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Emirates Skywards Frequent Flyer Program

Discover how you can reward your spending and fly further with the Emirates Skywards frequent flyer program.

Earning points How to score big
Redeeming points Get flights and much more

Emirates Skywards is one of the world's largest frequent flyer programs, with over 30 million members globally.

It gives you a way to earn and redeem Skywards Miles with Emirates and partners. The more miles you collect, the higher you'll climb up the Skywards status tiers. Benefits include:

  • Flights with Emirates and partners including Qantas, Jetstar and Air Canada
  • Flight upgrades
  • Accommodation, travel packages and care hire

How do you become a Emirates Skywards member?

Emirates Skywards is free to join for anyone over the age of 2. You can sign up by filling in a simple form on the Emirates website.

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How you can earn Emirates Skywards points

Flights

Flights with Emirates
You'll earn Skywards Miles for Emirates flights based on your route, fare type, class and membership tier.

For example, a one-way economy flight from Sydney to London's Heathrow airport would earn between 1,240 and 12,400 Skywards Miles for an entry-level Emirates Skywards Blue member. An Economy Special fare would earn the least miles and an Economy Flex Plus fare would earn the most.

In comparison, a business class flight with the same details would earn between 13,640 and 23,560 Skywards Miles.

You can use the miles calculator on the airline's website to see how rewarding your next Emirates flight will be.

Credit cards

You can transfer reward points from eligible Australian credit cards, such as an American Express credit cards that earn Membership Rewards and CommBank Awards credit cards.

The amount of Skywards Miles you'll get varies depending on the rewards program and your card. But as an example, the American Express website shows a transfer rate of 3 Membership Rewards Points for 1 Skywards Mile and the Emirates Australia website says you can convert 4 CommBank Awards Points into 1 Skywards Mile.

In Australia, Citi is the only bank that has offered a credit card that earns Emirates Skywards Miles directly: the Emirates Citi World Mastercard. But as of 10 January 2023, it's not currently taking new applications.

How to transfer credit card rewards points to frequent flyer points

Hotels and accommodation

You can earn Skywards Miles on accommodation all around the world, with partners including Hilton, Marriott and Pullman hotels. Depending on the partner, you could earn points based on the number of nights you stay, the dollars you spend or by transferring hotel loyalty points to Skywards Miles.

Car rentals

If you're going on a road trip or need a rental car while yours is at the mechanic, you can also earn Skywards Miles with partnered rental companies.

Partnered serviceEarn rate per eligible rental
Avis, BudgetUp to 8 Miles per US$1 spent, based on your membership status
CarTrawlerUp to 1 Mile per US$1 spent
EuropcarUp to 1,200 Miles per eligible rental
Hertz5 Miles per US$1 spent
SixtUp to 1,200 Miles per eligible rental

Retail and lifestyle

You can earn Skywards Miles with partnered retailers and services including the Emirates Official Store, Dubai Duty Free and Heathrow Rewards. As these partners are based overseas, it might be worth visiting the Skywards website before you travel to see when and where you might be able to earn more Skywards Miles.

