ETIHAD: Cheap business class fares from mid-February to end April 2024

Etihad Airlines is offering some pretty attractive fares to some European capital cities for under AU$6,000 as long as you can travel between 15 February and 30 April 2024. The offer is only for the next two days and ends on Thursday, 8 February.

OK, they are ‘secondary’ capitals, but who cares?

Sample Fares

Here are a few examples of the airfares offered via an email to Etihad Guest members, the airline’s frequent flyer scheme:

• Barcelona AU$ 5,978  (360,000 miles)
• Dublin AU$ 7,586  (360,000 miles)
• Madrid AU$ 5,978  (360,000 miles)
• Manchester AU$ 5,992  (360,000 miles)
• Milan AU$ 5,977 (340,000 miles)
• Zurich AU$ 5,979  (340,000 miles)

Anything under AU$6,000, in this slightly ‘off’ season, seems a pretty good deal. Here is a sample of fares thrown up by Google today for Barcelona in Business:

Nothing under AU$ 7,000 and most with two stops.

Terms and conditions

Just be aware that you will probably be buying the lowest-priced Business Class airfare, which won’t come with all the privileges of the higher fares. So no Chaufer service for you! Even your frequent flyer earnings may be less.

There are also some black-out periods, so be flexible with your departure and arrival dates.

Status Match

It doesn’t end there. Etihad is also promoting a Status Match. Sound too good to be true? Well, it sort of is. There are a few limits and conditions you need to understand.

You can only match with Etihand Silver and Gold status, NOT Platinum. Here is some of what Gold and Silver will get you:

• Etihad Guest Silver: priority check-in, additional baggage and 25% bonus points on eligible flights
• Etihad Guest Gold priority check-in, additional baggage, 50% bonus points, global access to Etihad Airways and partners lounges, which includes Virgin Australia and the new Business Class lounge in Abu Dhabi. 

Etihad are guarding their top tier, however. You cannot match Qantas Platinum status, say, with Etihad’s top tier.

Still, not having to complete the equivalent of 20 (Silver) or 40 (Gold) flight segments (‘Tier Segments’ in Etihad Guest speak) is usually required to qualify is not to be spat at!

Eligibility

This promotion is targeting frequent flyers in Australia and India. All frequent flyer program members listed below are eligible for the Status Match. I’ve highlighted a few that are popular with Australians.

• AirAsia BIG Loyalty
• Air Astana Nomad Club
• Air India Express NeuPass
• Air India Flying Returns
• British Airways Executive Club
• Cathay Pacific
• Emirates Skywards
• Japan Airlines Mileage Bank
• Korean Air Skypass
• Lufthansa Miles & More
• Philippine Airlines Mabuhay Miles
• Qantas Frequent Flyer
• Qatar Airways Privilege Club
• Royal Brunei Royal Skies
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus
• Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
• United Airlines MileagePlus
• Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles
• Vistara Club Vistara

How to apply

The first step is to join the Etihad Guest program. Use this link to the status match application page and expect your request to be processed within five working days.

As well as an Etihad Guest membership number, you will need to pay a fee of US$59 (~AUD$91) for Silver applicants or US$99 (~$153) for Gold, which will get you three months of the upgraded status.

To extend your new status to three months, you must complete at least one eligible flight with Etihad Airways within that initial period. That will then give you 12 months of that status.

Etihad is not an airline alliance member, but it does have an impressive list of partners, including Air NZ, ANA, Garuda, Korean and, of course, Virgin Australia. There are a total of 20 airline partners

2PAXfly Takeout

If you expect to travel on Etihad in the next three months – or take advantage of the sale offer outlined above – this is a status match you should seriously contemplate. Although you will get many of these privileges as a Business class passenger, it will stand you in good stead when you travel in a lesser class on Etihad.