How To Upgrade Your Etihad Flight With Miles and Cash [2024]

It’s very common for people to want to buy a cheap economy ticket and then upgrade their ticket using miles. After all, who wouldn’t want to move up from an uncomfortable middle seat in economy to a lie-flat seat in business class or even the Etihad First Class Apartment?

Unfortunately, upgrading your flight with miles is not always possible, since many types of tickets are not upgradeable, and even if they are, they may cost more than you’re willing to pay. In this article, we’ll look at how you can upgrade your Etihad flight with miles and when it might make sense.

Flying in a Premium Cabin on Etihad

Etihad has some of the best premium cabins of any airline in the world, so it can make a lot of sense to fly Etihad business class or Etihad first class. Read some of our Etihad premium cabin flight reviews to get an idea of what it is like to fly in style on Etihad:

• Etihad Airways Airbus A380 First Class Apartment Review [SYD to AUH]
• Etihad Airways Airbus A380 First Class Apartment Review [LHR to AUH]
• Etihad Airways Airbus A380 Business Class Review [AUH to SYD]
• Etihad Airways Boeing 787-9 Business Class Review [MUC to AUH]

Types of Etihad Upgrades

Etihad offers 3 different kinds of upgrades on its Flight Upgrade page:

• Upgrade with Etihad Guest Miles — Pay a flat fee in miles to upgrade your flight. The exact amount of Etihad Guest Miles that it takes to upgrade will depend on the fare class of your original ticket.
• Place a Bid To Upgrade — Before your flight, you can place a bid on an upgrade to a premium cabin in either Miles or cash. If your bid is accepted, you’ll be charged immediately and receive your updated boarding pass when you check in online or at the airport.
• Instant Airport Upgrade — If you choose not to bid before you check in, you may have 1 last chance to upgrade at the airport when you check in. You can pay for the instant upgrade of your Etihad flight with either cash (at select airports), credit card, or Etihad Guest Miles. 

Paying To Upgrade Your Etihad Flight With Miles

The first way that you can upgrade your Etihad flights is by paying Etihad Guest miles beforehand. Etihad publishes a Miles Calculator that shows the cost to both book and upgrade your flight with Miles. Simply enter your origin and destination to see the cost to upgrade your Etihad flight with Miles.

Etihad allows you to upgrade 1 class of service from your original ticket; for example, you can upgrade from economy to business or business to first class. You can even upgrade a first class ticket to the Etihad Residence.

Note that the cost to upgrade your flight will depend on the fare class of your original ticket, and GuestSeat tickets (the lowest and cheapest fare class) are generally not able to be upgraded.

Bidding To Upgrade Your Etihad Flight

Another option for upgrading your Etihad flight is to bid for an upgrade. You can bid for an upgrade by entering your record locator and last name.

You can choose to bid using either cash or Miles, and Etihad will indicate how likely your upgrade is to be accepted. As you might imagine, the more you bid, the more likely your bid is to be accepted.

If your bid is accepted, you will receive an additional confirmation email from Etihad, and you will immediately be charged your bid amount. You can access your updated boarding pass when you check in either online or at the airport. You can’t change or cancel your bid once it has been accepted or if there are fewer than 4 hours before your flight.

It’s also important to note that you will only earn Miles based on your original ticket and fare class, though if you are an Etihad Guest member, you will receive 10% additional bonus Miles if you successfully bid for an upgrade.

How To Earn Etihad Guest Miles

There are a few ways that you can earn Etihad Guest miles. One way is by flying on Etihad and crediting your flights to Etihad Guest. You can also credit flights from any of Etihad’s more than 20 partner airlines to Etihad and earn more Miles.

There is currently no Etihad-branded credit card in the U.S., however, there are several flexible rewards programs that can transfer to Etihad Guest, including American Express Membership Rewards^® points*.

American Express Membership Rewards^® Cards

American Express Membership Rewards points can be transferred to Etihad Guest miles at a rate of 1,000 points to 1,000 Etihad Guest Miles. Here are some of our top picks for American Express cards that earn Membership Rewards points:

BEST LOUNGE ACCESS

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

U.P. Rating

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

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 purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

80,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$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 (670-850)

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, 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
• Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment (airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit)
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
• Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
• Access to Amex International Airline Program
• No foreign transaction fees (rates and fees)

Cons

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

Card Highlights

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card^®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• 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 with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card^®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card^® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card^®. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card^®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card^®. Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
• $189 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card^®. Learn more.
• $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 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.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card^®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card^®. An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
• 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.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

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

Card Categories

• Credit Card Reviews
• Credit Cards
• Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Sign Up Bonuses

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

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BEST FOR DINING

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Gold Card

U.P. Rating

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

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 with your new Card within the first 6 months.

60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,320

Annual Fee

$250

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 (670-850)

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 and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, 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, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at Amex Travel
• Up to $120 annual dining credit: up to $10 monthly statement credit when you pay with the Amex Gold card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations
• Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash: get $10 monthly in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. when you add your Gold Card to your Uber account
• No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
• Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection
• Access to American Express transfer partners

Cons

• $250 annual fee (see rates and fees)
• No lounge access

Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and 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, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

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

Card Categories

• Credit Card Reviews
• Credit Cards
• Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Sign Up Bonuses

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

More Reads

• Find the Amex Gold 75k or 90k Welcome Bonus Offer
• Benefits of the Amex Gold
• Upgrade Amex Gold to Amex Platinum
• Amex Gold Benefits for Military
• Amex Gold vs Blue Cash Preferred
• Amex Platinum vs Amex Gold
• Amex Gold vs Delta Gold

Final Thoughts

There is something glamorous about flying in a premium cabin, and Etihad’s business class and first class experiences are among the world’s best. If you are looking to upgrade an Etihad flight with Miles, know that you have a few different options.

You can pay for an upgrade before you fly with Etihad Guest Miles, bid for an upgrade with either cash or Miles, or take your chances at an instant upgrade at the airport. No matter which option you choose, make sure you crunch the numbers and see if it is worth it to you.

*Membership Rewards^® Program

Terms and Conditions for the Membership Rewards^® program apply. Visit membershiprewards.com/terms for more information. Participating partners and available rewards are subject to change without notice.

The value of Membership Rewards points varies according to how you choose to use them. To learn more, go to www.membershiprewards.com/pointsinfo.