This post explores the main benefits of earning Etihad Guest Gold Tier status.
Gold is one of the four main tier levels in Etihad Guest, the loyalty programme of Etihad Airways. The four main tiers are Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. You can read about what you must do to get Etihad Guest Gold Tier status here.
There is also Emerald, a special tier for individuals who spend over $150,000 with Etihad every year.
Bronze is the entry-level tier. You will be assigned this status when you first join the programme. Silver, Gold and Platinum are elite tiers. These tiers are attained by earning tier miles, which can be acquired by a combination of flying, credit card spending and shopping.
Gold is the middle elite tier level, sandwiched between Silver and Platinum. It is probably the most valuable tier as it potentially comes with most of the perks you would expect and want from an airline loyalty programme. At the same time, it is relatively easy to attain for anyone in the UAE who travels fairly frequently with Etihad.
How do benefits on Etihad Guest work?
Etihad Guest is a little unusual in that status benefits are divided into three categories. The three categories are:
- Core Benefits
- Custom Benefits
- Beyond Benefits
Core Benefits are offered automatically to every member with a particular tier status.
Custom Benefits are personalised benefits. Once a year, members can select their favourite benefits from a menu of options.
Silver Tier members can choose two perks, Gold Tier members can choose four, and Platinum Tier members can select five benefits.
You must choose your Custom Benefits within 30 days of attaining or renewing a tier. If you do not make a selection, then default benefits will kick in.
Once you make your Custom Benefit choices, they can not be changed until your next renewal.
Beyond Benefits are perks that become available to select when members hit certain Tier Mile thresholds between tiers.
Core Benefits for Etihad Guest Gold Tier
The Core Benefits for Gold Tier members are:
- 50% Bonus Etihad Guest Miles
- Priority check-in at Business Class counters
- Priority boarding
- Fast-track immigration
- Priority baggage
- Complimentary standard seats for self plus one guest in Economy
- Free wifi chat messaging onboard Etihad Airways flights
- Option to buy back status for 150,000 Guest Miles (co-brand cardholders only)
Notice that lounge access is not an automatic benefit for Gold Tier members.
Custom Benefits for Etihad Guest Gold Tier
Gold Tier members can choose four Custom Benefits from a list of seven options. The current choices are:
- Lounge access for self plus one guest in Business Class lounges
- Extra baggage allowance of up to 15 kg
- Etihad Chauffeur service on GuestSeat bookings in Business and First
- Chauffeur service on Economy Class reservations
- One refund of a GuestSeat booking
- Two Home check-ins (Abu Dhabi only)
- Four Reward shop vouchers
Beyond Benefits for Etihad Guest Gold Tier
The Beyond Benefits for Gold Tier kick in when the member earns 75,000 Tier Miles. At this threshold, they can select two options from the following three choices:
- Two Business Class Lounge passes
- A Silver Tier nomination
- 10,000 Bonus Etihad Guest Miles
Default Benefits for Gold Tier Members
You must make Custom Benefit choices within 30 days of attaining or renewing a tier. If you do not, default benefits will kick in. The default tier benefits for Etihad Guest Gold members are:
- Lounge access for self plus one guest in Business Class lounges
- One refund on a GuestSeat booking
- Extra baggage allowance of up to 15 kg
The comprehensive list of Etihad Guest Gold Tier benefits is available on Etihad Guest here.
Are these good perks?
As you can see, Gold offers significantly more and better perks than Silver. The four that stand out to me as most valuable are worldwide lounge access, complimentary Etihad Chauffeur on First and Business GuestSeat bookings, one free GuestSeat cancellation and complimentary standard seat selection in Economy.
The Etihad Chauffeur benefit is worth about AED 1,000 to our family annually. And we probably save a similar amount in seat selection fees in Economy.
Gold Tier status benefits on partner airlines
Etihad Airways is not part of a global airline alliance, so you do not automatically get elite benefits on a collection of other airlines.
However, there are a handful of airline partners that do recognise Etihad Guest Tier status. You can discover the full details of which airlines offer benefits to Etihad Guest elites here.
What’s next?
If you fancy going for Gold you can read about what you must do to get Etihad Guest Gold Tier status here.
The next tier above Gold is the Etihad Guest Platinum Tier, which is the top main tier in Etihad Guest. You can read all about the benefits of Platinum Tier status here.
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If i am a gold member with etihad can i check in a bag at 13kg even if i book a flight and its saying £10 to check in a bag up to 25kg ????
It sounds like you have booked a ‘Basic’ fare that does not include checked luggage. Unfortunately, you will need to pay to check-in a bag despite being a Gold Tier member of Etihad Guest. The extra baggage allowance that Gold (up to 15kg) and Platinum Tier (up to 20kg) can select as one of their ‘Custom’ benefits does not apply to ‘Basic’ fares.