Etihad Guest vs Radisson Rewards: which loyalty program wins?

We score Etihad Guest and Radisson Rewards on the same five factors — earning rate, redemption value, partner network, ease of use, and point expiry — to help you choose the right program for how you actually spend.

Verdict

Etihad Guest is best for Frequent flyers, while Radisson Rewards is best for Frequent flyers.

Skip Etihad Guest if Domestic flyers, and skip Radisson Rewards if Occasional hotel guests.

Overall rating

	Etihad Guest	Radisson Rewards
Overall rating	3.1 / 5	2.8 / 5
Earning	2.0 / 5	3.0 / 5
Redemption	4.0 / 5	3.0 / 5
Network	4.0 / 5	3.0 / 5
Ease of use	3.0 / 5	3.0 / 5
Expiry	2.0 / 5	2.0 / 5

Earning structure

Etihad Guest	Members earn Etihad Guest Miles by flying with Etihad Airways or 25+ partner airlines including American Airlines, ANA, Air Canada, Air France-KLM, Korean Air, Virgin Australia, SAS, and others. Earning also extends to 300,000+ hotels through Accor, Hyatt, and Marriott Bonvoy, car rentals with Avis and Budget, the Etihad Guest shopping portal, and dining partners. Members can also purchase miles (up to 100,000 per year, 150,000 for Platinum) and use the MilesBooster feature for retroactive miles on past flights. For Tier Miles (which qualify members for status), only Etihad flights and Etihad-issued payment cards count — partner flights no longer earn Tier Miles as of June 2024.
Radisson Rewards	Members earn Radisson Rewards points on every paid stay at participating Radisson Hotel Group properties globally. Earn rates vary by tier: Club (entry, default) earns 9 points per USD spent on eligible room charges (excluding taxes and fees); Premium earns 27 points per USD; VIP earns 36 points per USD. Points also accrue on hotel incidentals charged to the room at participating properties. Members can also earn through Radisson promotional offers and the unique Discount Booster (2026) which trades fewer points for a higher instant discount (up to 20%) on the stay. Points can be purchased (up to 250,000 per year) but purchased points don't count toward elite status qualification. There are no Radisson Rewards credit cards available - co-brand cards were discontinued globally.

Redemption structure

Etihad Guest	Miles redeem for flights and upgrades on Etihad Airways and 25+ partner airlines using a distance-based award chart. Members can also redeem for hotel stays worldwide via Accor, Hyatt, and Marriott Bonvoy, car rentals, and items in the Etihad Guest Reward Shop. Premium-cabin awards (Business and First) on Etihad's own routes deliver the highest typical value. Note: as of November 2025, Value awards are non-cancellable, and higher-tier awards have a 72-hour no-change window. Some partner award redemptions require calling the Etihad Guest call centre. Members can also use the Cash + Miles option for partial payment on flights.
Radisson Rewards	Points redeem for award nights at any Radisson Hotel Group property worldwide. Standard room award nights start from 9,000 points, or 5,000 points with the Points + Cash option for partial payment. There are no blackout dates on standard room redemptions. Uniquely, members still receive elite benefits (room upgrades and late checkout) when booking with points — unlike some hotel chains. Award pricing is increasingly dynamic since 2022, though some sweet spots remain on the award chart. Members can also redeem for gift cards, merchandise, travel experiences, and donations to charity. Limited airline and travel partner transfer options exist but generally offer poor value due to the compressed point value (~0.25 cents USD per point industry valuation).

Partner network · Tiers & status · Point expiry policy

	Etihad Guest	Radisson Rewards
Number of partners	0	0
Partners	—	—
Number of tiers	5	3
Top tier	Emerald	VIP
First-tier qualification	25,000 points	3 stays
Point expiry	18 months inactivity (reset on earn)	24 months inactivity (reset on earn)

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