Pleasant surprise from Etihad Guest

[Regyai 415]

I've long liked Etihad's F.F. 'Guest' club
IMHO it's quick to climb the tiers and there's good advantages to be had.

They do have an extensive on-line catalogue of goods you can by with your air-miles too
which is a nice departure to the usual Flights/upgrades only options of most.

Though over the years I've previously used my Etihad miles for upgrades and flights I recalled seeing a watch I fancied in the catalogue
so browsing back to find it I discovered a new addition....you can now exchange air-miles for 'PAMP' bullion bars!






mmm let me think, a few hours in a fancier seat or more gold in the safe

no contest

Tested the water with a half ounce one to my UK address
arrived yesterday after a painless and import tax/duty free transaction






.

[torrenova 644]

With gold at circa $1300 an ounce which is near enough £1000 which uses 286,000 miles and I just used a straight 200k miles and £300 for an equivalent £1800 fare then £1800-£300 = £1500, then

 

If 286k / 200k = 1.43 x £1500 x 1.3 = $2788 per ounce of gold or about twice the market price.

 

I like the novelty value but not at those prices. You can convert Etihad miles into a Visa card also but I don't know the conversion rate.

[firth1974 2,659]

Did you know, that with an Etihad guest FF card, that you can sign up for a VISA "Points Pay" card, where you can transfer your points from your FF card to this VISA card, and then spend them just like cash on anything you like!

[Regyai 415]

Your argument only hold true if either you were about to pay REAL money for the self same seat, or could redeem the ticket for cash

 

Personally Business/First holds no tangible value to me (In that I would never pay money for it), chopping those numbers in my Guest account for gold therefore trips my switch

[firth1974 2,659]

Your argument only hold true if either you were about to pay REAL money for the self same seat, or could redeem the ticket for cash

 

Personally Business/First holds no tangible value to me (In that I would never pay money for it), chopping those numbers in my Guest account for gold therefore trips my switch

 

Maybe i didn't make myself clear in my post.

 

You can transfer all your FF points ( or as little or as much as you like) onto this VISA card, then head off onto the high street or wherever,and use this card to buy what ever it is you really want to buy. Spend on petrol, food, clothes, computers, anything and everything your heart desires, as long as the card is loaded. I.E, you can spend it just like cash!!

 

EDIT: Sorry, just seen that your post was aimed at another poster, and not me!

Edited July 28, 2016 by firth1974
added for edit.

[Regyai 415]

Understood (like you I haven't fathomed out the real value/costs of the card)

 

You posted as I typed, so I've leapfrogged my response to the preceeding poster

[torrenova 644]

 

Maybe i didn't make myself clear in my post.

 

You can transfer all your FF points ( or as little or as much as you like) onto this VISA card, then head off onto the high street or wherever,and use this card to buy what ever it is you really want to buy. Spend on petrol, food, clothes, computers, anything and everything your heart desires, as long as the card is loaded. I.E, you can spend it just like cash!!

 

EDIT: Sorry, just seen that your post was aimed at another poster, and not me!

 

You should get on http://www.headforpoints.com/as the normal Points Pay conversion rate is very poor compared to using miles on free flights.

 

Also, the amount of miles needed for redemption varies according to the cash price Etihad currently has on offer.

 

For example, my usual business round trip runs about 280/300k miles but I got mine for a straight 200k and cheaper than the Guest ticket as when I booked, the cash price was being heavily discounted, thus pushing down the mileage required.

 

I didn't know this until recently and was going to blow my points on a first upgrade but given the extra benefits this discount has, I will keep towards another free flight.