Bid for an Economy Neighbour-Free seat

Find out more about bidding for an Economy Neighbour-Free seat

Who is eligible to bid for an Etihad Select Upgrade or Economy Neighbour-Free seat?
You are eligible to bid for an upgrade if:

You are flying on an Etihad-operated flight

You have a confirmed ticket document number that starts with 607

You are not eligible for an upgrade if:

• You have booked on an Economy Deal or Business Saver fare
• You have booked your ticket through Guest Seat rewards
• Redemption tickets
• You are flying with free tickets
• You have already been upgraded using Etihad Guest Miles
• Multi-flyer tickets
• You are flying as part of a group booking

Who will receive an Etihad Select Upgrade or Economy Neighbour-Free upgrade?

Etihad Guest members are given priority to receive an upgrade, subject to meeting the following criteria:

• Purchased ticket issued on Etihad Airways document number 607
• Confirmed Business or Economy ticket booked in eligible Fare Family
• Valid email address or valid Etihad Guest member number (this should be updated on the booking record)

I have an Economy ticket. Can I bid to upgrade to Business and bid on an Economy Neighbour-Free seat?
Yes, you can place a bid for both – the upgrade will be considered first, and your bid for an Economy Neighbour-Free seat will be considered as a backup.

How many seats can I reserve with Economy Neighbour-Free?
You may place a bid for one, two or three additional seats depending on the type of aircraft you are flying on. On wide-body planes (two aisles), you can bid for a maximum of three seats. For a narrow-body aircraft (one aisle) you can bid for a maximum of two seats.

A successful bid for two seats on a narrow-body aircraft means that you’ll have an entire row to yourself.

A successful bid for three seats on a wide-body aircraft grants you an entire row to yourself.

My booking is for two people. How many Economy Neighbour-Free seats can I bid for?
You can bid for one or two seats on a wide-body aircraft, and one seat on a narrow-body aircraft.

My booking is for three people. How many Economy Neighbour-Free seats can I bid for?
You can only bid for one seat on a wide-body aircraft.

My booking is for four or more people. How many Economy Neighbour-Free seats can I bid for?
You cannot bid for any additional seats, as the maximum seats in one row is four.

Can I use the Etihad Select Upgrade and Economy Neighbour-Free seat service on Etihad Airways flights which are operated by partner airlines?
The Etihad Select Upgrade is available on some flights operated by our partner airlines, where your ticket has been issued by Etihad Airways and the document number starts with 607. Please refer to the Terms and Conditions of these flights with our partner airlines.

Making your bid

When I enter my booking reference and last name, an error message appears. What should I do?
Email SelectUpgrade@etihad.ae quoting your ticket number (starting with 607). You will need to provide your name, travel date and flight number.

Will I receive an SMS if my bid is successful?
If your bid is successful, you will only receive a confirmation email, but we will also make you aware when you check-in.

I’m not sure if my bid has been successful and I don’t have access to emails to check. Will I be notified at the time of check-in?
Yes, you will be notified when you check-in.

I cancelled my initial offer, but I would like to submit a new offer. Is that possible? You should have received an email confirming that your initial bid has been cancelled. If you have changed your mind, you can resubmit a bid using the link in your cancellation email.

You can also visit etihad.com or do this through Manage Your Booking.

New offers must be submitted 10 hours before departure for Etihad Select Upgrade and for Economy Neighbour-Free seats.

What happens if my bid has been unsuccessful?
If your offer has been unsuccessful, you will receive a notification email 6 hours before your flight to let you know. Your card will not be charged, and you can simply travel with your existing ticket as normal.

If I received an email informing me that my offer has been unsuccessful, can I make an offer again?
You cannot make another offer if your bid has been unsuccessful. You may ask your check-in agent for an upgrade.

I received an email informing me that my offer has been unsuccessful, but a short while later, my card has been charged. Why have I been charged?
We will review your bid if a seat becomes available closer to the time of your flight. If you receive a notification that your card has been charged, then your upgrade has been processed. You will receive an email confirming your bid and an updated itinerary.

I placed a bid for an Etihad Select Upgrade and an Economy Neighbour-Free seat. My Etihad Select Upgrade bid was successful. What happens to my Economy Neighbour-Free seat offer?
You do not need to do anything as your Economy Neighbour-Free seat bid will no longer be considered.

Is it possible to upgrade from Economy to First?
Your confirmed Economy ticket can only be upgraded to the next cabin, which is Business.

