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Etihad Guest has just launched a new frequent flyer partnership with Bangkok Airways’ FlyerBonus. Now, members of either program can redeem rewards when traveling across either airline's network.
Here's what to know about the partnership and how much award flights will cost.
Etihad and Bangkok Airways New Partnership
You are likely much more familiar with Etihad than you are with Bangkok Airways. Etihad offers flights through Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and North America from its hub in Abu Dhabi.
Bangkok Airways operates a much smaller footprint. It operates a handful of flights throughout Southeast Asia, as well as some longer flights to China and the Maldives.
Etihad is clearly investing in Thailand tourism. Prior to this partnership, Etihad launched direct flights to Krabi and Chiang Mai in 2025. And starting October 2026, Etihad will introduce its flagship A380 on the evening service to Bangkok, which not only adds seats to the route but also introduces The Residence (a three-room suite), private first suites, and lie-flat business seats for passengers heading to Bangkok.
However, Etihad isn't the only airline to see value in Thailand and Bangkok Airways. Air France-KLM Flying Blue added redemptions on Bangkok Airways in 2025, but Etihad offers more competitive pricing — at least for now.
Etihad Guest Award Pricing on Bangkok Airways
Award pricing is already live, so here's how much you can expect to pay for these flights. The quick hop from Bangkok (BKK) to Chiang Mai (CNX) will cost 6,050 Etihad Guest miles, plus THB 130 (~$4 USD) in economy.
Meanwhile, the two-hour journey from Ko Samui (USM) to Singapore (SIN) would cost 25,000 miles and THB 760 (~$23) in business. Note that this route is operated by Bangkok Airways' A319, so don't expect lie-flat seats.
And the three-and-a-half-hour flight from Ko Samui (USM) to Hong Kong (HKG) would cost 15,000 miles in economy, plus THB 760.
How To Boost Your Etihad Guest Miles Balance
Unfortunately, you can't transfer any points or miles to Bangkok Airways. Unless you frequently travel within Southeast Asia, this new partnership will only be useful if you want to use Etihad Guest miles to book Bangkok Airways flights, and not the other way around.
If you need a boost of Etihad Guest miles, you can utilize a few different transfer partners, including Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou Points, and Bilt Points. This means that any card that earns these points, like the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card, can help you book Bangkok Airways flights through Etihad.
If you have Amex Membership Rewards, you'll want to act quickly as American Express is removing Etihad as a transfer partner worldwide in June.
Bottom Line
If you are planning a trip to Thailand and you have some Etihad Guest miles to spare, you can now use them for Bangkok Airways flights. However, this likely won't have much impact on the average award traveler, as Bangkok Airways serves only a handful of airports across the region. Plus, Bangkok Airways flights are generally affordable — the nonstop between Bangkok and Chiang Mai is just $70 — and other local carriers are often even cheaper. Be sure to do the math to make sure redeeming Etihad miles for these flights is a wise investment.
