Snag a last-minute seat in Emirates' A380 first class for 52k points plus fees
Have you been craving a shower in the sky? Are you flexible for last-minute bookings, and maybe have an extra 50,000 Amex Membership Rewards hanging around? Well, then you're in luck, as Emirates makes its very first trip to Cairo with an A380 this October.
As first reported by Paddle Your Own Kanoo, the airline is planning on operating a one-off A380 roundtrip from Dubai to Cairo on October 2, with hopes that the route will become permanent. This move comes in line with Emirates adding four new weekly routes at the end the month, bringing the total to a whopping 25 per week.
This is some pretty exciting news for those of us who have been eyeing Emirates' first class but haven't yet been able to afford it. Though it's not cheap, first class cash fares ring in at $1500 from Cairo (CAI) to Dubai (DXB), and $3300 the other way around (DXB-CAI).
The route is normally operated by the 777, which, while amazing, doesn't offer the onboard shower and bar (even the new 777 first-class is missing these). And while the flight will take less than four hours, which isn't too much time to enjoy all the amenities, it's four times longer than Emirates' shortest A380 route, which flies Dubai to Muscat and comes in at a minuscule 45 minutes.
Luckily for us, Emirates Skywards are currently available on this route, and are available for just 52,000 miles and $282 in fees:
You can transfer American Express® Membership Rewards to Emirates at a 1:1 ratio, which means this award will cost you just 53,000 MR. This is far less than the regular cost of hopping on one of these babies, and an excellent redemption value of nearly 3.0 cents each for your Membership Rewards, as TPG values MR at 2.0 cents/point. The same can be said of Chase Ultimate Rewards, which transfer at a 1:1 ratio and which TPG values at 2.0 cents each. Capital One also transfers to Emirates, though it's at a 2:1 ratio, so you're better off using American Express or Chase points if you've got them.
Overall, this is a really cool offer. Though currently just a one-off event, if things go well we can hopefully see the A380 operating on this route in the future. If so, this could be a new sweet spot for booking that sweet, sweet onboard shower.
Feature photo by Nick Ellis/The Points Guy
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.