Etihad Airways welcomes ‘10 millionth member’

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, is celebrating the arrival of the 10 millionth member to its award-winning loyalty programme. The achievement comes as the airline welcomes a new era of Etihad Guest, taking the experience to new heights and making every day even more rewarding.

Mark Potter, managing director of Etihad Guest, said: “We are delighted to welcome our 10 millionth member to the Etihad Guest family. In parallel to the airline’s own growth trajectory, we’ve seen an exciting expansion in our member numbers which have leapt by a quarter since the beginning of 2023.

“The lucky guest who has become the 10 millionth member is in for an incredible surprise when they are notified later this month.

“We are going to upgrade them to Platinum status immediately,” explains Mark. “This is a tier set aside for the programme’s most frequent flyers, requiring 125,000 Tier Miles to attain.”

The milestone comes as Etihad continues to celebrate its 20 years of delivering remarkable service, fulfilling its mission to deliver extraordinary experiences inspired by its Emirati identity.

The Etihad Guest Loyalty Programme, launched in 2006, now boasts a global membership, with its largest membership bases being spread across the UAE, India, the UK, the USA and Australia mirroring the airline’s expansion into new markets and frequencies.

“Today’s landmark moment comes as we activate the programme enhancements we announced earlier this year, offering a diverse range of personalised benefits to guests from the moment they join,” said Mark.

Everyone joining Etihad Guest enjoys Core Benefits. As soon as they join the award-winning programme, they become a Bronze Tier member, benefitting from free access to onboard Wi-Fi Chat packages so they can stay connected on WhatsApp, iMessage, and Messenger during their flight.

As guests fly and engage more often, they reach higher tiers, unlocking even more valuable Core Benefits such as extra baggage, priority check-in and boarding, plus Bonus Etihad Guest Miles.

On top of their Core Benefits, the Etihad Guest Programme has also introduced Custom Benefits, an innovative solution allowing members to take control of their perks. Members can go into their profiles and select the custom benefits that suit them, allowing them to journey on their terms.

The number of Custom Benefits available each year will depend on the member’s tier, with higher tiers offering greater benefits. Members can look forward to familiar fantastic perks such as extra baggage, free seat selection, and lounge access, as well as new brilliant benefits like same-day flexibility.

Additionally, Beyond Benefits have been introduced. These are bonus perks to reward the most loyal members who go above and beyond. Gold Tier members earning 75,000 Tier Miles, or Platinum Tier members, earning 175,000 Tier Miles, are given the option to choose two Beyond Benefits as the airline’s way of saying thank you for their continued loyalty.

Members can look forward to special rewards, like priority boarding or lounge access, that they can enjoy and share with their friends and family.

Finally, a new top tier, the Diamond Tier, has been introduced to reward the airline’s most loyal flyers. To reach this prestigious level, guests need to be Platinum members and spend USD 150,000 over a rolling 12-month period on flights with Etihad Airways. Eligible members will enjoy a wide range of bespoke, valuable benefits curated specially for them.

If you’re not already an Etihad Guest member, this is the perfect time to join.