How to transfer credit card points to Etihad Guest

Last updated October 20, 2026 · By Kyle Burrows

Etihad Guest is the program of Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. You can use it on Etihad and on partner airlines.

I'll keep this one short, because the honest answer is that it's a program for firm plans only. Amex stopped transferring to Etihad Guest on June 30, 2026, so three banks are left. The cheaper award types can't be cancelled or are costly to cancel, and nothing can be changed in the last 72 hours. If your dates might move, look at Qatar Airways (guide here) or Emirates (guide here) first.

Which bank points transfer to Etihad

Bank points	Ratio	How long it takes
Citi ThankYou	1:1 on some cards, 1,000 to 700 on others (see below)	Often within a day, but it can take a few business days.
Capital One Miles	1:1	Often instant, but allow up to about 36 hours
Bilt Points	1:1	Usually instant. Bilt says allow up to 48 hours.

Amex, Chase and Wells Fargo don't transfer to Etihad Guest.

Citi cards. The Citi Strata Premier, Strata Elite, Prestige and AT&T Access More transfer to Etihad at 1:1. Most other Citi cards get 1,000 to 700, so combine your points in one ThankYou account with a full-ratio card first if you have one.

Banks sometimes run transfer bonuses to Etihad. Check the transfer screen on the day you move points.

Before you move any points

Open a free Etihad Guest account at etihad.com if you don't have one.
Make the names match on your bank account, Etihad Guest account and passport.
Be sure of your dates. Read the change and refund rules below before you transfer anything.
Find the flight first. Search etihad.com while logged in and price the whole trip before you transfer. Transfers can't be undone. Some partner awards can't be booked online, so don't transfer for a partner flight until Etihad has confirmed it can be booked.

How to transfer from each bank

Citi. Sign in at thankyou.com, find Points Transfer (it has been under More Ways to Redeem), and choose Etihad Guest. Transfers start at 1,000 points.

Capital One. Sign in, open your rewards, and choose the option to transfer your miles, then Etihad Guest. Your Capital One name has to match the Etihad Guest account. The minimum is 1,000 miles.

Bilt. In the app, go to Rewards, then Travel rewards, and tap Transfer. Choose Etihad Airways and link your number. Blue status members have a 2,000-point minimum.

Check that the miles arrived

Log in at etihad.com and check the miles balance in your Etihad Guest account. If nothing shows after the usual time, check your bank's transfer history for the number and name you used. Don't send a second transfer.

How to book the award on etihad.com

Log in to Etihad Guest at etihad.com.
Start a flight search and choose to pay with miles.
Enter your airports, dates, cabin and travelers.
Pick your flights. Fixed-price award seats come as Value, Comfort or Deluxe, with very different rules. Read which one you're picking.
Check the cabin and the operating airline on every leg.
Enter each traveler's name, date of birth and gender exactly as on the passport.
Pay the taxes and fees by card.
Save the booking reference and ticket number.

Some partners, including many American Airlines awards, have to be booked by phone with Etihad Guest.

Changes and cancellations

These rules apply to fixed-price award tickets issued since November 2025:

Value: can be changed more than 72 hours before departure for AED 600, about $163. It can't be cancelled.
Comfort: can be changed more than 72 hours out for AED 200, about $54. Cancelling costs 25% of the miles.
Deluxe: free to change or cancel more than 72 hours out.
Within 72 hours of departure, no award can be changed or cancelled.

If you do cancel, Etihad may refund some of the cash you paid, such as carrier charges, as miles rather than cash.

Do Etihad Guest miles expire?

For most members, Etihad Guest miles are valid for 18 months. Under Etihad's current rules, only flying with Etihad or a partner airline extends them, so a bank transfer won't. Check the expiry dates in your account after you transfer, and don't park miles here.

Mistakes I see most

Booking Value when plans might change. It can't be cancelled.
Trying to change in the last three days. It's too late by then.
Transferring for a partner flight before you know it can be booked.

Sources I checked

Start a Trip Request