Skywards is the loyalty program of Middle Eastern airlines Emirates and flydubai. It has 30 million members worldwide and, although not a member of any of the leading alliances, offers many other partners and connections worldwide. Skywards offers the opportunity to
The Pros of Skywards
Skywards is a large and well-developed loyalty program. It offers many benefits when flying with Emirates, plus plenty of opportunities to earn and redeem points with other airlines around the world. We start by looking at the program’s leading advantages.
Earn miles based on the distance flown. With Skywards, miles for flights are awarded based on the distance flown and the ticket booking class. This applies to flights with Emirates and flydubai, as well as with all partner airlines. Many other loyalty programs have switched to a revenue-based earning system (at least for their own flights). Distance-based is generally more rewarding, especially when traveling on lower price tickets or when taking advantage of premium cabin promotions.
Earn with many leading airlines. Although Emirates (and hence Skywards) is not part of any of the main airline alliances, several partnerships with leading airlines exist. These allow the earning and redeeming of points, significantly increasing Skywards’ appeal. The current additional airline partners include Air Canada, Air Mauritius, GOL, Japan Airlines, Jetstar, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, South African Airways, TAP, and United Airlines.
Skywards allows points pooling. Skywards allows families to share miles in one account with the ‘My Family’ program. Up to seven family members can join and select for each flight how much to earn personally and in the shared family account.
Additional benefits are offered with Skywards+. Skywards+ is an online subscription that can be purchased from Emirates for an annual fee. There are three different levels offers increasing benefits – separate from any elite status benefits. These include bonus Skywards miles, lounge access passes, discounts on reward tickets, and additional luggage allowance. The top level also offers bonus tier miles to help qualify for elite status.
The Cons of Skywards
Like other loyalty programs, Skywards has disadvantages. These are important to understand when considering joining the program.
Elite status benefits are limited to Emirates. Although several useful partner airlines with Skywards offer useful benefits for earning and spending miles, they do not offer benefits to elite status members. There are excellent elite benefits with Skywards – but only when traveling with Emirates.
Partner airlines have gaps in global coverage. The additional partner airlines are a very useful boost to Skywards and its appeal, but there are regions with limited presence. There are no major European airline partners, limited coverage in Africa, and no China-focused airlines. Alliances aim to offer this (although there are often gaps there as well).
One-way flight awards can be expensive. Skywards allows awards to be booked as one-way or as returns. Different pricing is used, though, and members should be aware that one-way tickets can end up more expensive. For example, from Dubai to New York in business class, the distance is 138,000 miles one way or 174,000 miles return.
Credit card earnings are only available in some markets. With many airlines, credit card earning has become an important way to earn points or miles and qualify for elite status. As a popular global airline, Emirates has a problem here. It cannot offer cards in all markets. It does so in several key markets – including the UAE, India, and the US. For those in other countries, it is possible to transfer points from several providers (including American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, HSBC, and Capital One).
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How To Earn Emirates Skywards Miles
Miles are earned from all flights with Emirates, flydubai, and several other partners. The earning rate is based on the flight distance – up to 150% in business class and 200% in first class. Flying is the main way to earn miles, but there are other sources including credit cards (in UAE, India, and the US), hotel stays, car rental, and various retail options.
Earning Skywards Miles
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How To Spend Emirates Skywards Miles
As you would expect, the main way to earn and spend miles is on Emirates flights – but there are plenty of other options. Flights follow a fixed distance-based pricing system. Emirates offers the opportunity to spend miles with several partner airlines and on other travel and retail options.
Spending Skywards Miles
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The Different Tiers Of Emirates’ Skywards Program
Skywards has three tiers: Silver, Gold, and Platinum. While it isn’t easy to qualify, there are excellent benefits on offer.
Elite status with Skywards