Emirates Skywards: Partner Earning and Redemption
After last week’s announcement of Emirates as the newest American Express Membership Rewards transfer partner, and as part of our Emirates Series, TPG contributor Jason Steele discusses how you can earn and redeem your Skywards miles with the airline's partners. Other posts in the series include: The Basics of Earning and Redeeming, Using Miles To Upgrade, Award Chart Sweet Spots, Elite Status and Good News: Amex Points Transfer to Emirates Instantly.
Although Emirates does not belong to one of the three major international airline alliances, it has aggressively pursued partnerships with airlines and other businesses around the world, and Skywards members can both earn and redeem miles with many of them.
Airlines Partners: Earning
Emirates Skywards miles can be earned from and redeemed on travel from nine partner airlines (Skywards miles can only be redeemed on easyJet, not earned). These include Alaska, JAL, Jet, JetBlue, Korean Air, Qantas, South African Airways, TAP Portugal, and Virgin America. The miles earned depends on the class of service flown, and the miles accrued on partners do not count towards tier status.
Unfortunately, discounted economy tickets appear to earn less than one mile per mile flown. For instance, discounted economy tickets on Alaska only earn 0.5 miles per mile flown, refundable/Flex economy earns 1 mile and first class earns 1.5 miles.
Whereas with Qantas, you earn 0.5 miles for discount economy, 1 mile for full-fare economy, 1.1 miles for premium economy, 1.25 miles for business and 1.5 miles for first class.
You must click on the airline partner to find out what the earning ratios are.
Airlines Partners: Redeeming
When it comes to redeeming Skywards miles for partner flights, you may be in for a challenge. According to their web site:
To spend your Miles on a reward with participating partners, including partner airlines, please fill in the relevant online reward request form. When you have submitted the form, your nearest Emirates Contact Centre will get in touch with you to confirm the details. Please allow a maximum of seven working days for the request to be processed, although we will do our best to get back to you within 24 hours.
When searching forums, I found many frustrated posts written by people who have attempted to redeem Skywards miles for partner award flights, yet I found very few accounts of people who successfully booked these awards...read: not looking hopeful.
Complaints commonly mentioned partner award request forms that went unanswered, telephone agents that were unable to book available awards, and others that maintained that no partner awards were available.
Furthermore, Emirates only publishes an award chart for its codeshare partner Qantas, but it does not do so for other airlines. Other than calling and asking about a specific route on a specific partner, the best indication of what an award might cost is their airline partner table that happens lists the minimum number of miles necessary to redeem an award, which ranges from 10,000 to 25,000 depending on the airline. Fortunately, one-way awards are available and a single stopover is permitted on roundtrip partner awards.
And finally, without any Skywards miles in your account, you don't even have access to the request form. Therefore, I would not transfer any miles from the Starwood Preferred Guest or the American Express Membership Rewards program for a partner award, until I had some confirmation that the award is available, and the number of miles required.
Other partner offers
Car rentals: Avis and Budget offer 500 Skywards miles per rental and discounts for Skywards members, though to earn miles with Budget, you do have to rent specialty vehicles like sports cars. Dollar and Hertz offer 1,000 miles per rental, and Sixt offers 2,000 miles and discounts on cards and services. Avis, Hertz and Sixt also offer discounts to Skywards members based on their Tier.
Skywards miles can only be redeemed for Budget car rental vouchers at the rate of 5,000 miles for 50 AED ($13.50), 8,000 miles for 100 AED ($27) and 39,000 miles for 500 AED ($135).
Hotels: Many hotels offer Emirates miles for paid stays. including Starwood, Hyatt, IHG, Hilton, Fairmont, Marriott and several foreign brands such as Crown Hotels and Shangri-La. For instance, at Hyatt, you can earn 500 miles per eligible stay, and at Starwood, you can earn 2 miles per $1 spent (3 miles for elite members).
Skywards miles can be redeemed at specific Marriott hotels in the Middle East for between 22,000-32,000 points per night, as well as the Le Meridien Dubai and the Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa (65,000 miles per night in a Heritage Suite).
Retail: Several tourist attractions in Dubai offer miles, such as the Ski Dubai indoor ski slope and the Wild Wadi Water Park. You can see the full list here. But for instance, you earn up to 500 miles per excursion with Arabian Adventure, and you can redeem Skywards miles for Ski Dubai vouchers at the rate of 5,000 miles for 50 AED ($13.50), 8,000 miles for 100 AED ($27) and 39,000 miles for 500 AED ($135).
Banks: At this time, no American bank offers an Emirates Skywards credit card, although several foreign banks do, such as MBNA UK and Citibank Australia. You can see the full list here.
Conclusions
Emirates has an impressive list of partners, but has a long way to go before travelers can confidently transfer their credit card points to Skywards miles, for use on partner awards. Nevertheless, those with a pre-existing Skywards mileage balance should can consider making a request to redeem their Skywards miles on one of their many partners.
[card card-name='Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express' card-id='22035076' type='javascript' bullet-id='1']
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.