Etihad Guest seems to frequently offer targeted status matches, though through March 15, 2015, they’re offering a more widely available status match opportunity.
The status match opportunity is open to those with “gold cards” in other frequent flyer programs, aside from those that belong to the Etihad Airways group (Aer Lingus, airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Jet Airways). I’m not sure whether they’re talking about “gold” tier equivalent (like top tier status in other programs), or any card which is simply “gold” (in which case American’s lowest tier status would qualify).
The benefits of Etihad Gold aren’t especially rich, at least compared to what we’re used to in the US. The benefits are as follows:
- 50% Extra Bonus Miles – Enjoy 50% additional Etihad guest miles in every flight you take on Etihad Airways
- Extra Baggage Allowance – Enjoy 15 kilos additional baggage allowance on all applicable flights*
- Enhanced Lounge Access – You and a guest are invited to enjoy our luxurious Business Class Lounges before you fly across our network
- Guaranteed seats – If you make a booking at least 24 hours in advance, we will guarantee you an Economy Class seat on an Etihad Airways flight of your choice – even if the flight is fully booked.
- Fast-Track Access – Upon arrival at your destination, skip the queue at border control to enjoy a speedy exit*
Receive lounge access as an Etihad Guest Gold member
That doesn’t stop them from thinking that their program is so good that once you try it nothing else will do:
Why this sudden generosity?
Because we’re confident that once you upgrade to Etihad Guest Gold, no other loyalty programme will do.
Here’s the straightforward process for submitting for a status match:
- Existing Etihad Guest members: Send us a scanned copy of your Gold card with another airline loyalty programme, copy of your latest miles statement along with your Etihad Guest membership number to [email protected]
- Non-Etihad Guest members: Send us a scanned copy of your Gold card with another airline loyalty programme, copy of your latest miles statement along with your full name, email ID, date of birth, physical address and telephone number to [email protected]
Then you should receive a confirmation email within two weeks, and your membership card will be sent to you within a month. While the terms don’t state how long the status match is valid, my guess is that it’ll be valid through the end of the year.
If they made guaranteed food in first class a Gold benefit I might be tempted to status match. 😉 In all honesty, there is something to be said for the better “soft” treatment you receive on the Middle Eastern carriers as an elite member, so it might be worth status matching if you have upcoming travel on Etihad.
Etihad first class is one of my favorite offices in the world!
The full terms of the promotion are as follows:
Only a limited number of Gold cards will be issued and Etihad Guest reserves the right to select the successful applicants. All applications should be received before 15 March 2015. This tier match promotion does not extend to members of the frequent flyer programmmes of Etihad Airways Partners (Air Lingus, airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Jet Airways) & Virgin Australia. Only gold cards with airline loyalty programmes will be considered. If the requested documents are not clear or in case of incomplete personal details your application will not be processed. Any decision towards acceptance/rejection of any application received remains exclusively with Etihad Guest. This offer is for existing Etihad Guest base, silver and non-Etihad Guest members. Current Etihad Guest miles balance for existing base, silver members will be carried forward at the time of upgrade to Etihad Guest Gold. Etihad Guest reserves the right to withdraw this promotion at any time without any prior notice.
So, who’s status matching?
(Tip of the hat to Gary)
This promotion has closed.
Fully support Sean opinion on poor Etihad gold member benefits.
I was offered status match to Etihad Guest Gold based on my Gold member status at Emirates.
So I thought I would give it a try but it was a big disappointment.
Airplanes are indeed equivalent and flight crew slightly more welcoming than Emirates one.
BUT the huge difference is the lounge facility in Abu Dhabi.
You would expect an international...
Fully support Sean opinion on poor Etihad gold member benefits.
I was offered status match to Etihad Guest Gold based on my Gold member status at Emirates.
So I thought I would give it a try but it was a big disappointment.
Airplanes are indeed equivalent and flight crew slightly more welcoming than Emirates one.
BUT the huge difference is the lounge facility in Abu Dhabi.
You would expect an international standard lounge for Etihad guest in Abu Dhabi, that is Etihad hub after all.
But they actually don't even welcome Etihad gold members in their regular business lounge !
They send you to a small crowded room run by a "partner" (Al Reem by plaza premium) with grumpy staff not even in the same terminal as your departure gate.
Not recommended.
@Sean
I can't agree more. It's been 2 years I had Etihad Gold and not one time I was upgrade being a very frequent and loyal flyer. Even with Emirates, with silver tier I was upgrade for free atleast twice in a year and it's similar with Qatar Airways.
Qatar Airways goes a bit further since my long haul flights the flight attendant made sure I was comfortable and did allow me to...
@Sean
I can't agree more. It's been 2 years I had Etihad Gold and not one time I was upgrade being a very frequent and loyal flyer. Even with Emirates, with silver tier I was upgrade for free atleast twice in a year and it's similar with Qatar Airways.
Qatar Airways goes a bit further since my long haul flights the flight attendant made sure I was comfortable and did allow me to enjoy perks from business.
Etihad yet to catch up and with a CEO more focused on product than service, it will be a challenge. Unique product is good to have but they don't deliver the revenue stream that loyalty customers can bring.
I am now thinking of flying Emirates even though the airport is 1 hr travel.
Hello,
I would love to share my experiences with Etihad Airways, I have been traveling with them constantly since a year and a half now and done more that 50 flights. I usually travel business unless to London where i prefer the First Class on A380. I have traveled many major airlines in all classes (AA, United, Emirates, Qatar, etc) besides Emirates which is amazing in First and extremely crowded in Business and lacks...
