A couple of days ago a reader left a comment asking me about Etihad’s meet & greet service. I was genuinely confused, since I hadn’t heard of that before.
I mean, as a first class passenger I’ve been picked up planeside when arriving at a remote stand and driven to the terminal, but that’s about the extent of any meet & greet service which I’ve experienced.
But as it turns out, there is in fact a paid Etihad meet & greet service, which I hadn’t previously heard about.
Etihad’s meet & greet service is open to all Etihad Airways passengers traveling through Abu Dhabi Airport, and has to be booked at least 48 hours in advance. So what does Etihad’s meet & greet service entail, and how much does it cost?
They have three types of services, depending on whether you’re arriving, departing, or transiting Abu Dhabi Airport.
Etihad’s Departure Meet & Greet Service
Departure Meet & Greet – Gold Service
(AED 250, $68 / per person)
- Personal welcome on arrival at Abu Dhabi International Airport (1 staff for every guest or couple traveling together).
- Staff will meet you at the airport Business Class check-in Terminal 1.
- Assistance throughout the departure process, including escort from Business Class check-in desk Terminal 1 to Etihad Airways Premium Class Lounge Terminal 1.
Etihad’s Transit Meet & Greet Service
Transit Meet & Greet – Gold Service
(AED 325, US$89 / per person)
- Personal welcome on arrival at Abu Dhabi International Airport (1 staff for every guest or couple traveling together).
- Staff will meet you at the arrival gate lounge or bus disembarkation point.
- Assistance throughout the arrival process, including escort from arrival gate to Etihad Airways Premium Lounge Terminal 1 and escort from Etihad Airways Premium Lounge Terminal 1 to the departure gate.
- Available for guests who has up to 5 hours transit in Abu Dhabi.
Etihad Arrivals Meet & Greet Service
Arrivals Meet & Greet – Gold Service
(AED 200, US$55 / per person)
- Personal welcome on arrival at Abu Dhabi International Airport (1 staff for every guest or couple traveling together).
- Staff will meet you at the arrival gate lounge or bus disembarkation point.
- Assistance throughout the arrival process and immigration fast track.
- Complimentary porter service from the baggage belt to the curbside.
Arrivals Meet & Greet – Silver Service
(AED 100, US$27 / per person)
- Personal welcome on arrival at Abu Dhabi International Airport (1 staff for 2 to 5 guests).
- Staff will meet you at the arrival gate lounge or bus disembarkation point.
- Assistance throughout the arrival process and immigration fast track.
My Thoughts On Etihad’s Meet & Greet Service
There are a few things that stand out to me about these offerings:
- The prices don’t actually seem half bad for such a service, compared to what you’d pay for something similar at another airport.
- In my experience immigration queues at Abu Dhabi Airport can be highly variable, so this could be worth it upon arrival in order to cut the line, if nothing else.
- Best I can tell, using the meet & greet service actually gets you access to Etihad’s Premium Lounge Terminal 1, so as far as I know that’s the only way to purchase lounge access with Etihad Airways. It’s worth noting that this doesn’t get you access to Etihad’s Premium Lounge Terminal 3.
Etihad Lounge Terminal 1 Abu Dhabi Airport
To expand on the last point, the departure meet & greet service costs $68, while the transit meet & greet service costs $89, both of which seem quite reasonable. I’d say it’s an especially good deal if you’re in economy, since you’re gaining lounge access as part of the package.
When I first read about the meet & greet service I wasn’t sure whether it included lounge access or not, but the old website about the meet & greet service makes it pretty apparent (bolding mine):
What’s more, our valued guests are accompanied at every stage of the airport process, with unique benefits such as fast-track immigration, assistance with baggage collection, lounge access and guidance to the airport exit, depending on which product you select. So now your arrival, departure or transit can be as comfortable as your flight.
Bottom line
I’ll probably give Etihad’s meet & greet service a try the next time I transit Abu Dhabi Airport, just for giggles. If you’re already in first or business class then there’s probably not that much value to be had with the service, but then again the prices aren’t horrible.
But this is potentially worthwhile if you’re an economy passenger, since Etihad’s meet & greet service gets you business class check-in, fast track security/immigration, and lounge access. At a price of $68-89, that’s a pretty good value.
Have you ever used Etihad’s meet & greet service, or would you consider using it at the above prices?
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