Booking Etihad Airways Using Points for Less

Etihad Airways offers a superb flying experience. Their Business and Economy cabins are well-regarded. Many travelers want to use points for these flights. However, booking Etihad Airways using points directly with Etihad Guest miles isn’t always the cheapest way. There’s a smart alternative. You can often use Air France Flying Blue points to book Etihad flights. This guide shows you how to potentially use fewer points. We will explore leveraging the Etihad and Air France partnership.

Etihad’s Reach: North American Connections

Etihad Airways connects its Abu Dhabi (AUH) hub with several key cities. These gateways are in North America. This makes travel to the Middle East and beyond accessible.

Current Etihad routes to the United States include:

• Boston (BOS)
• Chicago (ORD)
• New York (JFK)
• Washington D.C. (IAD)
• Atlanta (ATL)

For Canadian travelers, Etihad serves:

• Toronto (YYZ)

Etihad is also expanding. A new route to Charlotte (CLT) is planned for 2026. Always check Etihad’s website for the most current routes. This ensures your travel plans are accurate.

Baseline: Etihad’s “GuestSeat” Awards via Etihad Guest (NA-AUH)

To understand the value of booking with partners, let’s first look at Etihad’s own pricing. Etihad Airways uses its “Etihad Guest” loyalty program. Their saver-level award seats are called “GuestSeats.” These offer the best value when using Etihad Guest miles directly.

For flights between North America (e.g., US East Coast) and Abu Dhabi (AUH), typical one-way GuestSeat prices are:

• Economy Class: Around 60,000 Etihad Guest miles. You also pay taxes and fees. These are approximately $192 USD.
• Business Class: Around 120,000 Etihad Guest miles. Taxes and fees are higher here. They are about $544 USD.

These figures provide a baseline. We will compare them to using Air France Flying Blue points. This helps see potential savings.

The Flying Blue Advantage for Etihad Flights

Now, let’s explore booking Etihad flights using Air France Flying Blue points. This method can offer several advantages.

Earning Flying Blue Points (Your Transfer Options)

Air France Flying Blue points are quite easy to earn. Many major flexible bank reward programs partner with Flying Blue. This is true in both the US and Canada. You can transfer your bank points directly to your Flying Blue account. This makes accumulating points for a redemption straightforward.

Below are my favorite Credit cards that will help you earn Air France/ KLM’s Flying Blue Points

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The Sweet Spot: Lower Points for Etihad Economy & Business

Often, Flying Blue requires fewer points for the same Etihad flights. This is compared to using Etihad Guest miles. For example, an Economy flight from Chicago(ORD) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) is around 44,000 Flying Blue miles. This is much lower than Etihad’s 60,000 Guest miles. Taxes and fees with Flying Blue can also be more reasonable. They are often around $105-$150 USD for this route.

For Etihad Business Class, the savings can be even greater. From US cities or Toronto to Abu Dhabi, expect rates around 85,000 to 95,000 Flying Blue miles. This is a significant saving compared to 120,000 Etihad Guest miles. The taxes and fees through Flying Blue are also typically lower for Business Class. They are usually in the $200-$250 USD range.

Understanding the Booking Window for Business Class

Finding Etihad award availability through partners can be tricky. For Etihad Business Class seats booked via Flying Blue (and many other partners), availability is often released only within approximately 30 days of departure. This makes advance planning for specific dates challenging.

However, this isn’t always a fixed rule. There have been periods, like towards the end of 2024, when Etihad released Business Class award space to partners like Flying Blue up to 75 days in advance. Therefore, while you should generally expect closer-in availability for Business Class, it’s always worth checking further out. Patterns can change. For Economy Class, the booking window through partners is usually more generous.

Important Note: First Class Not Available via Flying Blue

It is important to manage expectations. This strategy is excellent for Etihad Economy and Business Class. However, Etihad First Class awards are generally not bookable using Air France Flying Blue miles at this time. If your goal is First Class, you’ll need to explore other programs or methods. This guide focuses on getting great value for Etihad’s highly-rated Economy and Business products.

