Etihad Points – Hotel Booking option / other ways to use orphaned points

[ncarmstrong]

I know that Etihad have relaunched their loyalty program and I’ve read the various articles released here and elsewhere, but they’ve tended to focus on the flying portion of the scheme (understandably).

I have a reasonable number of orphaned etihad points (a covid trip that was cancelled). I’m unlikely to fly with Etihad and had been buying a few points every year or so to keep them extended, but I think that option may now have disappeared.

Just before the program was amended, I’d been looking at using the points to book a hotel room to avoid losing them. However, the booking system wouldn’t let me book beyond June because of the launch of the new program. Now there’s the Etihad Holiday platform, which has a hotel option, but I can’t seem to find a way to use points. Has that way of redeeming disappeared?

Any suggestions on a good way to use the points if I’m unlikely to fly with Etihad? I’ve got a ticking clock on the expiry now. Worst case I was thinking of buying new headphones from their rewards shop…

For context I’ve got about 55,000 points.

[Skywalker]

https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/02/15/etihad-guest-reward-card/

Don’t know if this is any good to you.