Credit cards that earn points that can be transferred to Emirates Skywards Miles

Name Bonus points Points per $ spent Purchase rate p.a. Annual fee
American Express Explorer Credit Card
American Express Explorer Credit Card image
Membership Rewards
Bonus points
50,000
Points per $ spent
2
Purchase rate p.a.
23.99%
Annual fee
$395
Go to siteMore Info
Get 50,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points and spend $4,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.
American Express Platinum Card
American Express Platinum Card image
Membership Rewards Ascent Premium
Bonus points
150,000
Points per $ spent
2.25
Purchase rate p.a.
0%
Annual fee
$1,450
Go to siteMore Info
Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points when you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.
American Express Platinum Business Card
American Express Platinum Business Card image
Finder Award
Membership Rewards Ascent Premium
Bonus points
250,000
Points per $ spent
2.25
Purchase rate p.a.
0%
Annual fee
$875 first year ($1,750 after)
Go to siteMore Info
ABN holders w/ $75,000 revenue. Get 250,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points when you spend $12,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, a first-year annual fee discount.
American Express Business Gold Plus Card
American Express Business Gold Plus Card image
Membership Rewards Ascent
Bonus points
150,000
Points per $ spent
1.5
Purchase rate p.a.
0%
Annual fee
$395
Go to siteMore Info
ABN holders w/ $75,000 revenue. Get 150,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points when you spend $5,000 within the first 3 months. Plus, earn up to 3 points per $1 spent at Xero, Google Ads, Meta, Amazon Web Services and Dell.
American Express Essential Rewards Credit Card
American Express Essential Rewards Credit Card image
Membership Rewards
Bonus points
60,000
Points per $ spent
1
Purchase rate p.a.
23.99%
Annual fee
$108
Go to siteMore Info
Limited partner offer. Offers 60,000 Bonus Membership Rewards Points when you apply online through the link and spend at least $3,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months.
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How much are Emirates Skywards Miles worth?

The value of your Skywards Miles are dependent on what you're spending them on. Typically in frequent flyer programs your points have the most value when you spend them on flights.

Example
You could redeem a one-way economy flight from Sydney to London with Emirates partner Qantas for 60,000 Skywards Miles. When we looked at this flight for September 2023, the cheapest economy option was $1,413.

So in this example, each 1 Skywards Mile would be worth around 2.35 cents. Or, to put it in dollar terms, every 1,000 Skywards Miles redeemed would be worth $23.55.

Note: We used Qantas as the airline for this example because the Emirates Skywards program has a table showing how many points are needed for flights based on the total miles flown. In comparison, Emirates only shows the Skywards Miles required for Emirates flights based on individual bookings.
How to calculate the value of rewards points

How many Emirates Skywards Miles do I need for a free flight?

One of the most obvious ways to spend your Miles is on flights with Emirates, you can redeem Classic Reward flights starting from 15,000 miles (the cost may vary depending on class, destination and travel dates).

You can choose to redeem the flight fully with points or pay with a mix of points and cash (minimum of 2,000 Skywards Miles).

Technically you'll never get a flight truly for free as there are fees for things like airport taxes.

If you want to use your points for travel with flydubai, there is no minimum redemption. This means you can use any combination of Skywards Miles and cash for your flights.

Deal

Paris flights from $2229 return

Book a flight to Paris starting from $2,229 at Emirates this holiday season. Available for travel on select dates. Fares are subject to change without prior notice. T&Cs apply.
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Book a flight to Karachi starting from $1,839 at Emirates this holiday season. Available for travel on select dates. Fares are subject to change without prior notice. T&Cs apply.
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Book a flight to Lahore starting from $1,839 at Emirates this holiday season. Available for travel on select dates. Fares are subject to change without prior notice. T&Cs apply.
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Book a flight to Dublin this holiday season at Emirates from $2159. Available for travel on select dates. Fares are subject to change without prior notice. T&Cs apply.
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Book a flight to Rome and enjoy the beautiful attractions at Emirates. Available for travel on select dates. Fares are subject to change without prior notice. T&Cs apply.
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Book a flight and enjoy your special day in Dubai at Emirates. Available for travel on select dates. Fares are subject to change without prior notice. T&Cs apply.
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Book a flight and visit the beautiful place of London at Emirates. Available for travel on select dates. Fares are subject to change without prior notice. T&Cs apply.
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Book a flight and explore exciting adventures in Athens at Emirates. Available for travel on select dates. Fares are subject to change without prior notice. T&Cs apply.
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Book a flight and discover the beauty of New Zealand at Emirates. Available for travel on select dates. Fares are subject to change without prior notice. T&Cs apply.

Can you use Emirates Skywards Miles to upgrade to business class?

Yes, you can use your Skywards Miles to upgrade from an economy class to business class fare.

The amount of Miles you'll need to spend to upgrade varies depending on the route you're flying. While your status affects how many Miles you earn, all status tiers have to spend the same amount to upgrade.

