Etihad Guest is an excellent frequent flyer program for accessing cheap Business Class redemptions on Virgin Australia.

In this guide, I start by explaining the benefits of pooling your points with Family members and give step-by-step instructions on how to set up a Family Membership with Etihad Guest. I also outline some important things to be aware of.

Benefits of an Etihad Guest Family Membership

The two main benefits of a Family Membership are:

• All Etihad Guest miles earned by any member of the family are pooled into the Family Head’s account
• Miles can be used by any member of the family

Tier miles (which determine status) remain on an individual level.

How to create an Etihad Guest Family Membership

1. Make sure that you yourself are signed up for your own individual Etihad Guest membership (500 bonus miles*)
2. Sign each family member up for an individual account through this link (500 bonus miles each*)
3. As Family Head, compile a list of up to eight family members to join you—have their relationship to you, account name and Etihad Guest number ready
4. Call Etihad Guest at +971 600 555 666 to add family members to your account

Although perhaps not as culturally common in Australia as in the Gulf countries, you could use the ‘Householdhelp’ option to include members who may not traditionally be defined as part of your family.

Do note that you do need to agree to the following:

I am aware that Etihad Airways reserves the right to audit the relationships claimed by any Family Head and will from time to time request for documented proof of the relationships

Etihad doesn’t provide any information on what documents this may include, though.

Important things to be aware of

• Joining Etihad Guest requires you to activate your account by email, meaning that you will need to have active email addresses for all family members
• The 500 miles welcome bonus* for each member is only credited after their first earn activity with Etihad Guest. This is most likely to be an Etihad or Virgin Australia flight but it can be with any airline, hotel or car hire partner

Which airlines offer family pooling of points/miles?

Etihad Guest, Velocity Frequent Flyer, Emirates Skywards, British Airways Executive Club, ANA Mileage Club and JAL Mileage Bank allow you to combine points/miles with family members. There are other frequent flyer programs too but these are the most relevant to an Australian audience.

Summing up

Etihad Guest offers great-value redemptions on both their own airline and Virgin Australia.

Setting up a Family Membership with up to eight other people can help you to build your balance more quickly for your next award flight.