Eastern Europe on Air Serbia

Flights within Europe on partner Air Serbia start at 6,000 miles in economy. From Belgrade (BEG), you can fly to destinations such as Budapest (BUD), Vienna (VIE), and Venice (VCE) for just 6,000 miles.

It is worth noting that many of these flights can be cheap when paying cash, so it’s important to compare the cash price to the award cost.

6. Fly to Casablanca With Royal Air Maroc

Another excellent Etihad Guest redemption is on Oneworld airline Royal Air Maroc.

You can fly nonstop between Casablanca (CMN) and New York (JFK) or Washington, D.C. (IAD) for just 45,000 miles in economy or 80,000 miles in business one-way.

However, flights between Miami (MIA) and Casablanca (CMN) fall in the next distance band, costing 60,000 miles in economy and 100,000 miles in business class each way.

7. Fly on Oman Air in Business Class

Oman Air is among the best airlines in the world. It also has a specific route that is an excellent redemption using Etihad Guest miles:

• London (LHR) to Muscat (MCT) in business class for 80,000 miles one-way.

Oman Air’s business class may not be as internationally known as Etihad, but it’s worth looking into.

8. Bali to Australia on Virgin Australia in Business Class

Virgin Australia operates flights between Bali (DPS) and Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL), and Brisbane (BNE). All these flights fall under the pricing of the 2,501-to-3,000-mile distance band and can be booked for 34,000 miles in economy or 60,000 miles in business one-way.

This is an excellent redemption, as the cash fares on these flights can be quite expensive.

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 across Oceania.

For example, you can fly between Brisbane (BNE) and Hamilton Island (HTI) for just 12,000 miles in economy. You can also fly between Sydney (SYD) and Ayers Rock (AYQ) for just 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. 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 and from the Pacific islands can be pretty expensive when it comes to cash fares. Typically, it also requires a lot of miles as well. However, Etihad Guest does provide immense value on certain routes.

You can fly between Brisbane (BNE) and Vanuatu (VLI) on Virgin Australia for 5,000 miles in economy.

You can also get to other Pacific Islands, such as Fiji, Cook Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea. However, award pricing varies by where you are flying from.

11. Fly Air Serbia Business Class From New York to Belgrade

From Belgrade, Air Serbia offers 2 nonstop flights to the U.S., to Chicago (ORD) and New York (JFK).

A business class award can be booked from either city to Belgrade for 100,000 Etihad Guest miles. You could also book an award in economy for 60,000 miles.

12. Access Enhanced Etihad Premium Cabin Availability

Like many other award programs, Etihad releases extra premium cabin availability to its Etihad Guest members. At times, this may be the only way to fly in aspirational Etihad cabins such as Etihad First Class Apartments.

For example, if you’d like to book a high-season vacation aboard Etihad first or business class in December, you’d have much better luck redeeming Etihad Guest miles, as you can expect to find more award space. However, this comes at the cost of more miles.

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

Final Thoughts

Although the Etihad Guest program is unfamiliar to many, it provides several excellent ways to redeem Etihad miles. We’ve outlined what we feel are among the best ways to use Etihad Guest miles, but the best redemptions for you depends on your travel goals.

Etihad’s distance-based award charts can provide immense value, especially on short-haul flights with high cash prices. Some of the program’s greatest values come from redeeming flights with some of its many partners.

However, Etihad Guest does release more award availability to its members. This may be an excellent way to redeem miles to fly in premium cabins on Etihad.