Etihad Airways Web3 Loyalty Program ‘Horizon Club’ Will Let You Stake NFTs for Miles

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is set to unveil an exclusive 300-edition extension to its Polygon-based EY-ZERO1 non-fungible token (NFT) collection. This limited-edition release, which will be launched on August 1, marks the eleventh 3D aircraft model in the EY-ZERO1 NFT collection, initially introduced in July 2022. The new NFTs are designed to resemble the Boeing 787 Dreamliner featured in the "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One" movie.

The original EY-ZERO1 collection provided holders with unique perks, such as Etihad Silver Tier status for one year and access to an NFT holders' event during the Yas Marina Circuit Formula 1 race. The upcoming collection offers an expanded range of digital and real-world rewards, including a 12-month Etihad Guest Silver Tier Status, priority check-in, a 25% boost in earning Etihad Guest Miles, access to the Abu Dhabi International airport lounge, membership to the Etihad: Virtual Club, a fast-track upgrade from Silver to Gold Tier status, and a personalized Etihad membership card.

In September, Etihad has plans to launch its Web3 loyalty program called "Horizon Club," alongside a staking-for-miles initiative that allows community members to lock up their NFTs and earn Etihad Guest Miles. These earned miles can be redeemed for flights, upgrades, and other privileges. The development of the new NFTs is in collaboration with Arcube, a real-world asset tokenization firm, which serves as Etihad Airways' official Web3 partner. Cryptocurrency or credit card payments for these offerings are facilitated by infrastructure firm Crossmint.

As Web3 loyalty programs become more popular, Etihad joins the growing list of airlines expanding their blockchain-based offerings. For example, in March, low-cost Argentinian carrier Flybondi partnered with NFT ticketing company TravelX to offer all tickets as NFTs on the Algorand blockchain. Similarly, in April 2022, TravelX collaborated with Spanish airline Air Europa to launch a series of NFT tickets linked to perks and events. Furthermore, in June, Japan's largest airline group All Nippon Airways (ANA) introduced an NFT marketplace as part of its Web3 strategy, which includes a metaverse travel experience integrating passengers' flight histories into their digital avatars.