Will I have the option to choose my seat after a successful Economy Neighbour-Free bid?
You cannot choose your seat after your Economy Neighbour-Free bid has been processed. Our system will assign seats based on how many you have requested. It is not possible to change your seat during check-in at the airport either.

I have booked for five guests under the same booking reference. Is it possible to place an Etihad Select Upgrade or Economy Neighbour-Free seat bid for two guests only?
If you have booked directly via Etihad Airways, you can call our Global Contact Centres and ask the Agent to split your booking.

If you have booked via travel trade, you can ask your travel agent to split your booking.

The request to split your booking should be done at least 10 hours before your departure date, so that you can still place a bid. 

I am too late to make an offer. Can I still upgrade?

Subject to availability, you may be able to upgrade when you check in for your flight at the airport.

My bid was successful. What documents do I need when I check in at the airport?
Our system will be updated with the upgrade. Please present your updated travel itinerary and confirmation email when you arrive at the airport.

Paying for an Etihad Select Upgrade or Economy Neighbour-Free seats

How do I pay for an Etihad Select Upgrade or Economy Neighbour-Free seat?
Once your bid is successful, you can pay to upgrade to an Economy Neighbour-Free seat with your credit card.

How much do I need to bid?
Your bid must be between the set minimum and maximum bid amount indicated on the slider. For Economy Neighbour-Free seats, the minimum bid amount applies per seat.

What does the strength indicator mean on the offer page?
The strength indicator is a guide that shows the strength of your bid, but does not guarantee that you will be successful.

Can I bid different amounts for each part of my journey?
Yes, you can bid different amounts for each eligible part of your journey.

Can I change my bid after it has been submitted?
Yes, you can modify your bid at any time before you receive an email informing you whether your offer has been successful. When you first place your bid, you will receive a confirmation email, and you can use the link in that email to modify your bid.

Can I cancel my bid?
Yes, you can modify your bid at any time before you receive an email informing you whether your offer has been successful. When you first place your bid, you will receive a confirmation email, and you can use the link in that email to cancel your bid.

Other than the bid amount, do I need to pay any additional fees?

For an Etihad Select Upgrade, the Airport departure taxes are applicable in certain countries such as the UK, India and Pakistan. Any extra charges will be shown clearly in the Upgrade offer submission process.

No taxes apply for Economy Neighbour-Free seats.

What fare rules apply for my upgraded ticket?
The same rules apply as the original fare that you purchased, including any fees for changing or cancelling your booking.

I have placed a bid, but I’d like to use a different card. Is that possible?

You need to cancel your current bid first if it is still inside the offer deadline window. Once you cancel the bid, you’ll be able to submit a new offer using your preferred card.

If your offer has been accepted but the card authorisation fails, you’ll receive an email with a link to enter your new card details.

Will my bid amount be refunded if my flight is cancelled?
In the event that your Etihad flight is cancelled, we will try to accommodate you in the upgraded cabin on your next flight. Otherwise, we will refund the full upgrade amount within 10 days.

My bid has been successful, but I need to cancel my ticket. Will I receive a refund for my bid?

If you are cancelling or changing your ticket, your bid will not be refunded.

My offer was successful, and I received a confirmation email and an updated travel itinerary. However, at the airport, I did not receive a boarding pass for the upgraded cabin and in my original seat. What should I do?

In the event that you are downgraded at the airport, you should send an email to SelectUpgrade@etihad.ae highlighting the incident. If the downgrade is attributed to Etihad, for example, in the case of an oversold cabin, schedule change or flight change, a full refund will be processed.

If the downgrade is caused by the passenger, a refund will not be processed. 

My bid has been successful, but I’d like to change a part of my journey on the same ticket. My travel agent is not able to help, what should I do?
Once your ticket is reissued by an Etihad office, any subsequent changes to the ticket can be done through our Global Contact Centres.

I have already paid for a seat in Economy. What will happen if I’m upgraded to Business?
The amount that you have paid to reserve your seat will not be refunded when you are upgraded to Business.

Benefits of upgrading

What are the benefits of upgrading from Economy to Business?

There are lots of benefits when you upgrade to Business:

-On the segment of the flight that you have been upgraded to, you are eligible for Business baggage allowance

-You can carry additional baggage based on your tier within the Etihad Guest programme

-You are entitled to priority check-in and boarding

-You are entitled to access our Business lounges based on the flight segment that you have upgraded. For example, if your journey is booked from Sydney to London, and you have upgraded only the Abu Dhabi to London leg, you will only have lounge access in Abu Dhabi.  If you have upgraded both sectors, you will be granted lounge access in Sydney as well as in Abu Dhabi during your transit time.

