Good news: Credit card transfers to Emirates Skywards have returned
After a brief suspension, you can once again transfer American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou points to the Emirates Skywards program.
This news was first reported by Frequent Miler.
In April, each major issuer suspended reward transfers with differing timeframes on when (or if) they would return. American Express and Citi did not give end dates, causing fear that the suspension could last a significant time. Chase stated transfers would be unavailable through June 30, so it's great to see this issue resolved much earlier.
In our tests, transfers to Emirates Skywards have been instant, though timeframes can vary. Remember, transfers from credit card programs to partner programs like Emirates cannot be reversed, so always make sure you find award availability before transferring your points or miles.
While credit card points or miles usually transfer to the Skywards program at a 1:1 rate, Citi points will be devalued by 20% beginning July 27. This means that for every 1,000 ThankYou Rewards points you transfer to Emirates, you'll get a value of 800 Skywards miles, so a 5:4 transfer ratio.
Additionally, Emirates now restricts first-class award bookings to its loyalty program elite members. However, even if you don't have status, you can still book first-class award tickets with your points and miles if you book through partner programs. To book a luxurious first-class seat on Emirates, you can transfer Amex points, Citi points or Capital One miles to Qantas Frequent Flyer program at a 1:1 rate. Again, make sure you first find Emirates seats available through Qantas' booking platform before you transfer your rewards.
Related: How I booked an Emirates first-class award without elite status
Bottom line
It's great to see the return of all credit card transfer options to the Emirates Skywards program, alleviating the concern that this unexpected transfer suspension may not be temporary or short-lived.
It is disappointing to see the new restrictions on first-class redemptions booked with Skywards miles, as well as the upcoming 20% devaluation of Citi transfers; however, there is a handy work-around by transferring rewards to Qantas instead of Emirates.
Related reading:
- No more middle seat: A review of Emirates' refurbished business class on the 777-300ER from Dubai to Brussels
- Emirates adds new offerings to first class as award tickets face new restrictions
- Just enough bling: A review of Emirates' new premium economy on the A380 from Dubai to London
- Emirates Skywards and Marriott Bonvoy expand partnership
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| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
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Annual Fee
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The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
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- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
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- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
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Rewards Rate
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
$395Recommended 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.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month