How to Book Etihad Flights with Flying Blue Miles: Step-by-Step

Booking Etihad flights with Flying Blue points involves a few key steps. Follow this guide carefully. It helps you confirm availability and secure the best deal.

Step 1: Initial Search on Etihad.com (Long-Haul Segment)

First, head over to the official Etihad Airways website, Etihad.com. You will use their “Book flights with miles” feature. It is important to search for your long-haul flight to or from Abu Dhabi (AUH) only. For example, search Chicago(ORD) to Abu Dhabi (AUH). Do this even if you plan to connect further. This approach simplifies the initial search. It also makes troubleshooting easier if issues arise.

What you are looking for is “GuestSeat” availability. “GuestSeat” is Etihad’s term for their saver-level award seats. If you see “GuestSeat” available, it generally means these seats will also be shared with partner airlines. Make a note of the dates and flight numbers showing GuestSeat space.

Step 2: Verify on AirFrance.com (The Same Long-Haul Segment)

Once you’ve found GuestSeat availability on Etihad.com, go to AirFrance.com. Log in to your Air France Flying Blue account. Click on the “Book with miles” tab to start your search.

Enter the exact same long-haul route and dates that showed GuestSeat availability on Etihad’s website. For example, search Chicago (ORD) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) for those specific dates. When the results load, you should hopefully see the Etihad Airways flight. It will likely be bookable for fewer Flying Blue miles than Etihad Guest miles. You will also see the taxes and fees here.

Remember the typical booking window for Business Class. It is often within approximately 30 days of departure. However, as mentioned, this can vary. Always check your desired dates.

Step 3: Adding Connecting Flights on AirFrance.com (If Applicable)

Now you have confirmed the main Etihad flight (e.g., ORD-AUH) is available on AirFrance.com. If your actual trip involves a connection via Abu Dhabi (e.g., to Mumbai), you can now search for the full journey.

Perform a new search on AirFrance.com. This time, use your true origin and final destination. For example, search Chicago(ORD) to Mumbai (BOM). If the connecting Etihad flights also have GuestSeat availability, the entire itinerary should now appear. It will be priced as a single award using Flying Blue miles.

Step 4: Transfer Points & Complete Your Booking

Before transferring any points, do a final check. Ensure the desired Etihad flights are still available on AirFrance.com. Confirm the total points and cash co-pay.

Most major bank rewards programs allow you to transfer points to Air France Flying Blue. (Don’t forget to check out

Here are my favorite cards that earn points which you can transfer to Air France Flying Blue

Using these links to apply for cards helps support my content at no cost to you! THANK YOU 🫶🏼

Transfers are usually irreversible. Once you’ve confirmed everything, transfer the required number of points to your Flying Blue account. Transfer times can vary but are often quick. As soon as the points appear, go back to AirFrance.com. Complete your booking promptly to secure your seats.

Conclusion: A Smart Way to Fly Etihad

Booking Etihad Airways flights using Air France Flying Blue points is a clever strategy. It can save you a significant number of points. This method often comes with lower taxes and fees too. This is especially true compared to booking directly with Etihad Guest miles. We saw this for both Economy and Business Class.

The key is understanding the process. First, check for Etihad “GuestSeat” availability. Then, search for the same flights on the Air France or KLM website using Flying Blue miles. Remember the booking window for Business Class. It is often within about 30 days of departure. However, this can sometimes vary, so checking further out is worthwhile. Also, note that Etihad First Class is generally not available with this method.

This strategy requires a few extra steps. But the rewards can be substantial. You get to experience Etihad’s excellent service and comfort. You do so for fewer points and less cash out of pocket. For savvy travelers, using Flying Blue to book Etihad is a smart hack. It unlocks great value for your points.