It is March 10, and as anticipated, Etihad Visitor has unveiled a brand new award chart with commonplace pricing for all its companion airways. By doing so, it has eliminated all of its former candy spots.
This is what it is advisable learn about Etihad Visitor redemptions.
Goodbye, candy spots — and do not rely on revealed award costs
Etihad Visitor has revealed its new base award charges right here.
You will discover that every companion has similar award charges. Nevertheless, Etihad’s personal are barely completely different, although we’re nonetheless seeing the identical dynamically priced Etihad awards to the Center East. In some circumstances, costs for the service’s first-class cabin are nonetheless at greater than 1,000,000 miles.
However the true information is that Etihad has considerably devalued many companion awards. A number of months in the past, I redeemed 62,500 Etihad Visitor miles to fly American Airways Flagship First from Los Angeles to Sydney. Now, that very same flight would price 200,000 miles — greater than triple the previous value.
We have been additionally huge followers of the 44,000-mile Brussels Airways business-class candy spot from Washington, D.C.’s Dulles Worldwide Airport (IAD) and New York’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) to Brussels Airport (BRU). As you might have guessed, that is additionally gone — now, you will have to spend 80,000 miles one-way, which is greater than what Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles and even United MileagePlus cost for this award.
Bear in mind the times of 25,000 miles for American’s transcontinental Flagship First? Adieu to that one, too. This flight ought to price 80,000 miles, in accordance with Etihad’s award calculator; nonetheless, whenever you attempt to e book this flight, you could discover a completely different value.
As you may see, Etihad has even gone so far as to cost 90,001 miles for this route. By charging 90,001 miles as a substitute of 90,000 miles, you are caught transferring 91,000 bank card factors to this system.
Hopefully, that is merely a glitch with the launch of the brand new program, however it’s however irritating.
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Associated: 9 superb first-class seats you may nonetheless e book with factors and miles
You possibly can e book American Airways and Virgin Australia awards on-line
The one (small) optimistic of this transformation is that choose companions are actually bookable on-line. Beforehand, you wanted to name Etihad Visitor to e book companion flights. That is nonetheless the case for many of its companions, nonetheless, now you can view real-time award area on Virgin Australia and American Airways and e book these two companion awards on-line.
Granted, that is solely two of Etihad’s 20 companions, and it does little to erase the sting of the huge award chart modifications. Hopefully, we’ll see further companions added sooner or later, however even then, it should not often be greatest to e book with Etihad Visitor given the brand new pricing construction.
Associated: The last word information to Etihad companions
Backside line
Etihad Visitor has made important modifications to its redemptions. This system’s ample candy spots are actually gone with the brand new standardized award chart. Sadly, it is trying like Etihad Visitor is now not the pleasant American Categorical Membership Rewards, Capital One and Citi ThankYou Rewards factors foreign money it was.
