Free seat selection for Etihad Guest elites

Etihad Airways has quietly replaced the Economy Space branding they have been using for the extra legroom seats since 2018 with six new categories of Economy seat types. The changes are not good news for Etihad Guest elites.

Three of the categories are seats offering extra room; these are labelled Extra legroom, Exit row and Bulkhead. Three categories are standard seats distinguished by their location in the cabin: Forward Zone, Middle Zone and Rear Zone.

Seat selection fees 

Etihad charges a different seat selection fee for each of the six categories. The fee varies by route length. For example, these are the fees you pay on a flight from Abu Dhabi to London: 

• Extra legroom – AED 280 
• Bulkhead – AED 420 
• Exit row – AED 350 
• Forward Zone – AED 140 
• Middle Zone – AED 120 
• Rear Zone – AED 90 

These are the seat selection fees between Abu Dhabi and Sydney: 

• Extra legroom – AED 400 
• Bulkhead – AED 600 
• Exit row – AED 600
• Forward Zone – AED 200 
• Middle Zone – AED 160 
• Rear Zone – AED 120

Seat selection benefits for Etihad Guest elites 

The seat selection fees are hefty and make the free and discounted seat selection benefit one of the most valuable perks of Etihad Guest elite status. The exact benefit varies between tiers. 

Silver Guest  

• Reserve one seat in the Forward, Middle or Rear Zone for free
• 30% discount on one extra legroom seat 

Gold Guest 

• Reserve two seats in the Forward, Middle or Rear Zone for free
• 50% discount on two extra legroom seats 

Platinum Guest 

• Reserve up to nine seats in the Forward, Middle or Rear Zone for free
• Reserve up to one extra legroom seat for free plus a discount of 50% on the cost 

In order to see the free or discounted fees you must include your Etihad Guest membership number during the booking process.

There is no status discount for either bulkhead or exit row seats. If you want to select one of these seats, you must pay the full fee. 

Downgrade for elites 

The new seat categories represent a downgrade for Etihad Guest elites. Previously, Exit row and Bulkhead seats were part of Economy Space. Silver and Gold Tier members could select those seats at a discount, and Platinum Tier members could reserve for free. 

The change is costly for Platinum Tier members who want a Bulkhead seat. On a return journey between Abu Dhabi and London, they must now pay AED 840 in seat selection fees for a previously free benefit. 

There are no seat selection fees in either Business or First. 

Why the change? 

I am sad to see the Economy Space name abandoned. I’d grown quite fond of it. Offering six seat categories with different fees in an Economy cabin seems needlessly complicated.

I’m afraid I also have to disagree with the rationale behind the seat categories. Logically, an aisle seat further back is worth more than a middle seat at the front of the Economy cabin, but the seat fees suggest otherwise. 

The seat selection benefits for elites should also be simplified so that the fee discount or free selection applies to everyone in a single booking. 

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

The Expat Flyer aims to help expats in the UAE make the most of their miles, points and travel. I hope you found this post useful. If you did, consider subscribing below to receive all new posts by email.

You can expect lots of information about Etihad Guest as well as Skywards, the loyalty programme of Emirates and flydubai. I also plan to share my thoughts on the best credit cards for points and miles earning in the UAE.