Hello,
I would love to share my experiences with Etihad Airways, I have been traveling with them constantly since a year and a half now and done more that 50 flights. I usually travel business unless to London where i prefer the First Class on A380. I have traveled many major airlines in all classes (AA, United, Emirates, Qatar, etc) besides Emirates which is amazing in First and extremely crowded in Business and lacks service due to number of passenger Business on the A380. Etihad is so far been the best I have flown. I agree with comments above regarding there ground service in Abu Dhabi, but I am sure once they have the new Terminal ready they shall match Emirates and Qatar in that. In the air none of the airlines match to Etihad. I have almost earned 400,000 miles till now on Etihad plus I used a credit card so i have got another 200,000 from that. Its Guest program is amazing but still needs to match European carriers in partner redemptions and partner miles earning. Also Etihad has an big issue with customer service and takes extremely long for replies for queries.
I sent two emails over the past month and a half. I also tweeted at Etihad. I have not received a response to any of my efforts at contacting Etihad.
@Jerry - you can't use the Premium Lounge in AUH (which EY keeps back for its own J pax). You are directed to the alternative Al Reem lounge. Similar to what SQ does in SIN and sends its *G pax to the KrisFlyer lounge instead of the SilverKris lounge.
anyway to use this status on the domestic airlines? I.e free bags/lounge?
@ ericmedschoolgd -- Not as far as I know.
I'm a Qantas platinum and managed to get a status match last year to guest gold. Sent them a copy of my card and ff statement along with some business and first class travel I had done or got booked in the future. Didn't hear much from them for a few months but eventually received a welcome letter and the card in the post with an 18 month expiry of the card. Very handy for me with travel back to Europe from Australia.
I submitted a status match (from A3 Gold) yesterday, will hope for the best for my late 2015 JFK-AUH trip
But HUH? we can't use Lounge in AUH? what is the point then? what lounges can we use?
Surprised Ben's article didn't do more "extended coverage/research" on an otherwise "announcement" post, like Gary and other blogs
@Sean – spot on about EY's ground service at AUH.
@Sean
I couldn't agree with you more!!!
RIP British Airways elites
The core benefits of the status are not great but I can say from personal experience that if you are going to be flying them it could still be worth having as they tend to do a lot of operational upgrades. I have gotten about a half-dozen JFK-AUH upgrades from Business to First as a Gold member in the past (though in fairness, that was back when that route was operated by A340s with 12 First suites, unlike the 777s now with only 8).
Can you match UA platinum or AA exec. platimum?
@ Jacob -- It would seem so.
@Andy - I live in the UAE and fly a fair bit with Etihad and its partners (in fact, I'm currently Etihad Gold so I think that does qualify me to comment on their service). I've been elite with all 3 of the ME3 at various times, as well as with the US majors when I lived there. Etihad's "apartments" exist on a grand total of 1 aircraft in their fleet and most of the...
@Andy - I live in the UAE and fly a fair bit with Etihad and its partners (in fact, I'm currently Etihad Gold so I think that does qualify me to comment on their service). I've been elite with all 3 of the ME3 at various times, as well as with the US majors when I lived there. Etihad's "apartments" exist on a grand total of 1 aircraft in their fleet and most of the time you get stuck with crappy ground service in a horrendously overcrowded facility sitting on a bus for 40 minutes en route to an aging A320 on a remote stand.
I stand by my comments. Indeed, your rebuttal just serves to prove my point.
@Sean M.... You say "like everything with Etihad, the hype is far more than the substance" Wow.
Ummm, jealous much? Unless I missed something here, or had some sort of brain embulism, aren't their first class "seats" friggin apartments that you can walk around in?? And a product bookable with Aa miles no less.
I tell you what, you use your miles to fly on substantial US carriers with their wonderful service and food...
@Sean M.... You say "like everything with Etihad, the hype is far more than the substance" Wow.
Ummm, jealous much? Unless I missed something here, or had some sort of brain embulism, aren't their first class "seats" friggin apartments that you can walk around in?? And a product bookable with Aa miles no less.
I tell you what, you use your miles to fly on substantial US carriers with their wonderful service and food or whoever you like. The more potential space for me. I intend to try that sucker out asap. Enjoy sir, enjoy.
Too bad that BA named it's oneworld Sapphire status just silver, so Etihad probably wouldn't match that (while BA silver offers lounge acces, extra luggage, double mileage etc).
Most other oneworld airlines equivalents of oneworld sapphire are named gold or even platinum.
maybe I'm being too hopeful thinking they'd match my Alaska MVP
@ Sean -- It can't hurt to try, you never know!
Gold status on Etihad is approximately useless. You don't get access to their Abu Dhabi lounge, you don't get any real priority benefits in Abu Dhabi (eg. you can checkin at their Business Class desk in T1, but you have to enter from the Economy entrance which will take you 30 minutes to get through which kinda defeats the point), priority boarding but no priority security, etc.. And your miles from partner flights can take...
Gold status on Etihad is approximately useless. You don't get access to their Abu Dhabi lounge, you don't get any real priority benefits in Abu Dhabi (eg. you can checkin at their Business Class desk in T1, but you have to enter from the Economy entrance which will take you 30 minutes to get through which kinda defeats the point), priority boarding but no priority security, etc.. And your miles from partner flights can take 3-6 months to post. Like everything with Etihad, the hype is far more than the substance.