-Etihad chauffeur services are not available for upgrades from Economy to Business

What are the benefits of an upgrade from Business to First?

When you upgrade to first, you have access to generous benefits:

-On the segment of the flight that you have been upgraded to, you are eligible for First baggage allowance

-You can carry additional baggage based on your tier within the Etihad Guest programme

-You will have access to our First lounges, where available

-If you are holding a confirmed chauffer booking, this will be reinstated after the upgrade

When one segment of my trip is upgraded, what is the additional baggage allowance for my whole trip?

Your additional baggage allowance only applies to the segment of the journey that has been upgraded.

For example, a confirmed ticket from Sydney to London has the first segment (Sydney-Abu Dhabi) upgraded. Additional baggage allowance applies only to the upgraded segment (Sydney-Abu Dhabi). For the remaining segment (Abu Dhabi-London), your baggage allowance will depend on the cabin booked. 

I am an Etihad Guest member. Will I earn additional Etihad Guest Miles for a successful Etihad Select Upgrade or Economy Neighbour-Free seat bids?
Yes, you will earn additional miles for a successful bid. You will earn base miles (as per the flown distance and original booked class) plus an additional 10% bonus miles for a successful bid.

Only Etihad Guest members are eligible for bonus miles.

If you have any concerns or need further clarification, please email SelectUpgrade@etihad.ae

Data Privacy

Transfer of personal information

We need to transfer personal information to the Etihad group of companies as well as allow third party service providers to process your personal information where this is needed in connection with a service they provide to us. This means your personal information may be located in various countries around the world, such as the US and the UAE.

Please note that different privacy laws may apply in these countries from any laws that may apply in the country where you are located. We will always strive to adopt the highest standards of privacy protection, wherever your personal information is located and take appropriate measures (consistent with locally applicable privacy laws) to secure an adequate level of privacy protection.  

For more information and to access the Etihad Privacy Policy, please click here.

Please click here or write to the Ethics and Compliance Office, Etihad Airways, PO Box 35566, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates if you have any concerns about our compliance with applicable privacy laws. We will aim to respond to your concerns as soon as possible and may seek further information from you in order to provide a full and complete response. In some countries, you may have rights to raise the matter with a relevant data protection authority or ombudsman.

View more

The following terms and conditions ("Terms and Conditions") shall apply to an offer (“Offer”) made by you (“Guest”, “you”) to Etihad Airways (“Etihad”, “we”, “us”) for an opportunity to upgrade from the class of service that was originally purchased for travel with Etihad to one class of service higher (“Upgrade”) or for an Economy Neighbour-Free seat experience (“NFS”)

You must be at least 21 years of age and able to enter into binding contracts. You shall be deemed to have the authority to act on behalf of and to bind the person or persons named or included on the Offer to these Terms and Conditions.

Guests may submit either an Upgrade or NFS Offer, or both per flight which corresponds to the purchased ticket issued on Etihad Airways document number 607 and offers must always be made and paid by using a credit card. Minimum/Maximum upgrade offer values apply. 

An Offer, when submitted by you in association with a booking made with Etihad, whether made directly with Etihad or indirectly through other means and presented to Etihad, shall entitle the person or persons named on the Offer, subject to these Terms and Conditions, to be considered for an Upgrade or NFS experience. 

Etihad reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to decide whether or not to accept your Offer, and it makes no representation that any Guest will be upgraded or receives NFS regardless of whether or not seats are available in the class of service for which an Offer is being made.

You may revise or cancel your Offer through the hyperlink on the offer email before 28 hours of your departure for Upgrade and 35hours before your departure for NFS, provided that your Offer has not already been accepted by Etihad and provided your credit card has not been charged. However, if your Offer is accepted before you cancel or amend your Offer, you are legally bound to complete payment for the price stated in your original Offer.

Etihad Select Upgrade and Neighbour-Free seats cannot be booked for the following bookings: Tickets booked using promotional fares and Guest Seat rewards, redemption tickets, free tickets, tickets already upgraded using miles, infant tickets, and multi-flyer tickets.

An Offer that complies with these Terms and Conditions will be valid (“Valid Offer”) from the time of its submission to Etihad, with the validity of the offer expiring at the scheduled departure date and time, or, in the event that the flight has been delayed, the time at which the airplane doors have been closed for departure. However, should you cancel your Offer prior to processing; the offer shall no longer be a Valid Offer.

