Etihad will launch Dallas service December 2, 2014.
The flight will be operated three times weekly by a Boeing 777-200LR with 8 first class, 40 business class, and 189 economy seats.
It’s too early to tell what award availability on this flight will be like but in general I find that Eithad’s availability is excellent, especially early on as they tend to load premium cabin award space when the schedules open.
Especially interesting is that — with Qatar having joined oneworld and launching Dallas service — the move would seem to suggest that Etihad believes their relationship with American Airlines can continue. To make this flight work they’ll most certainly need feed from American.
Etihad First Class Cabin – Suites
Etihad Business Class
American AAdvantage miles are great given the quality of Etihad’s product and the ease of redeeming their seats on most routes – they’re a great way to not just the Middle East but also to India and surrounding countries. Unfortunately American will not let you redeem awards between the US and Africa or Asia via the Middle East as a single award (and since Etihad is not a member of oneworld you cannot include their flights as part of a distance-based oneworld award like you now can with Qatar).
Etihad also flies to New York JFK, Washington Dulles, Los Angeles (coming June), Chicago (2-cabin), and Toronto (2-cabin).
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So if I want to go to India from SFO, I will have to use two separate awards. Is that what you are saying?
No, India is allowable on one award. You cannot go to Africa or Asia via Mideast on one award
from India we can connect with other Asian cities easily with Avios or even UA miles.
Folks, you can still get to India on one award. You can’t go to Asia via the Middle East though.
A good option to get you (almost) to the Maldives?
@Boho – this gets you to the Maldives (though with an overnight connection in Abu Dhabi)
So does it consider as one award from DFW-MLE or two awards when using AA miles?
Well, Gary, in reality India is part of Asia. But in the special world we frequent flyers occupy, I guess you’re saying that for award redemption purposes it is considered a different region. Anyway, thanks for that clarification re India being one award.
Now if only we could get them to fly domestically and bring a little competition to the USA market. Why do we no longer protect so many domestic industries and yet we still protect the airline industry from foreign competition? If they want to be big boys now and dominate the domestic market and impose their rules why not let them FULLY deregulate the market?
@Heather
I agree. At least flights to Hawaii and Alaska should be open to competition.
Heather. We, like every other country protect our own countries’ airlines because in the event of war we would have access to our countries airline information etc.
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Do you think LH would have been flying domestically in the USA during WWI? How about JAL in WWII?
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This is why we limit other countries access to USA domestic flights.
@tomRI – if you take that argument seriously, you would want foreign airlines’ operating in the US to commandeer them during wartime. Does it bother you that non-US airlines can fly in and out of US airports now, and over US airspace? The reason foreign airlines aren’t permitted to operate US domestic markets is protectionism. The same reason government employees and contractors must buy their air travel on US airlines (“Fly America Act”).