Etihad Airlines is probably the most intriguing of Citi PremierMiles transfer partners and in certain cases represents the most valuable frequent flyer program currently in the Philippines.
Its Guest Miles program consists of 25 different airline partners, including traditional airlines such as American to more obscure ones such as Oman Air.
Etihad First Apartment
Perhaps the most aspirational first class product that you can get with miles is the Etihad Apartment.
Each “apartment” consists of a separate seat / bed combination, and all first class passengers receive a complimentary in flight shower.
With at least 50% more space than its closest competitor, there is no question that Etihad truly reimagined how flying should be.
The retail cost of flying in The Apartment reaching well over $10,000, it is frequently flown by the ultra-rich and major celebrities.
I recently took a $23,000 flight on Etihad’s Residence & Apartment but only paid $130, using credit card miles, which you can read here.
How to book your own Etihad apartment
To fly on the Etihad Apartment, you will need to book a flight on Etihad’s A380. Unlike Emirates, Etihad flies the A380 only on a few select routes.
Here is the current list of flights that currently use the A380:
Miles needed are for one way flights
Sydney – Abu Dhabi (128,780 miles)
Melbourne – Abu Dhabi (124,302 miles)
New York – Abu Dhabi (117,500 miles)
London – Abu Dhabi (87, 732 miles)
Mumbai – Abu Dhabi (31,835 miles)
If you are merely looking for award space on Etihad flights only, the process is relatively straightforward and can be done online.
How to Search for Etihad Award Availability Online
Partner Awards
Since Etihad is not part of a formal alliance, this results in quite a few more award redemption options, especially during peak season where award availability is spotty at best.
While most airlines charge the same amount of miles regardless of which airline partner you fly, Etihad has a separate award chart for each partner! That means there are over 25 award charts http://www.etihadguest.com/en/spend-miles/airline-partners/ to look at and compare.
Award charts are split between distance based, where the amount of miles charged is based off the total distance of your flights; and route based, where each flight has its own specific award price.
[Distance Based]
[Route Based]
While the selection of different airline partners is vast, the rules are pretty much the same. You can only fly on flights on one partner, meaning you can’t mix and match different airlines. Awards also have to be booked 14 days in advance, although some airlines do allow you to book 24 hours before departure.
The entire system is a bit confusing and the booking process is frustrating, but there are some fantastic deals to be had if you can wade through all the information.
Unfortunately, the number of direct flights is a bit limited from the Philippines, but here are some of the best options that I found from Manila:
Fly to Tokyo on ANA airlines for 12,000 miles one way in economy.
Fly to Busan or Seoul for 12,000 miles one way in economy or 19,000 miles on business class via Asiana Airways
Fly to Muscat on Oman Air for 26,000 miles one way or 51,000 miles in business class
If you expand your scope and are not limited to flights just in the Philippines, Etihad guest miles can have incredible value such as only 25,000 miles in Business Class from Seoul to Prague on Czech Airlines!
If you’re planning on flying to Thailand, domestic flights on Bangkok Air start at a mere 2000 miles each.
How to Book your Partner Awards
There is no simple way to check for availability online for most partners, as a result you will need to call Etihad guest services and search for award space there. There are quite a few reports of agents who don’t know how to book partner awards. Your best bet is to call the Manchester call center (+44 03456081225), which has agents that are likely able to book complicated partner awards
Refunds
Changes are permitted at a charge of 100 AED and if you decide to cancel your booking you’ll receive your miles back minus 10%. You’ll have to call Etihad’s service line to make any changes.
How to Earn Guest Miles
You can earn Guest Miles through the Citi PremierMiles card, which earns 1 point for every 30-40 php spent (depending on the card).
Citi PremierMiles transfer to Etihad Guest Miles at a ratio of 1000 card points to 1000 Etihad miles.
Alternatively, you can earn Etihad Guest Miles whenever you fly on Philippine Airlines. This is due to a unique partnership it has with PAL, which allows flyers to credit miles to Etihad instead of PAL.
Simply enter your Etihad Guest Miles number when booking your ticket. If you don’t have a Guest Miles accounts, click here to sign up. https://www.etihadguest.com/en/join/
Overall Verdict
Etihad’s Guest Miles offers an interesting value proposal with its lucrative partner awards and the ability to book a seat aboard Etihad’s first class apartment. Frequent flyers on PAL airlines could easily rack up a lot of miles by crediting to Etihad instead.
Read More: Which Rewards Program should I credit my Philippine Airlines Flights?