In the event Etihad re-accommodates you on to another flight for whatever reason other than your default, any Offer you made in relation to the original booking may be transferred to the new flight(s), subject to availability of seats for both Upgrade and NFS.

Etihad may accept your Offer any time during the period it remains a Valid Offer. In the event Etihad accepts your Offer; your credit card shall be charged the full amount immediately upon acceptance, and Etihad will revalidate your existing ticket reflecting an Upgrade for each Guest included in your original flight booking. You will receive an updated travel itinerary highlighting the new cabin of service. The total amount charged will include all applicable pre-payable taxes and fees (if any) for the Upgrade. The total amount that you must pay to us will be disclosed to you prior to you submitting your Offer. An Upgrade that has been issued by Etihad can be changed or transferred only in accordance with applicable Fare Rules and our Condition of Carriage.

The charge on your credit card may appear in the name of “Etihad Select Upgrade”. You agree that you cannot challenge or dispute a charge for reason of the name appearing on the credit card statement is Etihad Select Upgrade. This applies to both ESU and NFS. 

There will be no refunds, credits, or exchanges once your Offer has been accepted by Etihad and your credit card has been charged, except under the following conditions:
- The flight for which your Offer was accepted was cancelled, and Etihad re-accommodated you on another flight but in the class of service of your original booking, in which case the amount paid for the Upgrade or NFS will be refunded to the payment card that was used to bid and Etihad shall have not further liability to you.
- Your Offer was accepted and you were given an Upgrade or NFS, but you were not able to be seated in the upgraded class of service for reasons attributable to Etihad, including, but not limited to, a change in equipment, a delay in the connecting flight that resulted in your missing the connection on which you were upgraded, but excluding reasons attributable to your actions, including, but not limited to, you on your own volition opting to change flights, you missing a flight.
- You are entitled to refunds, credits, or exchanges under applicable Fare Rules and/or our Conditions of Carriage.

Should refunds be approved, they will be processed in the currency in which the Upgrade or NFS amount was charged. Such refunds will be limited to the amount charged for the Upgrade or NFS and no bank-related charges will be refunded, note that refund usually takes about 10 – 15 working days to reflect in your account.

The fare conditions for the original ticket you purchased shall remain in effect and will be applicable even if your Offer has been accepted and you have been upgraded, including, but not limited to, cancellation policies, change fees, baggage allowance, and rules relating to the accrual of frequent flyer miles.

If you change your ticket, Etihad Airways has no obligation to seat you in the upgraded class of service, unless you pay for the Upgrade or NFS as per the airlines’ standard change policies and the policies and conditions associated with the fare class of original ticket.

Etihad does not guarantee specific seat assignments to Guests who’s Offers are accepted. 

Etihad does not guarantee that you will be offered a meal or other amenities generally associated with the class of service to which you have been upgraded.

Etihad chauffeur services will not be available for upgrades from Economy to Business or for NFS. 

Lounge access applies only to the upgraded segment. For example, if a guest was upgraded on Sydney-Abu Dhabi, the guest is eligible to use the lounge in Sydney airport, not in Abu Dhabi.

NFS Guests do not qualify for lounge access or additional baggage allowance.

The following Etihad Airways flights are eligible for Etihad Select Upgrade which are operated by our Partner airlines:

*Business product and services will be operated by our partner airlines. 

  22. Economy Neighbour-Free seat service is only available on Etihad Operated flights.

  23. Bonus miles will be credited only for Etihad Guest members. Members of other airline loyalty programs are not entitled to bonus miles.

  24. In the event that your Offer was accepted, and your credit card was charged the Offer amount but the Upgrade or NFS was not provided, you may apply for a refund.  Your request must include the original boarding pass for the flight in question.  If you are not able to provide the original boarding pass for the flight in dispute, Etihad is under no obligation to refund you for the amount you paid for the Upgrade or NFS.

  25. If you reserve and pay for an Economy Space or Economy Standard Seat and later discover that your bid for an Economy Neighbour-Free seat is accepted, your previous seat selection/purchase will not be refunded.

  26. Etihad reserves the right to modify and otherwise change these Terms and Conditions at their own discretion. Except as provided for in the preceding sentence, no amendment, modification or waiver to these Terms and Conditions shall be binding on Etihad unless made in writing and signed by an authorized officer of Etihad. 

  27. These terms and conditions should be read in conjunction with Etihad Airways’ Condition of Carriage, Website Terms of Use, and Privacy and Security Policy which you can read on etihad.com.