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22 November, 2024

Etihad launches exclusive status match for Aussie customers with six other airlines

Edited by Travel Weekly

Etihad Airways is launching an exclusive loyalty program status match offer for Australian customers with six other airlines.

Emirates (EK) will now status match with Singapore Airlines (SQ), Qatar Airways (QR), Virgin Australia (VA), Turkish Airlines (TK), British Airways (BA) and Air India (AI) with passengers now able to enjoy their Gold status match into Etihad Guest Gold, based on their current tier with these programs, at no charge.

The announcement follows the news earlier this year that Etihad will be increasing its flight frequency from Sydney and Melbourne to Abu Dhabi in 2025. Similarly, Etihad will undertake a cabin refresh programme which will see huge investment in its 777 and 787 fleets – introducing Etihad’s latest cabin products to planes travelling to and from Australia.

Key details of the offer

Gold Status Match: Eligible members will receive Etihad Guest Gold status for six months upfront. To retain this status for an additional 12 months, members need to complete one return flight with Etihad.

Easy Application: Members can submit their status match request via this link and the match will be processed within one week.

Limited Availability: This offer is available for a limited time, so members are encouraged to register their interest quickly. The offer is live from 22 November and Silver matches are also available for a service fee.

The announcement follows the news earlier this year that Etihad will be increasing its flight frequency from Sydney and Melbourne to Abu Dhabi in 2025 – reflecting its commitment to growth and service in market.

Currently operating daily flights from these major hubs, starting in March 2025 Etihad will be adding an eighth weekly flight on its Melbourne-Abu Dhabi route, followed by an increase to 10 weekly flights from Sydney to Abu Dhabi by July 2025.

These additional services are designed to offer travellers increased flexibility and convenience, providing more departure options and improved connections to key destinations throughout Etihad’s global network.

“As we continue to grow sustainably and profitably as a business – having increased our passenger load by 34 per cent year-on-year – we’re now prioritising greater capacity and a robust rebuild of our Australian market for 2025,” Etihad Airways VP global sales & distribution, Javier Alija, said. “Boosting our frequency and providing better departure times is just the first step in our commitment to providing Australian travellers with double-daily flights.

“Australia is central to our network, and we want to demonstrate this through a special Status Match, with the expansion of services underscoring our investment and dedication to those down under.”

As part of Etihad’s Journey 2030 growth roadmap, Etihad will undertake a cabin refresh program which will see huge investment in its 777 and 787 fleets. The refresh will see Etihad’s latest cabin products being introduced to planes travelling to and from Australia.

Journey 2030 also aims to expand Etihad’s fleet from 95 aircraft today to approximately 160 by 2030, serving around 17 million guests by the end of 2024 and increasing to 35 million by the end of the decade. The network is expected to grow to between 140 and 150 destinations by 2030.

The airline is set to announce 10 new destinations on 25 November, taking its total number of cities served to more than 90 in 2025.

Etihad published its October traffic statistics earlier this week, highlighting a robust performance with over 15 million passengers welcomed in 2024 to date. The airline has maintained an impressive passenger load factor of 87 per cent.

In Australia, data from the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics for August revealed that Etihad flights to and from Australia performed exceptionally well. The airline achieved a seat utilisation rate of 89 per cent on inbound routes and 93 per cent on outbound routes.

The airline relaunched its Abu Dhabi Stopover program in May, inviting guests flying through Abu Dhabi to turn their free stopover hotel stay into the ultimate holiday. Guests can choose a complimentary hotel stay for one or two nights in a range of premier hotels across the city. The program has seen significant growth, welcoming 24,000 international visitors in the first half of 2024, compared to 7,000 in the second half of 2023.

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Key details of the offer

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