What are the benefits of Etihad Guest Silver status?

What are the benefits of Etihad Guest Silver tier status? 

Silver is one of four tiers in Etihad Guest, the loyalty programme of Etihad Airways. This post outlines the main benefits of holding Etihad Guest Silver Tier status. 

Bronze is the entry-level tier for Etihad Guest. You will receive this status level when signing up for the scheme. Bronze Tier has few benefits except for free chat and messaging onboard Etihad Airways flights. 

Silver is the first elite tier that provides significant status perks. It is the minimum most people flying Etihad should aim for. It is relatively easy to acquire, especially for residents of the UAE. You can read about the requirements to earn Silver Tier status here.

Silver Tier has some decent perks despite being the lowest level of ‘elite’ status. These are: 

• Earn 25% Bonus Etihad Guest Miles on Etihad Airways flights and a handful of airline partners 
• Access to a priority check-in counter at Abu Dhabi Airport and use of Business Class check-in counters at other airports
• Reserve one standard economy seat for free
• 30% off the cost of one Extra Legroom seat 
• Access to the Business Class Lounge at Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) for self-only 
• Complimentary excess baggage allowance (10 kgs on weight routes and one extra bag on piece concept routes)  

The complete list of Etihad Guest Silver Tier benefits can be found on Etihad Guest here. 

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. The full details of which airlines offer benefits to Etihad Guest elites can be found here.  

The most significant perk is access to the Etihad Airways Business Class lounge at Abu Dhabi Airport. Globally, it is rare for the lowest tier of an airline loyalty scheme to include lounge access. The benefit has also improved recently with the move to the new Terminal A. Previously, Etihad Guest Silver Tier members only had access to a third-party lounge. 

The free seat selection in Economy will also help if you regularly fly on the cheapest economy fare. You will save up to AED 120 per leg on flights between Abu Dhabi and Europe.  

The complimentary excess luggage allowance will perhaps be more helpful for UAE-based expats than other travellers, particularly during school holidays and the summer exodus. 

The next tier above Silver is the Etihad Guest Gold Tier, which has significantly more perks.