Etihad Guest kills award chart — dynamic pricing now

Etihad Guest ditched its fixed award chart for airline-flight redemptions and switched to a peak-versus-off-peak dynamic model. The change was made with scant advance notice, revealing exact pricing only days before it went live. This move kills the predictability of award redemptions on Etihad-operated flights, making it harder for cardholders to plan their redemptions.

The dynamic pricing model will likely lead to higher award prices during peak travel periods, affecting cardholders who redeem their points for Etihad flights. Cardholders who use their points for Etihad redemptions will need to be more flexible with their travel plans to get the best value.

Our take: if you have points that transfer to Etihad Guest, consider redeeming them quickly or transferring them to other partners to avoid the uncertainty of dynamic pricing. This change is a blow to the value of cards that transfer to Etihad Guest, such as the HDFC Diners Club Black Metal and the Amex Platinum Charge.