Place a
bid to upgrade
Fast track through the airport, stretch out on board with a fully-flat bed and dine anytime you’re hungry. Bid to upgrade to Business or First using Etihad Guest Miles or cash.
As an Etihad Guest Member, you’ll earn miles from your original booking, plus we’ll give you an additional 10% bonus miles as well.
You’ll need your booking reference or ticket number to bid, which you’ll find on your flight confirmation email.
If you can’t find your booking reference, please contact our Global Contact Centres for assistance.
Remember, the higher your offer, the better your chances are of an upgrade – good luck!
We’ll review your bid and let you know if you’ve been successful. Your bid may be accepted any time after it has been submitted.
If your bid is accepted:
If your bid is not successful, you won’t need to do anything – you’ll keep your original ticket and will not be charged.
Here’s what you can expect with an upgrade to Business …
Upgrade to First and feel like you’re flying in your own private universe:
Who is eligible to bid for an upgrade?
You are eligible to bid for an upgrade if you are flying on an Etihad-operated flight with a confirmed ticket. You are not eligible for an upgrade if you have booked:
I have an Economy ticket. Can I bid to upgrade to Business and bid on an Economy Neighbour-Free seat? Yes, you can place a bid for both – the upgrade will be considered first, and your bid for an Economy Neighbour-Free seat will be considered as a backup.
I’ve received an email that I have been outbid. What should do I do? This means your flight is in Live Auction mode. If you wish to secure your upgrade and bid in real time, click on the ‘update bid’ link to participate in the Live Auction. You’ll receive real time notifications of the status of your bid.
I’ve already checked in online. Can I still submit a bid and participate in the Live Auction? Yes. If your bid is successful, you’ll receive an updated itinerary and be assigned a new seat. We’ll email your new boarding pass to you or you can download it from our app.
I entered the Live Auction, but I don’t want to keep bidding. What should I do? Leave your existing bid as it is, and we’ll let you know if you’ve been successful up to four hours before your flight.
You may also cancel your bid any time up to four hours before your flight. The Live Auction has closed. How will I know if I have been upgraded? If your bid was successful, you’ll receive an email indicating that you have been upgraded. Your updated itinerary will also be sent to you by email.
I’m participating in the Live Auction and do not have access to my email. How do I know the status of my bid? You’ll see real-time, onscreen notifications on the Live Auction page.
Travellers in UAE, UK, US, Australia and Saudi Arabia can also submit their mobile numbers to receive SMS notifications.
I was participating in the Live Auction and entered an amount that I’m now not willing to pay. Can I lower my bid? You can’t reduce your bid but you are able to cancel and submit a new bid.
When I enter my booking reference and last name, an error message appears. What should I do? Contact our Global Contact Centres and provide your name, travel date and flight number for assistance
I’m not sure if my bid has been successful and I don’t have access to emails to check. Will I be notified at the time of check-in? Yes, you’ll be notified when you check-in.
I cancelled my bid, but I’d like to submit a new offer. Is that possible? Yes. You should have received an email confirming that your first bid was cancelled. If you’ve changed your mind, you can resubmit a bid using the link in your cancellation email.
You can also do this through Manage your booking.
New bids must be submitted six hours before departure.
What happens if my bid has been unsuccessful? If your offer has been unsuccessful, we’ll send you an email four hours before your flight to let you know. Your card will not be charged, and you can simply travel with your existing ticket as normal.
My bid was unsuccessful. Can I make another offer? You cannot make another offer if your bid has been unsuccessful.
I received an email informing me that my offer has been unsuccessful, but a short while later, my card has been charged. We will review your bid if a seat becomes available closer to the time of your flight. If you receive a notification that your card has been charged, then your upgrade has been processed. You’ll receive an email confirming your bid and an updated itinerary.
I placed two bids – one to upgrade and another an Economy Neighbour-Free seat. My Upgrade bid was successful. What happens to my bid for Economy Neighbour-Free? You do not need to do anything as your Economy Neighbour-Free seat bid will no longer be considered.
Is it possible to upgrade from Economy to First? Your confirmed Economy ticket can only be upgraded to the next cabin, which is Business.
I have booked for five guests under the same booking reference. Is it possible to bid for an upgrade for two guests only? If you have booked directly via Etihad Airways, you can call our Global Contact Centres and ask the Agent to split your booking.
If you have booked via travel trade, you can ask your travel agent to split your booking. The request to split your booking should be done at least six hours before your departure date, so that you can still place a bid.
I am too late to make an offer. Can I still upgrade? Subject to availability, you may be able to upgrade when you check in for your flight at the airport.