You can only upgrade to the next fare-class i.e. from Economy to Business or from Business to First Class. Upgrades are subject to availability so if you're looking to upgrade it's better to look sooner rather than later.

Can you buy extra Emirates Skywards Miles?

Yes, you can buy extra Skywards Miles. Purchasing extra MIles is useful when you just don't have enough Miles for the reward flight or upgrade that you want.

It costs US$30 per 1,000 Miles and you buy up to 100,000 (Blue and Silver status members) or 200,000 (Gold and Platinum status members) per calendar year.

How do Emirates Skywards's Tier Miles and status tiers work?

Skywards Tier Miles are different from regular Skywards Miles and can't be redeemed for rewards. Instead, they help you reach a higher membership level in the frequent flyer program.

New members of the Skywards program start off at the Blue tier and can then earn Tier Miles to reach Silver, Gold or Platinum membership.

When you reach a new tier you'll have access to different benefits for 14 months. After that if you haven't met the Teir Mile or flights requirements for that tier, your membership level with drop.

Emirates Skywards Blue status logo

Blue Membership

Blue status members are just at the start of the Executive Club journey. As a Blue member you're entitled to:

  • Earn and spend Skywards Miles. Start earning points to redeem them for rewards like Flights.
  • Special member only-offers. Receive exclusive offers that won't be available to non-Skywards members.
  • Nominate a travel coordinator. Need a colleague or relative to look after your account? It's no problem.
  • Save personal preferences. That way each time you fly Emirates will aim to cater to your particular preferences like a window or aisle seat.
  • Waitlist priority. Guaranteed priority over non-Skywards members for seats on fully booked flights. The higher your status the higher your priority.
  • Buy instant upgrades with Miles. Status lets you be more spontaneous choosing to upgrade on board the aircraft. Subject to availability.

There are no requirements at the Blue membership level.

Emirates Skywards Silver status logo

Silver membership

Reach Silver status and you'll get all the perks available to Blue members plus the following:

  • Complimentary seat selection. Choose where you sit at no extra chage.
  • Earn 25% more Skywards Miles. Enjoy the perk of earning more rewards, faster.
  • Excess baggage allowance. Forget the stress of going over baggage allowance. With 12kg extra allowance.
  • Additional checked baggage allowance. Enjoy 12kg extra checked luggage.
  • Your World Rewards. Sign up for Your World Rewards and earn Marriott Bonvoy points whenever you fly with Emirates. Earn 1 Skywards Mile per US$1 spent at participating hotels and resorts on top of Marriott Bonvoy Points.

To get to Silver level you must earn 25,000 Tier Miles or take 25 flights.

Emirates Skywards Gold status logo

Gold membership

Gold status members can enjoy all the perks available to Silver and Blue members, earn 50% extra Skywards Miles plus the following benefits:

  • Priority check in and boarding. Enjoy priority check in at the Business Class counter anywhere in the Emirates network.
  • Priority baggage delivery. Your luggage is tagged for priority delivery at your arrivals.
  • Excess baggage allowance. Enjoy 16kg excess luggage allowance.
  • Complimentary lounge access. Enjoy complimentary access for you and one guest to the Emirates Business Class lounges. You can have one adult guest and two guests under the age of 17 in the First or Business Class lounges at Platinum level (see other perks below).
  • Priority support. If you have an issue you'll receive faster support through Emirates Contact Centres.
  • Guaranteed seats. Applicable only at Flex Plus fare levels, a guaranteed Economy Class seat will be available where none is available at the chosen fair class.
  • Additional checked baggage allowance. Enjoy 16kg extra checked luggage.

To get to Gold level you must earn 50,000 Tier Miles or take 50 flights.

