Etihad 1st AUH-JFK is it worth it?
Oct 21, 2019, 2:58 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 29
Etihad 1st AUH-JFK is it worth it?
Well basically it’s going to cost me 136k points for a one way and I’m wonder if it’s worth it. I’ve been first class Emirates before. Is there better use for these points or is the experience for auh longue and first class non stop 14h flight worth the points value? Just looking for some opinions. 136k points is a lot!
Oct 21, 2019, 5:29 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 29
No because I’ve already done it from Hong Kong and fuel charges would eat me up from dxb besides etihad apparently has an amazing 1st lounge. Honestly I’d be doing it more for the experience more than anything.
Oct 21, 2019, 5:39 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA ExPl, DL PM, UA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, probably some others
Posts: 4,097
Sorry - to be clear, imagine if you hadn't taken Emirates first class before. Do you think it would be worth spending 136k points? The experience isn't exactly the same - you're trading better food and a better seat/bed for a worse shower and at least in my opinion, a worse lounge - but I think the value is about the same altogether.
Oct 21, 2019, 5:50 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 29
Sorry - to be clear, imagine if you hadn't taken Emirates first class before. Do you think it would be worth spending 136k points? The experience isn't exactly the same - you're trading better food and a better seat/bed for a worse shower and at least in my opinion, a worse lounge - but I think the value is about the same altogether.
Oct 21, 2019, 8:55 pm
#6
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA ExPl, DL PM, UA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, probably some others
Posts: 4,097
The food bed with etihad your saying is better than Emirates? Because I didn’t care for Emirates seating. The food and the experience I had with Emirates was amazing albeit a 7 hour flight. The reason I was really considering etihad was due to the apartments as well as the lounge. I know for 100k points I can get round trip bus class fairs for other airlines, but at this point I have 40k points with etihad I need to spend rest are with Amex.
Oct 21, 2019, 11:25 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 29
hmm it’s just a tough choice to spend it on 1st or use for other options
Oct 22, 2019, 12:17 am
#8
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
I sort of hope to do it one day. Yes it's a crazy amount of points (round trip business class on a lot of airlines), but if you think of a point as a penny each (like if it was a cash back card) then it's "$1300" one way. In that frame of reference it sounds okay to me.
Oct 22, 2019, 1:21 am
#9
Join Date: May 2018
Location: AUH
Programs: TK Elite (*G), ITA Executive, WY Silver, Accor Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 291
The apartments are highly overrated, the bed not that comfortable - the seat too.
Catering is not all that great, though I believe there is caviar now. The showers aren't as good as EK's, neither is the booze selection.
Catering is not all that great, though I believe there is caviar now. The showers aren't as good as EK's, neither is the booze selection.
Oct 22, 2019, 6:30 am
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
Depends how many pts you have. I burned 115k AA miles on this. The lounge is meh but the seat is phenomenal. The only product out there that is in the same league is the new SQ A380 suite. I needed to get home from AUH anyway and this was for sure the best way. It dominates Emirates.
Oct 22, 2019, 10:45 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 29
That’s kinda how I was looking at it that’s a pretty cheap first class flight.
Oct 22, 2019, 10:48 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 29
Thank you all for your opinions! I travel at least once a year to uae and I do really want to go to New Zealand for 150k points or so what are some of the best options for getting to New Zealand? those flights for economy can be pretty expensive because of the distance.
Oct 22, 2019, 11:56 am
#13
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 9,120
I've done it in J many, and F a few times, and for me it is not worth it. The seat is very good but (ground) service and food are only marginally better. I think if you have points to spare one time in F for the novelty value is worth considering.
Oct 22, 2019, 7:25 pm
#14
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Charlottesville, Va. USA
Posts: 1,752
I recently booked f on ey for next may, we are flying jnb/auh bus. and auh/iad f. I booked with aa miles for a very reasonable amount of miles and almost no fees. We are flying ba in f iad/lhr.jnb. I have flown this segment before it is fine. Despite all the negative reviews of ey f and j, I am really looking forward to these flights. As a long time ff mile flyer on some very good international airlines in f and j I always feel fortunate to have the opportunity to fly in premium cabins for almost free. I think we are talking first world problems here. YMMV
Oct 24, 2019, 6:52 am
#15
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 199
I've never flown a true F product and I used 115K AA miles to book Etihad F Apartments. Totally worth it to experience it once. Honestly I'd probably only book Singapore's new F product if I were to fly F again. J on most carriers is totally fine and F isn't necessary unless you're swimming in points. In your shoes having flown Emirates F, I'd probably just book Etihad J and save the points.