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Etihad's first-class product is one of the best in the world, which is one reason it's almost impossible to find. However, Etihad awards are back and now bookable on American Airlines' website. Plus, award redemptions for Etihad flights using AA miles are available in both business and first class in early 2024 — with tons of availability on some routes, as first noticed by Travel on Points.
Note that there are some technical issues going on right now, which may make it difficult to book. It's hard to tell whether this is a result of phantom award space or a problem with the site, but it's worth going through different dates to find seats.
Deal Details
- Book business (J) and first (F) class flights on Etihad.
- Routes:
- First: Washington D.C. (IAD) or London (LHR) to/from Abu Dhabi (AUH).
- Business: New York (ORD), Chicago (ORD) to/from Abu Dhabi (AUH), and Abu Dhabi (AUH) to/from Sydney (SYD).
- Cost:
- First: Starting at 65,500 AA miles + ~$50.00 in taxes and fees.
- Business: 42,500 AA miles + ~$50.00 in taxes and fees.
- Dates: January to March 2024.
Available Etihad Award Flights
Middle Eastern airlines know how to do luxury — whether it's the apartment offered on Etihad's A380 or the game-changing first class that Emirates recently debuted. The available routes in this deal cover business and first class on both the A380 and the 787-9, so you'll have your pick of products.
From Washington, D.C. to Abu Dhabi
There's tons of award space available on these routes, so look around. The best dates for availability are from January to March 2024.
You can find a good amount of availability in both business and first on these routings, even when booking the nonstop flight. Otherwise, it's possible to find a connection via London (LHR), which gives you a chance to fly Etihad's A380. Pricing from the U.S. is 115,000 miles in first or 70,000 in business.
Here's how it shakes out on the checkout screen.
To Abu Dhabi From London
If you're not starting in the U.S. or want to add this flight to an existing trip, you can save a ton of miles while enjoying Etihad first class if you fly from London. One-way routes to and from Abu Dhabi cost just 62,500 AAdvantage miles and include nearly eight hours of flight time.
Business class availability is good also and will cost just 42,500 miles.
To Sydney From Abu Dhabi
It's also possible to book business class to and from Sydney for 80,000 miles one-way, which is a great deal and a serious AA sweet spot for a 14-hour flight.
Unfortunately, we couldn't find first-class availability in either direction on this route.
Getting American Airlines Miles
American Airlines miles can be a little more difficult to earn than others, simply because they lack transfer partners. If you don't already have a stash of AAdvantage miles handy, it's still possible to earn some in time to book.
For fast access, opt to transfer Bilt Rewards to your account, which can be done at a 1:1 ratio and transfer immediately. Otherwise, Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to AA at a 3:1 ratio. Note that it's possible to hold an award while waiting for your miles to transfer in.
If you're otherwise looking to build your balance, consider opening a Bask Bank account, which'll earn you 2.5 AAdvantage miles per $1 saved each year. American Airlines credit cards are a good option also, though the miles from a sign-up bonus might not arrive before this current first-class availability disappears.
Related: Points and Miles For Suites and First Class
Bottom Line
If you have any interest in flying Etihad's first or business products, run to book this before availability disappears. It's long been difficult to book these awards (especially since they required a phone call), so having wide-open awards on several key routes is great news. Jump in!
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I missed these awards for March 2024 trip. Is Etihad likely to open more awards before then?
Tracy – I wish we knew a definitive answer. If you’re not finding awards, you could try using a program like Expert Flyer to receive alerts when something opens up. Here’s our guide to that – https://awardwallet.com/blog/using-expertflyer-saver-award-space/