My bid was successful. What documents do I need when I check in at the airport? Our system will be updated with the upgrade. You do not need to present any special documentation.
My family and I are on different bookings. If I submit a bid, will all bids be considered together? Please send an email to contactcentre@etihad.ae to let us know, and we will link the bookings for you and consider them together.
What does the strength indicator mean on the offer page? The strength indicator is a guide that shows the strength of your bid but does not guarantee that you will be successful.
Can I bid different amounts for each part of my journey? Yes, you can bid different amounts for each eligible part of your journey.
Can I change my bid after it has been submitted? Yes, you can modify your bid at any time before you receive an email informing you whether your offer has been successful. When you first place your bid, you will receive a confirmation email, and you can use the link in that email to modify your bid.
Can I cancel my bid? Yes, you can modify your bid at any time before you receive an email informing you whether your offer has been successful. When you first place your bid, you will receive a confirmation email, and you can use the link in that email to cancel your bid.
My bid has been successful, but I’d like to change a part of my journey on the same ticket. My travel agent is not able to help, what should I do? Once your ticket is reissued by an Etihad office, any subsequent changes to the ticket can be done through our Global Contact Centres.
How do I pay for an upgrade? Once your bid is successful, we’ll charge the credit card that you used to place your bid.
Other than the bid amount, do I need to pay any additional fees? When you bid to upgrade, the airport departure taxes are applicable in certain countries. Any extra charges will be shown clearly in the upgrade offer submission process.
I have placed a bid, but I’d like to use a different card. Is that possible? You need to cancel your current bid first if it is still inside the offer deadline window. Once you cancel the bid, you’ll be able to submit a new offer using your preferred card.
If your offer has been accepted but the card authorisation fails, you’ll receive an email with a link to enter your new card details.
Will my bid amount be refunded if my flight is cancelled? In the event that your Etihad flight is cancelled, we will try to accommodate you in the upgraded cabin on your next flight. Otherwise, we will refund the full upgrade amount within 10 days.
My bid has been successful, but I need to cancel my ticket. Will I receive a refund for my bid? All bids are non-refundable.
My offer was successful, but at the airport, I did not receive a boarding pass for the upgraded cabin and stayed in my original seat. What should I do?
In the event that you are downgraded at the airport, send an email to contactcentre@etihad.ae. If the downgrade is attributed to Etihad, for example, in the case of an oversold cabin, schedule change or flight change, a full refund will be processed.
If the downgrade is caused by the passenger, a refund will not be processed.
I have already paid for a seat in Economy. What will happen if I’m upgraded to Business? The amount that you have paid to reserve your seat will not be refunded when you are upgraded to Business.
The following terms and conditions ("Terms and Conditions") shall apply to an offer (“Offer”) made by you (“Guest”, “you”) to Etihad Airways (“Etihad”, “we”, “us”) for an opportunity to upgrade from the class of service that was originally purchased for travel with Etihad to one class of service higher (“Upgrade”):
1. You must be at least 18 years of age and able to enter into binding contracts. You shall be deemed to have the authority to act on behalf of and to bind the person or persons named or included on the bid to these Terms and Conditions.
2. You may submit either Upgrade or NFS Offers; or both per flight which corresponds to the purchased ticket issued on Etihad Airways document number 607 and offers must always be made and paid by using a credit card. Minimum and Maximum bid values apply.
3. A bid, when submitted by you in association with a booking made with Etihad, whether made directly with Etihad or indirectly through other means, and presented to Etihad, shall entitle the person or persons named on the bid, subject to these Terms and Conditions, to be considered for an Upgrade.
4. Etihad reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to decide whether or not to accept your bid, and it makes no representation that any Guest will be upgraded regardless of whether or not seats are available in the class of service for which a bid is being made.
5. You may revise or cancel your bid up to six hours prior to your flight departure, provided that your bid has not already been accepted by Etihad and provided your credit card has not been charged. However, if your bids accepted before you cancel or amend your bid, you are legally bound to complete payment for the price stated in your original bid.
6. Etihad Select Upgrade is not eligible for the following bookings: Tickets booked using promotional fares and, redemption tickets, free tickets; already upgraded tickets, and multi-flyer tickets.
7. A bid that complies with these Terms and Conditions will be valid (“Valid Offer”) from the time of its submission to Etihad, with the validity of the offer expiring at the scheduled departure date and time, or, in the event that the flight has been delayed, the time at which the airplane doors have been closed for departure. However, should you cancel your bid prior to processing; the offer shall no longer be a valid bid.
8. In the event Etihad re-accommodates you on to another flight due to operational reasons, any bids you made in relation to the original booking may be transferred to the new flight(s), subject to availability of seats in the upgraded cabin of service.
