Some passengers might be unable to afford the cost of flying in a higher class with Etihad Airways. For the suitability of budget travellers, there are a number of ways available for someone to access a seat upgrade on their flight at no additional cost.

The ways an individual may get a free upgrade on their Etihad flight are:

Waiting for the last-minute upgrade: If you are lucky and there are vacant seats on your Etihad Airways flight in any higher travel class, you can ask for your seat upgrade at the last moment before boarding and get the available seat without paying any fee.
Using Airline Miles: Passengers who have airline miles on their frequent flyer accounts can use the miles to upgrade their seats with Etihad. You must have enough miles to redeem for the business class upgrade.

Is it cheaper to upgrade to business class at the airport Etihad?

The upgrade cost depends on numerous factors, such as the flight destination, distance, seat availability, original travel class, and the upgrade request time. By choosing to request your business class seat upgrade at the last moment at the airport, you may be able to find a cheaper rate than online or other channels.

How many points to upgrade from economy to business on Etihad?

The members of the Etihad Guest, the frequent flyer program, can take advantage of their previously earned miles to upgrade their seats from economy to business class. The points required for Etihad business class upgrade from the economy will depend on the flight distance you are covering. Below is an overview of the required points on the basis of flight distance:

0 to 500 km: 20000 miles
501 to 1000 km: 25000 miles
10001 to 3000 km: 30000 to 60000 miles
3001 to 5000 km: 70000 to 100000 miles
Above 6000 km: 110000 miles