November 11, 2022

Emirates Skywards Program: Everything You Need to Know

Emirates released their Skywards program in 2000 and is renowned for its luxury business and first-class airline flights, with exclusive lounges to go along with it. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to fly these classes with Emirates, you know the lengths they go to with each moment of your journey considered.

What is Emirates Skywards?

Emirates Skywards is the Emirates loyalty program. Every time you fly with Emirates, flydubai or one of their airline partners, you receive a certain amount of Skyward miles based on your route, fare type and class of travel. These miles are then accumulated and can be used to upgrade flight classes, replacing out-of-pocket cash.

Read more about our partner airline systems: Qantas, One World and Virgin. They’re fantastic to use when planning a round the world trip.

The difference between tier miles and Skyward miles

Whilst part of the same loyalty program, tier miles and Skyward miles are different. Tier miles are earned when members fly on an Emirates or flydubai flight, whereas Skyward miles can be collected on flights or with other partner airlines.

Tier System

The tier system is how Emirates differentiates between how many points each person has and their eligible rewards. As you earn more points, you move up the tier system, giving you further access to exclusive rewards and offers. Moving up tiers doesn’t necessarily come through flying frequently. Instead, you can change your status by paying for everyday purchases with an Emirates Skywards cobranded card. When you move up to the next tier, you receive additional benefits on top of those you are already warranted.

Blue

When you sign up for Skyward, the beginning tier is blue. From the start, you are eligible to receive instant upgrades using Skywards miles at check-in or on board. You’re also eligible for free unlimited messaging using Emirates onboard Wi-Fi when travelling in business class.

Silver

Silver is the next tier. You’ll need to collect 25,000 miles or take 25 qualifying flights to reach this level. In addition, you receive 25% bonus miles on Emirates flights and complimentary Emirates business class lounge access in Dubai.

Gold

Being a gold tier member, you’ll receive a 50% bonus Skywards miles on Emirates flights. You’ll also receive complimentary economy class seat selection for yourself and any other passengers in your booking. To achieve a gold tier in terms of points, you’ll need 50,000 miles or take 50 qualifying flights.

Platinum

Platinum is the highest tier of membership you can achieve with Emirates Skyward, and it truly comes with all the benefits. To reach the platinum tier, you’ll need to have collected 150,000 points. You’ll also receive the benefit of first-class check-in and baggage delivery, plus complimentary lounge access for you and all of your guests. You even receive a 75% bonus on all Skywards Miles on Emirates flights and a gold tier membership for a spouse, partner or friend.

How do I maintain my tier?

Maintaining your tier is essential for continuous access to all of the perks. You either need to earn Tier Miles by flying with Emirates, flydubai or take a flight that is marked by Emirates but operated by another airline. Alternatively, you can take the number of required flights with either Emirates or flydubai.

Emirates Skyward has a rolling tier system, where if you haven’t managed to maintain your tier from your review date, you’ll move back to the previous tier. In addition, Emirates has an opportunity for a review every month for 12 to 13 months, giving you the chance to regain your status. Your tier points are valid for a minimum of 3 years. However, the miles will expire during the third year at the end of your birthday month.

Benefits of Skywards

The benefits of being a Skywards member are numerous. If you are a fan of round-the-world travel like we are, it’s a great program to be a part of. We’ve listed below the top benefits of the Skywards program.

Earn Miles

Every time you fly, you earn miles which accumulate over time. You can add these points whenever you fly with Emirates and decide how you spend them. For example, purchasing a deal like Australia to Singapore in economy class from $3146, all with Emirates, is a great way to rank your miles.

Spend Miles

Spending miles is basically like stretching out your purchase. For example, you can choose to spend your miles on upgrade classes for extra comfort on a long-haul flight or pay for your next flight using a combination of miles and cash.

Move up the tiers

If you love all of the benefits the tiers offer, you can quickly move up tiers by flying frequently, allowing you to access all of the rewards.

Earn Miles with partners

Emirates is a huge company, so it’s no surprise that its partners are located all around the world. You’ll receive points when you purchase from Emirates’ extensive list of partners. Some of their partners include banks, shops, hotels, and so much more. So if you’re planning on completing a round the world trip and purchasing items from any of their partners, be sure to know what type of payments should be used overseas.

Flydubai special offers

When choosing to fly with flydubai, you can earn tier miles and Skywards miles. In addition, when using your Skywards miles on flydubai flights, you can opt for extra legroom or a pre-selected meal.

How to join the program? And how much does it cost?

Emirates has made it simple. All you need to do is sign up – for free. The only cost incurred is if you decide to upgrade tiers by paying: the choice is yours.

How does Skywards impact RTW travel?

Using the Emirates Skywards rewards program to your advantage is fantastic if you fly around the world frequently or occasionally. Airfare Geeks always has new deals, with Emirates as one of our featured airlines. So if you want to rack up some miles or move up a tier, our airfare deals are the way to go.

I’m in. What do I do next?

If you are serious about planning your around the world trip or are determined to get those Skyward miles, get in touch with one of our specialised travel agents and start your journey today.

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