Emirates Skywards Platinum status logo

Platinum membership

Platinum membership is the highest status level you can attain with Emirates. You have access to all the perks of lower status tiers, earn 75% more Skywards Miles and the following:

  • Priority check in and boarding. Enjoy priority check in at the First Class counter anywhere in the Emirates network.
  • Additional checked baggage allowance. Enjoy 20kg extra checked luggage.
  • Excess baggage allowance. Last minute souvenirs are no problem with 20kg excess baggage allowance.
  • 'Last seat' Classic Flex Plus Reward tickets. Only Platinum members can redeem their Skywards Miles of Business Class or Economy Class Flex Plus reward flights, even with restricted availability.
  • Gold partner nomination. Nominate a spouse, partner, colleague or friend to receive a Gold Membership. They simply need to be a Skywards member and you can nominate one person per your 12 month tier-cycle.
  • No expiry of Skywards Miles. The sky is truly the limit for your Skywards Miles, you'll be able to save your SKywards Miles as much as you like. However they will expire if you return to Gold Tier.

Platinum status requires you to get 150,000 Tier Miles.

Can you transfer Emirates Skywards points?

You can transfer Emirates Skywards Miles to other Skywards members. It costs US$15 per every 1,000 Miles with a maximum of 50,000 Miles per year. You have to transfer at least 2,000 miles per transaction.

You can't transfer your Emirates Miles to other frequent flyer programs, but you can use them to redeem flights with other partnered airlines such as Qantas.

How does Skywards Miles compare with other frequent flyer programs?

The right frequent flyer program (or programs) for you largely depend on your travel behaviours and preferred airlines.

Emirates Skywards, Qantas Frequent Flyer and Velocity members can all climb status tiers by earning Tier Miles or Status Credits. To give you an example of how they compare, let's look at the perks of Silver status and the Status Credits earned on a one-way economy class flight from Sydney to Dubai with these programs:

ProgramStatus Credits/Miles earned on flightNumber of Status Credits needed for Silver membershipOther requirementsAnnual requirement to maintain Silver status
Emirates Skywards4,500 tier Miles25,000 Tier MilesEarn tier Miles or take 25 eligible flightsEarn 25,000 Tier Miles
Qantas Frequent Flyer60300Take at least four eligible Qantas, QantasLink or Jetstar flights in a membership year.Earn 250 Status Credits and take at least four eligible Qantas, QantasLink or Jetstar flights in a membership year.
Velocity Frequent Flyer40250Fly in at least 2 eligible sectors within a 12-month period.Earn 200 Status Credits and fly in 2 eligible sectors within your 12-month membership period.

Status benefits

Now let's look at some of the benefits you can expect in Silver status with the three programs:

FeatureEmirates SkywardsQantas Frequent FlyerVirgin Velocity
Bonus points25%50%50%
Priority reservation waitlistYesYesYes
Airline allianceNoOneworld Ruby statusNo
Priority phone serviceNoYesYes
Preferential seatingYesYesYes
Extra baggage allowanceYesYesYes
Priority check inYesYesYes
Lounge accessYes, free Emirates Business Class access and discounted Emirates First Class lounge access for you at Dubai international airport.Yes, complimentary lounge invitationYes, two complimentary lounge invitations

Frequently asked questions

Do Emirates Skywards miles expire?

Yes, they do. Emirates Skywards has one of the longest validity periods of any frequent flyer program which is 3 years from the date of travel or earning. However, unlike Qantas and Velocity points which expire after inactivity, Skywards miles will always expire after 36 months. This means you have to be careful to spend them all before they expire.

How can I claim missing Emirates Skywards points?

Taken a flight and noticed your Skywards Miles haven't appeared on your account? Login to your Emirates account and fill in a missing miles claim form. You can expect the Miles to appear in your account immediately so long as the name on the ticket matches the name in your Emirates Skywards profile.

If you've only just joined the Skywards program, you can claim Miles for Emirates flights flown up to 2 months prior to registering with the frequent flyer program.

Does Emirates Skywards offer family points pooling?

Yes, you can pool your Skywards Miles together under a "My family account". You can add up to 7 family members with yourself designated as the Family Head set as the person to manage and redeem your miles.

Only immediate family members are allowed to join under your account.

Pictures: Shutterstock

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