Etihad Airways extends flexible rebooking

UAE national carrier Etihad Airways has extended its flexible booking policy, as airlines continue to respond to ongoing regional travel disruptions caused by the Israel-US-Iran war.

 

Tickets issued on or after 6 March 2026 for travel until 31 March 2027 are eligible for a one-time complimentary date change. Travellers will still be required to pay any applicable fare differences. 

 

Add-ons, such as seat selection, can be transferred to the new flight where available.

Passengers can also upgrade cabins or amend routes, subject to availability and additional charges. 

 

The waiver applies across all cabins and fare types, and covers Etihad-issued bookings, including itineraries involving partner carriers. However, the policy excludes group and redemption bookings, and no-show fees continue to apply.

 

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Regional carriers including Emirates, Flydubai and Qatar Airways are offering similar concessions, with Emirates allowing passengers scheduled to fly between 28 February and 30 April 2026 to rebook their flights free of charge until 15 June 2026. 

 

Etihad Airways has eased loyalty programme requirements for members. Until further notice, the carrier has lowered tier thresholds for frequent flyers, allowing them to maintain or progress their status with fewer miles. Qatar Airways has also rolled out temporary tier status extensions for its Privilege Club members. 

 

Flight activity across the Gulf is slowly rebounding following the start of the war, which broke out on 28 February 2026, with carriers currently operating at 52% of their pre-conflict schedules, according to data from Flightradar24. 

 

For more information, visit etihad.com