Hey there! I actually managed to get an upgrade on Etihad once, and it was honestly one of the best travel surprises I’ve ever had. I was flying from Abu Dhabi to London for a work trip, and I had originally booked an Economy ticket because I was trying to stay within budget. A few days before my flight, I got an email from Etihad offering the option to bid for an upgrade to Business Class. I didn’t think I had much of a chance, but I figured I’d give it a shot and placed a modest bid.
I didn’t hear anything until the night before my flight, when I got an email saying my bid had been accepted — I was so excited! When I checked in at the airport, everything was smooth and friendly. The staff even congratulated me on the upgrade, which made it feel extra special.
The experience itself was incredible — the seat was super spacious, the food felt more like a restaurant meal than airplane food, and the service was so attentive. I slept comfortably for the first time ever on a long-haul flight.
After that trip, I learned that Etihad offers different ways to upgrade — you can bid like I did, use miles through their Etihad Guest program, or sometimes even pay for an upgrade at check-in if there’s availability. My advice is to keep an eye on your email and be logged into your Etihad account when booking, because that’s how they usually send upgrade offers.
It was totally worth it, and now I always check for those upgrade emails before every Etihad flight — you never know when you might get lucky!
