As the skies have opened up again, the world has become every traveller’s oyster once more.
Amid the easing of coronavirus restrictions, Etihad Airways is reminding people of the wonders of Abu Dhabi.
The emirate, which is steeped in rich Bedouin culture, is also home to famous brands, luxury hotels and thrilling theme parks.
This makes it an ideal destination for domestic and international shoppers and visitors alike.
Etihad Airways's loyalty programme, called Etihad Guest, allows members to earn and spend ‘miles’, or points, with a wide range of businesses in the United Arab Emirates.
The points system functions as a type of currency because guests can use them to buy a huge range of products and services. Etihad Airways has dubbed it the "UAE's most rewarding loyalty currency".
The 'Discover the wonders of Etihad Guest miles' campaign was conceived to address the lack of outbound and inbound tourism, prompted by coronavirus-related travel curbs, which started in early 2020.
It aims to remind customers of the variety of ways in which Etihad Guests can become card holders and collect and use their ‘miles’ throughout the UAE, with a particular focus on Abu Dhabi.
Etihad Airways has created a magical online representation of Abu Dhabi, using 3D modelling.
The short video showcases the many partners and brands that members can go to if they want to earn or spend points on their Etihad Guest card.
The UAE’s national carrier, Etihad Airways aims to promote and strengthen the local economy with its ‘Discover the wonders of Etihad Guest Miles’ campaign. The airline has more than 900 partners in the UAE.
For example, customers looking for a bit of sparkle can shop at jewellery brands such as Joyalukkas and Damas.
They can have the added bonus of collecting miles when they present their Etihad Guest card at the point of purchase.
Likewise, they can earn miles when they share their Etihad Guest card number when booking accommodation with sites such as booking.com, agoda.com, all.accor.com and trip.com – to name but a few.
Miles can also be earned when making bookings with hotel chains including the Radisson, Rotana and Shangri-La groups.
Etihad Guest card holders looking to get around on four wheels can also earn points when using car hire firms such as Avis or Budget.
Those who use Careem, one of the Middle East and North Africa’s leading ride-hailing mobile apps, can also earn points as they go.
A comprehensive list of hotels, cars and booking websites which generate Etihad Guest card points is available here.
Etihad Guest card members can also earn while they fly, and it doesn’t just have to be on Etihad flights.
The airline has more than 20 partners that fly to 3,000 destinations around the globe.
Members can earn points on their Etihad Guest card when purchasing flights from these partners.
Using other services such as opticians or buying insurance can earn points as Etihad Airways has partnerships with Al Jaber Optical and Al Wathba National Insurance.
Points can also be earned by customers while they are banking. For example, Etihad Airways has teamed up with several major banks, including ADIB (Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank), FAB (First Abu Dhabi Bank) and ADCB (Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank), to offer customers payment cards which allow them to accumulate more points or miles.
When it comes to spending some of those well-earned points, members have a wide range of options.
As well as being able to use them for flights, flight upgrades, hotel stays and car rental they can also make purchases in the Etihad reward shop.
The shop sells products ranging from Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro Max to Ray-Ban sunglasses and much more.
And for those who want to use their points to create good in the world, there is also the option to donate to worthy causes.
This includes being able to feed refugee families in Mauritania or provide safe and reliable solar lighting to children who might otherwise be using kerosene lamps that can produce toxic gases inside their homes.
Miles can also be donated to The Reach campaign, run in partnership with Emirates Red Crescent.
It aims to protect the world’s poorest people from river blindness and lymphatic filariasis, which is commonly known and elephantiasis and can lead to abnormal enlargement of body parts and result in disability.
For members who are conscious of their carbon footprint, Etihad Airways provides them with the option of using their miles to purchase carbon-offsetting packages.
For instance, customers can choose to donate their points to offset the carbon emissions produced by a short, medium or long-haul flight.
They can also use their points to compensate for emissions produced by six months of living or one month of driving an SUV (sports utility vehicle).
Etihad Guests earn more points the further, and the more frequently, they fly.
The loyalty programme has several tiers starting from bronze and moving up to silver, gold and platinum.
Silver, gold and platinum tier card holders can enjoy perks such as priority check-in and access to certain lounges.
For more information about tiers and how to become an Etihad Guest card member, click here.
