Elite with another airline but curious about Etihad Airways? For flyers in Australia or India, the new Etihad Guest status-match promotion lets qualifying members skip the queue and start at Silver or Gold, bringing priority services, lounge access, free onboard Wi-Fi, and more. At AwardFares we are big fans of Etihad Guest, so below we condense everything you need to know, plus tips to make the most of your matched tier.

TL;DR

  • Who qualifies? IMPORTANT: Elite members of select partner programs living in Australia or India (proof of residence required).
  • What can you get? Etihad Guest Silver or Gold (Platinum is not offered in this promo).
  • Is there a fee? Yes—amount varies by country and may be adjusted at any time. Check the application page for the latest pricing.
  • How long is status valid?
    • India: 4 months + 12 more months after one paid round-trip on Etihad.
    • Australia: 6 months + 12 more months after one paid round-trip on Etihad.
  • Where to apply? etihad.statusmatch.com
  • Deadline? No official end date; Etihad Guest may end or change the offer at any time.

Eligible Partner Programs

Below are the airline programs currently accepted for a match. Only the listed tiers qualify, and each maps to Etihad Guest Silver or Gold.

Partner Program Qualifying Tiers Etihad Guest Tier
Air India Flying Returns Silver → Silver
Gold / Platinum → Gold		 Silver / Gold
British Airways Club Bronze → Silver
Gold / Gold Guest List / Premier → Gold		 Silver / Gold
Emirates Skywards Silver → Silver
Gold / Platinum → Gold		 Silver / Gold
Qatar Airways Privilege Club Silver → Silver
Gold / Platinum → Gold		 Silver / Gold
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Silver → Silver
Gold / PPS / PPS Solitaire → Gold		 Silver / Gold
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Classic Plus → Silver
Elite / Elite Plus → Gold		 Silver / Gold
Virgin Australia Velocity Silver → Silver
Gold / Beyond / Platinum → Gold		 Silver / Gold

Heads-up: If your airline or tier is not listed—or you live outside Australia/India—you can still register interest on the application page. Etihad Guest will email you if a future promo covers your region or program.

How to Apply (Step-by-Step)

  1. Join Etihad Guest
    Not a member? Sign up here (free).

  2. Gather your docs
    • Digital proof of your current elite status (screenshot or photo of your card).
    • Government-issued ID showing residence in Australia or India.
  3. Submit the form here.
    • Fill in your name, Etihad Guest number, email, and country of residence.
    • Upload the required proofs.
    • Pay the application fee (varies by country).
  4. Wait for approval
    • You’ll get a decision within 3 days.
    • If approved, your Etihad Guest tier updates within 5 business days.
    • Digital cards only—Etihad no longer issues physical cards.
  5. Keep the status
    • India: Fly at least 1 Etihad-operated round-trip within 4 months.
    • Australia: Fly at least 1 Etihad-operated round-trip within 6 months.
      Meet that requirement, and your Silver/Gold extends another 12 months.
Etihad Guest Status Match application page

What You Get at Each Tier

Tier Lounge Access Free Wi-Fi Priority Services Bonus Miles Other Perks
Silver ❌ (buy-in only) ✅ Chat packages Check-in & boarding +25 % 10 kg extra bag, seat selection
Gold ✅ Worldwide partner & Etihad lounges ✅ Surf packages Check-in, boarding & baggage +50 % 2 guest lounge passes, guaranteed economy seat, free upgrade list

(Platinum benefits—not included in this promo—remain unchanged.)

Tips to Maximize Your New Status

  1. Book an Etihad round-trip ASAP
    Lock in the extension requirement early—especially on sale fares ex-Australia or ex-India.

  2. Leverage partner lounges
    Gold members can access lounges on partners like Virgin Australia when flying on VA numbers.

  3. Stack with current promos
    Etihad Guest often runs discounted redemptions or bonus-mile offers—keep an eye on your inbox.

  4. Use AwardFares to find sweet spots
    Compare Etihad Guest versus programs like Air Canada Aeroplan or American AAdvantage for Abu Dhabi-hub itineraries. AwardFares’ multi-calendar search helps surface saver seats across alliances in seconds.

Maximize Your Etihad Guest Miles

Imagine flying to Abu Dhabi in a lie-flat business class seat for the price of an economy ticket. On average, AwardFares premium users get 3x-7x more value from their points, regularly booking $5,000+ flights at a fraction of the cost.

AwardFares is the easiest way to find the cheapest and most convenient award flights across multiple frequent flyer programs. It takes just seconds and a few clicks to get started. You can create an account and try it for free here.

For access to even more powerful features like unlimited daily searches, alerts, seat maps, and flight schedules, explore our Gold and Diamond membership tiers here.