I realize not everyone is going to be buying tickets on Middle East carrier Etihad. They fly from several US cities and are a pretty good way to get not just to the Middle East (they’re based in Abu Dhabi) but beyond to places like India and Pakistan.
But some readers might be, and a surprising number are based in regions where this could be especially useful as well.
Plus it’s a huge bonus: 25,000 bonus miles for online booking to any destination in any cabin as long as you book before February 15. That means a short hop, say, Abu Dhabi – Doha even earns the bonus. The only restriction seems to be that you have to enter your Etihad Guest number in the reservation at time of booking.
There’s also double miles to select destinations in economy as well.
For instance, when you travel between Abu Dhabi and Paris on a return ticket in Coral Economy Class, you will earn up to 38,004 miles (6,502 regular miles + 6,502 bonus miles + 25,000 online booking bonus). This is sufficient miles to redeem a free return flight in Coral Economy Class to Athens.
Terms and conditions:
This offer is only valid for bookings made on etihad.com between 4 February and 15 February. Bonus miles will only be credited if the Etihad Guest membership number is included during the time of booking. The miles will be deducted from the account if the booking is cancelled. The bonus miles earned will be Etihad Guest Miles and not Tier Miles. The bonus miles will be credited within two weeks after the promotion ends. This promotion is not valid for SuperSeller members. Etihad Guest members can also earn triple miles for travel in Diamond First or Pearl Business Class till 31 March 2014.
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Can this be earned more than once? One one-ways? If yes to these, I see the DEA in Steve Belkin’s future…
does etihad have any fifth-freedom flights inside europe / asia?
@profan You can find their route map here. http://ey.innosked.com/(S(s1usa455kqdm5amlgrsyz52g))/Default.aspx
Do you have to fly to earn bonus?
They are also doing gold status matches again, big promo in gulfnews today. Miles binus is unclear doesnt mention when travel has to start or complete by or if it is only for one journey or multiple journeys, could one book a years worth of travel on one way tickets before Feb 16th and end up with a bucket load of miles?!
I’m going to book 4 sectors Auh- muscat in the hope I earn 100000 +miles!
@Raj – yes
But if you do fly, can it be earned multiple times? or only one time bonus?
How I understand the T&C’s is that you get the bonus 2 weeks after booking even if it’s before you take the flight. That’s why they say if you cancel your flight the miles are returned. Also the Etihad program has an interesting family/friends component kind of like British Airways except that when you sign people up under your account all miles earned after signup go into your account…so this means you could book several of these bonus under different accounts and theoretically have all the bonus miles post to one account…in theory.
Is this available multiple times? We rally need to know this. If it is I will be packing right now!
Any chance to leverage this from North America with short Haul flights?
The terms and conditions don’t even seem to suggest you have to fly, just not cancel the ticket. However I think that approach is too risky. The terms and conditions don’t say you can only earn the bonus once or even that you have to fly roundtrip. These are really really sparse terms and conditions, but if the promotion works the way it says it should this could be very very very very lucrative for one-way shorthaul tickets to and from Abu Dhabi.
Followup, a reader emailed this post which speculates the offer will be valid only on roundtrips starting in Abu Dhabi (raises the cost compared to one ways if true) but that the bonus can be earned multiple times. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22288992-post9.html
T&Cs changed overnight (SNEAKY) to reflect roundtrips only.
“This offer is only valid for bookings made on etihad.com between 4 February and 15 February. ***Only return tickets will be considered for this promotion.*** Bonus miles will only be credited if the Etihad Guest membership number is included during the time of booking. The miles will be deducted from the account if the booking is cancelled. The bonus miles earned will be Etihad Guest Miles and not Tier Miles. The bonus miles will be credited within two weeks after the promotion ends. This promotion is not valid for SuperSeller members. Etihad Guest members can also earn triple miles for travel in Diamond First or Pearl Business Class till 31 March 2014.”
Nervous to roll the dice trying to get a bunch of bonuses with such sketchy Ts&Cs. One FT-er reported being told it is only one bonus and only flights till June 30, contradicting others that heard December 31.
someone better start collecting all the screenshots before they change the TERMS again!!!
seems to be a limit of 50,000 miles per member. definitely doing this twice!! thanks!!