9. Etihad may accept your Offer any time during the period it remains a valid bid. In the event Etihad accepts your bid; your credit card shall be charged the full amount immediately upon acceptance, and Etihad will revalidate your existing ticket reflecting an Upgrade for each Guest included in your original flight booking. You’ll receive an updated travel itinerary highlighting the new cabin of service. The total amount charged will include all applicable pre-payable taxes and fees (if any) for the Upgrade. An Upgrade that has been issued by Etihad can be changed or transferred only in accordance with applicable Fare Rules and our Condition of Carriage.
10. The charge on your credit card may appear in the name of “Etihad Select Upgrade”. You agree that you cannot challenge or dispute a charge for reason of the name appearing on the credit card statement is Etihad Select Upgrade.
11. There will be no refunds, credits, or exchanges once your Offer has been accepted by Etihad and your credit card has been charged, except under the following conditions: - The flight for which your Offer was accepted was cancelled, and Etihad re-accommodated you on another flight but in the cabin of service of your original booking, in which case the amount paid for the Upgrade will be refunded to the payment card that was used to bid and Etihad shall have not further liability to you.
- In the even the aircraft was downgraded from a wide body to a narrow body for any operational reasons, then the amount paid for the upgrade to Business class will be refunded
- Your bid was accepted and you were given an Upgrade, but you were not able to be seated in the upgraded class of service for reasons attributable to Etihad, including, but not limited to, a change in equipment, a delay in the connecting flight that resulted in your missing the connection on which you were upgraded, but excluding reasons attributable to your actions, including, but not limited to, you on your own volition opting to change flights, you missing a flight.
12. Should refunds be approved, they will be processed in the currency in which the Upgrade amount was charged. Such refunds would be limited to amount charged for the Upgrade and no bank related charges will be refunded, and will take about 10 – 15 working days to reflect in your account.
13. The fare conditions for the original ticket you purchased shall remain in effect and will be applicable even if your bid has been accepted and you have been upgraded, including, but not limited to, cancellation policies, change fees, baggage allowance, and rules relating to the accrual of frequent flyer miles.
14. If you change your ticket, Etihad Airways has no obligation to seat you in the upgraded cabin, unless you pay for the Upgrade as per the airlines’ standard change policies and the policies and conditions associated with the fare class of original ticket.
15. Etihad does not guarantee specific seat assignments to Guests whose bids are accepted.
16. Etihad chauffeur services will not be available for upgraded tickets.
17. Lounge access applies only on the upgraded segment. For example, if a guest was upgraded on Sydney-Abu Dhabi, the guest is eligible to use the lounge in Sydney airport, not in Abu Dhabi.
*Business Class product and services will be as operated by our partner airlines
18. Bonus miles will be credited only for Etihad Guest members. Members of other airline loyalty programs are not entitled to bonus miles.
19. In the event your bid was accepted and your credit card was charged the bid amount but the Upgrade was not provided, you may apply for a refund. Your request must include the original boarding pass for the flight in question. If you are not able to provide the original boarding pass for the flight in dispute, Etihad is under no obligation to refund you for the amount you paid for the Upgrade.
20. Etihad reserves the right to modify and otherwise change these Terms and Conditions at their own discretion. Except as provided for in the preceding sentence, no amendment, modification or waiver to these Terms and Conditions shall be binding on Etihad unless made in writing and signed by an authorized officer of Etihad.
21. These terms and conditions should be read in conjunction with Etihad Airways’ Condition of Carriage, Website Terms of Use, and Privacy and Security Policy which you can read on etihad.com.
The failure of Etihad to exercise any of its rights shall not be construed as a waiver or relinquishment of the future performance of any of its rights, and your obligations with respect to such future performance shall continue in full force and effect.
We need to transfer personal information to the Etihad group of companies as well as allow third party service providers to process your personal information where this is needed in connection with a service they provide to us. This means your personal information may be located in various countries around the world, such as the US and the UAE.
Please note that different privacy laws may apply in these countries from any laws that may apply in the country where you are located. We will always strive to adopt the highest standards of privacy protection, wherever your personal information is located and take appropriate measures (consistent with locally applicable privacy laws) to secure an adequate level of privacy protection.
For more information and to access the Etihad Privacy Policy, please click here.
Please click here or write to the Ethics and Compliance Office, Etihad Airways, PO Box 35566, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates if you have any concerns about our compliance with applicable privacy laws. We will aim to respond to your concerns as soon as possible and may seek further information from you in order to provide a full and complete response. In some countries, you may have rights to raise the matter with a relevant data protection authority or ombudsman.
