Air France-KLM and Etihad have just expanded their partnership, and this includes reciprocal award redemptions. The most exciting development here is the ability to redeem Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles for travel on Etihad, so I wanted to go over the redemption possibilities in this post.
Continue reading: Redeem Flying Blue Miles On Etihad Airways
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
what date did you see that AUH-IAD award? On the date I want to travel, all there is is Air France via CDG.
In theory, this look good. In practice, however, I have my doubts.
Currently, if you take a look at Etihad's award pricing for its own members, it is deliberately pricing the cheaper awards in such a way so as not to trigger partner availability.
Business Class AUH-JFK priced at 110,005 miles, Business Class AUH-NRT priced at 100,004 miles, Business Class LHR-AUH priced at 70,003 miles and First Class LHR-AUH 140,006 miles are all awards that are priced at just 3-6 miles above the cost of an award that would trigger partner award availability. I wonder why?! 🙂
If that's the sort of games that Etihad is going to play, the FF agreements that it enters into don't really mean all that much (from a redemption point of view).
AUH-MCT for 6000 miles + $112 is a ripoff.
You can fly Air Arabia for half that with bags and exit rows
Its a 40 minute flight with zero service on Etihad anyway.
Expect taxes to be additive too (when there's a connection in AUH). Example SIN-AUH-CDG in business is pricing to be 90k+ in miles and $400+ in taxes. FB definitely provides an alternative to using AA miles but taxes add up if you have multiple people on the itinerary.
Lucky - how are you pricing out the short haul flights? When searching via Air France website, the short haul flights from AUH prompt a message saying no routes available. I've tried MCT/ISB/DOH and got the same message from all.
Also note your screenshot for MCT doesn't look like its from Air France website?
I wouldn't be too excited about this. Pricing from Europe looks bad. MUC-AUH-SYD costs 70k Miles + €266 in economy!! on a given day in March. In business that will probably turn out to be 150k+ and lots of cash.
The taxes are less when flying via SIN where i see availability with AF+QF for 66k miles + €239 in economy. Business class is basically non-existent.
Those examples with short distances from AUH are hardly anything to crow about.