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I still think about Etihad’s Business Studio. A lot. Probs too much. I miss her.
Do I have a problem? Am I not over the night I spent with Etihad where she swaddled me in her 787 Dreamliner Business Studio luxuries? She’s a beautiful, exotic, pampering princess of opulence that leaves a trail of passengers longing for her company. It’s no wonder I’m still obsessed. Let’s take a trip down memory lane.
*Warning: you may fall under her spell as well.
Here are just 7 of the reasons I’m still swooning a year later
- It cost me just $7 and 67,500 Aadvantage miles or
- 60,750 after the 10% discount from having the Barclay Aviator card or Citi Aadvantage Platinum
- You enter from the Lounge…could it get any better? No ploebs, please. 😉
- The Etihad boarding music is Emirati bliss
- I flew backwards…which was on my bucket list
- The hard and soft product are truly exceptional. What’s better than baller…maybe Baller XL – that’s why this is Baller XXL
- After an incredible flight – you can kick it in a dope arrival’s lounge where you…
- Take a free Chauffeured Audi to your destination.
- Did I mention it cost $7 – ya…ridics.
Here’s a look at the itinerary that I flew last year.
Here’s what it would have cost to pay out of pocket: did I mention I paid $7?
1. The Etihad 787 Business Studio cost me just $7
That’s right folks – the booking fee was $7. I also got a free positioning flight to IAD from LAX as a part of the ticket. If you’re interested in seeing how to do this…check out my tutorial.
If this doesn’t make you run around your living room in glee, what will? You can do it too. In fact, the current American Award chart has this flight for 70k and $7. Check it here:
Miles was so excited he passed out for a second… I waived Champagne under his nose like smelling salts – worked like magic!
2. You enter the plane directly from the lounge – like a BOSS
That’s right, after you have enjoyed a sit down meal, or a buffet if you prefer, you then board the plane straight from the lounge. I challenge you to not brush your shoulders off, do a pimp step, and do this:
Right before you see this:
If you have heart problems…I’d recommend taking a deep breath because the cabin is just that beautiful.
3. Etihad Boarding music is Emirati bliss:
I don’t want to ruin it for you, but it’s amazing. You can listen here.
4. Yep, I flew backwards. It’s something you must do
Dave, much like Jack Nicholson, was cool enough to wear shades inside, at night – because this plane and cabin amplify your inner swag. As you can also see, he’s facing the same direction the plane is boarding. Disregard all the jealousy and envy pouring out of the faces of the econ passengers…I’d feel the same too.
5. The Hard and Soft product are Baller…nix that – Baller XXL
- Hard product refers to the things that are bolted down. Seat, IFE, bathrooms, etc.
- Soft refers to the food, the entertainment in the IFE, the Pajamas – Man, I loved the pjs.
6. After the flight you can kick it in the Arrival’s lounge for a shave
If you haven’t had enough pampering on the nearly 13 hour flight, well then, of course you can indulge more in the Arrival’s lounge. Did I mention this cost $7? Have a shower, shave, or just a refreshment – it’s all yours to enjoy.
7. Take a Chauffeur to your destination for the price of…. “on the house”
Just call ahead of time and book the chauffeur which is included on award flights! Incred.
And we were off to the Grand Hyatt Dubai – an hour away…all included!
If this is the sort of thing that you’d like to do: you can read more
- Etihad Business Studio Review
- Etihad Lounge Washington D.C.
- Etihad First/Business Class Lounge Abu Dhabi
- Etihad Pearl Business Class Review
And how you can book Etihad tickets with American Airlines here
How do you get AAdvantage miles?
Here’s a couple ways. But continue to read Monkeymiles.com as there are always new and inventive ways!
- Credit cards
- Buy them
Would you like some more help?
Check out our award booking service! We will book your trip for you. Click here
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a great starter card that earns Premium Ultimate Rewards that can be transferred into over a dozen partners many of which are US based.
Welcome Offer
60k Points after $4k spend in 3 months
Annual Fee
$95
Points Earned
Transferrable Chase Ultimate Rewards
If you carry this card alongside Chase’s cashback cards like the Chase Freedom Flex℠and Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the business versions: Ink Business Cash , Ink Business Unlimited you can combine the points into Preferred account and transfer into hotel and airline partners
Annual fee is quite low at $95 a year + you get a 10% anniversary bonus on points + $50 hotel credit in Chase travel.
- 3x on dining
- including eligible delivery services for takeout
- 3x on select streaming services
- 3x on online grocery purchases
- (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
- 5x on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards – Chase Travel Portal
- $50 Annual Credit on hotel stays purchased via Ultimate Rewards/Chase Travel
- The begins immediately for new cardmembers and after your account anniversary for existing cardmembers
- 10% Anniversary Bonus
- Every year you keep the card, your total spend will yield a 10% points bonus. If you spend $10k in a year, you’ll get 1k bonus points
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® continues to redeem at 1.25c in the Chase Travel Portal and the slew of other benefits remain in tact including primary rental car insurance, purchase protections, etc.
- Points are transferrable to 13 Ultimate Rewards partners
- Redeem in the Chase Travel center for 1.25 cents per point
- No foreign transaction fees
- Suite of Travel and Purchase Coverage
- Primary rental car coverage is my favorite
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists the best ever offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Historically 80k is a very, very good offer and hit in both 2022 and 2023. In 2021, we saw the offer hit an all time high of 100k. Who knows if that will ever come back.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
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