Etihad Guest
Etihad Airways
VS
Miles&Smiles
Turkish Airlines
Etihad Guest vs Miles&Smiles: which loyalty program wins?
We score Etihad Guest and Miles&Smiles 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 Miles&Smiles is best for Frequent flyers.
Skip Etihad Guest if Domestic flyers, and skip Miles&Smiles if Anyone who flies infrequently.
Overall rating
| Etihad Guest | Miles&Smiles | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3.1 / 5 | 3.9 / 5 |
| Earning | 2.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Redemption | 4.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Network | 4.0 / 5 | 5.0 / 5 |
| Ease of use | 3.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
| Expiry | 2.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 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. | |
|---|---|---|
| Miles&Smiles | Members earn both Status Miles (for tier qualification) and Award Miles (for redemption) on Turkish Airlines and AnadoluJet flights - earning depends on flight distance, fare class, and elite status level. Earning extends to 25+ Star Alliance member carriers. Marriott Bonvoy transfer at 3:1 ratio. Choice Privileges transfer at 5:1 ratio. Status Miles can also be earned from 40 qualifying flights (Classic Plus only). Status upgrade purchases of 5,000-10,000 miles are available. No Saudi bank issues a Miles&Smiles co-branded credit card. |
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. | |
|---|---|---|
| Miles&Smiles | Award Miles redeem for flights on Turkish Airlines, AnadoluJet, all 25+ Star Alliance partners, and selected non-alliance partners. Award booking is straightforward online for Turkish flights and most Star Alliance partners; some partner awards require calling. Sweet spots remain after the 2024 devaluation: Turkish Business Class to Europe/US, domestic US partner flights at favorable rates (some destinations like Hawaii start from 10,000 miles), and premium-cabin Star Alliance partner redemptions. Cabin upgrades available on Turkish flights. Elite Plus members receive two complimentary cabin upgrades annually. Award changes incur fees varying by tier. Fuel surcharges apply on most premium-cabin partner redemptions. Members can supplement with mile purchases. |
Partner network · Tiers & status · Point expiry policy
| Etihad Guest | Miles&Smiles | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of partners | 0 | 0 |
| Partners | — | — |
| Number of tiers | 5 | 4 |
| Top tier | Emerald | Elite Plus |
| First-tier qualification | 25,000 points | 25,000 points |
| Point expiry | 18 months inactivity (reset on earn) | 36 months |