These cheap award rates are only half of the equation to booking a trip to Europe using Emirates miles. This is exactly why I choose to build my award travel strategy around transferable points, like Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. Travelers looking to book award tickets on Emirates were forced to pick between the lesser of two evils, namely partner airlines that charged exorbitant fuel surcharges and those with outrageously high award rates. Emirates charges just 45,000 miles roundtrip to do it in economy or as low as 108,000 miles for Emirates business class. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. If a Qsuite to the Middle East sounds good to you, you can book one for just 70,000 AAdvantage miles from the U.S. Its easy and secure - just have your booking reference and your last name ready to get started. Here are a few additional things to know about booking Emirates award tickets with Air Canada Aeroplan miles: One of the big reasons we are excited about this is that like Emirates' own Skywards miles, Air Canada Aeroplan miles are incredibly easy to earn. Your email address will not be published. We are booked on Business Special from Manila to Zurich on Boeing 777-300er. To be on the safe side, you can call Emirates at 1-800-777-3999 to put award seats on hold if youre worried that your points wont transfer instantly. Save time at the airport and checkin online between 48 hours and 90 minutes before your flight. That means the award space isn't there, so you'll need to try some different dates. While it's normally tricky to find award seats in the opulent, gold-studded cabins of the Dubai-based airline, I was able to transfer a combination of Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Amex Membership Rewards points to book a $14,687 ticket for nearly free. That means you could add a stopover in Dubai for just 5,000 miles before continuing your journey. Use your travel rewards to book the best first-class seats - CNN The personalized meal service was finished no more than 90 minutes into our 14-hour flight, after which the flight attendants converted my suite into a 6-foot-long bed while I went to the bathroom to freshen up. How I Booked Emirates First Class With Points Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. Earn Miles Please click here for more information. East Coast flights shorter (and cheaper) than those departing from the West Coast. How to Book Emirates First Class With Points Advertiser disclosure How to Book Emirates First Class With Points Booking a first class ticket with your Emirates Skywards miles can lessen the. They will expire at the end of your birth month, three years after you earn them. It will show all the open award space, whether Saver, Flex or Flex Plus. All rights reserved. Use your Skywards Miles to enjoy flights, hotel stays, excursions and more with our partners worldwide. Required fields are marked *. In order to book these roundtrip award flights for 45,000 miles in economy or 108,000 miles in business class, Emirates has to actually release seats to be booked with miles. Join now Spend Miles Earn Miles Emirates Skywards Hotels Earn up to 12,500 Skywards Miles per night. This is helpful, especially when looking for Emirates first class award space. This means that Emirates Skywards will soon be your only option for redeeming points on Emirates first-class flights. Manage everything from bookings to check-ins, right here online. How to Book Emirates Flights to Europe from 45K Miles Roundtrip Search the best flight fare and take your pick. Still, Emirates first-class awards had been notoriously hard to book. After picking your flights, youll see that Emirates breaks it down by direction as 54,000 miles each way for business class awards. Check here before booking an award fare. You can convert your Skywards Miles into cash and put them towards the cost of your flight. Best Ways To Book Emirates First Class Using Points [Step-by-Step] Stephen Au Updated: January 8, 2023, 2:30pm CST 46 Comments In this Article We may be compensated when you click on links from one or more of our advertising partners. As with almost every airline, booking business class seats to Europe for a summer trip using miles can be incredibly difficult. Emirates also operates two fifth-freedom routes from the New York area to Europe. Aeroplan even says the ability to book Emirates first class award tickets will come early next year. This will save you a ton of time versus manually searching for awards day after day. Through Manage your booking you can change your seat at any time up until checkin. Unfortunately, Emirates does not price saver awards on open-jaw awards for its fifth freedom flights to Europe. If the names dont match exactly, this can cause delays when transferring points. Just be sure to do a roundtrip search in order to get the lowest Saver level rate on the business or economy portion of your itinerary. Ethan Steinberg is an award-travel expert who loves helping readers leverage their credit card rewards for luxurious international travel on a budget. We will walk through everything you need to know about this exciting new partnership between Emirates and Air Canada and why you might want to book before the end of the year. Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business . You can redeem your miles toward Emirates Holidays vacation packages. For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. Understandably, the first instinct is to look at Star Alliance frequent flyer programs, since 3 of the 4 aforementioned airlines belong to the same alliance. You won't find each class of service on every flight since different. If you have a card that earns Citi ThankYou points or Bilt Rewards, you can also transfer points at an even 1:1 ratio. Emirates flies two fifth-freedom routes flights between two countries where the operating airline is not based in either of them connecting the U.S. and Europe. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Get our daily email for the latest in travel, flight deals, and how Emirates Skywards miles expire on a rolling basis. