Loyalty programme tops half a million members

To mark the occasion the Abu Dhabi-based airline awarded Mohammed Al Jurishy, the 500,000th Etihad Guest member, with 100,000 Etihad Guest miles.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways' Executive Vice President Marketing and Product, said:

"It is a fantastic achievement that 500,000 customers have joined the Etihad Guest programme in a little more than two years and congratulations to Mohammed for winning the 100,000 miles."

"I hope he enjoys spending the miles in the innovative Etihad Guest reward shop which has been specifically designed to offer our members maximum flexibility on how they spend their accrued miles, whether it is in the lifestyle, shopping or donations section," he added.

Etihad Guest was launched in August 2006 and has received industry-wide praise and awards for its innovative service including the multitude of rewards available to members.

Mr Al Jurishy, who lives in Abu Dhabi, said: "It was a great honour to be the 500,000th customer to join the Etihad Guest programme. I fly regularly with Etihad and should have joined earlier because it is so quick and easy to do online."

"I haven't decided yet what I'll spend the miles on, but I'll probably use them to take my wife and daughter to Jordan to see our family and friends," he added.

Members of Etihad Guest have also donated more than 600,000 'miles' to humanitarian and environmental charities and projects across the world through the scheme's reward shop.