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases, Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases. Over the last few years, two significant changes have reversed that trend and turned Emirates Skywards into a very compelling program. Amenities include: Chauffeur-drive service to/from the airport. Marriott Bonvoy 3:1 with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred. This can help if youre a little short on points for a roundtrip business class award or are having trouble finding saver awards for business class in both directions. Between Newark and Greece, Emirates currently uses its Boeing 777, where its business class seats aren't quite as good. Mark the checkbox labeled My Dates are Flexible to get a view of award rates on a grid covering a full week of different travel dates. Read our editorial standards. Want to fly Emirates first class to Europe? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Get our daily email for the latest in travel, flight deals, and how You can easily check how many miles Emirates charges for specific routes at the different award levels by using its calculator tool. Korean Airlines business class can be an excellent deal too. They aren't cheap redemptions per se, but it's the only easy way to redeem transferable points for Emirates first or business class. Just look for the Cash+Miles offer icon on selected flights and fares to your favourite destinations and spend even less on your trip. Booking Emirates Skywards One-Way Awards With Stopovers How To Capitalize On The Transfer Bonus From American Express - Forbes Emirates flies two "fifth-freedom" routes - flights between two countries where the operating airline is not based in either of them - connecting the U.S. and Europe. But bad news doesn't mean you should forget about this deal. My experience booking a stopover on an Emirates award Bottom line Does Emirates allow stopovers on award tickets? One of the best ways to earn a ton of these points isThe Platinum Card from American Express,on which you can currently earn at least an 80,000-point welcome offer after spending $6,000 within the first six months. The inflight experience was incredible and included Dom Perignon, extravagant meals, and an enclosed suite with a seat that turns into a lie-flat bed. Your email address will not be published. Hotels Airlines Car Rental Retail & Lifestyle Emirates Airline Foundation You might also want to check out Emirates Emirates Skywards Spend Miles However, this seems to just be a bug with the new look. Let's start with JetBlue, which is likely to be the most useful partner for North American travelers. Related: A review of Korean Airs business class on the 747-8 from Atlanta to Seoul. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You can book one-way Flex Plus tickets in first-class too. The higher the fare class, the more miles you'll earn. And remember to search for roundtrip flights to find saver award space. 100,000 points after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. You can also transfer points from all five major transferable points programs to Emirates Skywards at the following ratios: Given the lower transfer ratio from Capital One and the opportunity cost of transferring Marriott points to airlines, your best bet is to focus on the "big three" credit card issuers. Learn more You might also want to check out Earn Miles Find out the many ways you can boost your Miles balance Spend Miles Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). You can also earn Amex points to transfer over to Emirates. The only thing missing was a bag to carry away all these goodies at the end of the flight! You can use Heathrow Rewards points for discounts on parking, shopping credits at Heathrow airport, Heathrow Express discounts and more. That's not a small sum if you're bent on flying first class round-trip, but the ability to pool points from multiple different programs make this much more attainable than it used to be. There is no set rate. Youll have a hard time finding a better deal to Italy or Greece using miles, as many airlines charge around at least 70,000 miles for a one-way ticket in business class and 30,000 miles one-way for economy. New York (JFK) - Milan (MXP) 180,000. But even when it is, these flights will be subject to Emirates huge fees which will make it not the greatest option. Flex tickets are exclusive to first class. There's a set rate, though it hinges upon, Air Canada won't charge carrier-imposed surcharges on Emirates award tickets, Until Aeroplan adopts the new award chart for Emirates award bookings, booking an Emirates award ticket will follow the current partner award charts above, Once the new award chart goes live, the distance bands will apply worldwide. Unfortunately, its been pretty slim pickings for saver award space availability lately but be sure to keep your eyes peeled to your inbox if youre a premium member. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider There's everything from food tours to desert safaris outside of Dubai. If you're flying on the carrier's flagship A380, the onboard shower and bar (also accessible to business class passengers) are two of the most unique amenities in commercial aviation. We'll take a look at the different partners and ways to redeem Emirates points in this article. The only downside to this is that you will have to complete the booking over the phone, which can be more time-consuming than simply completing the booking yourself online. The rollout of Emirates' new 777 first class product has been relatively slow, and for the moment, these planes are mostly being used on short- to medium-haul . Earlier this year, Air Canada and Emirates formally announced they were partnering up, promising points earning and redemptions between the two airlines. Heathrow Rewards is the rewards currency of London-Heathrow (LHR) airport. Here's a look at all participating programs and their respective transfer ratios. Earning Qantas points and status credits on Emirates flights Everything is handled start-to-finish by Emirates' travel consultants so you can be sure you're getting the best deal and finding hidden gems for your travels. As you can see, you'll get the most value from your Emirates Skywards when you redeem for airfare. Not quite ready to book and pay? Best of all, its incredibly easy to earn Emirates Skywards miles even if you've never flown Emirates: It's a transfer partner of all the major credit card points programs, so if you have credit card points with Amex Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Venture miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, or Citi ThankYou points, you've got a way to book a flight to Europe on Emirates. But until that goes award chart goes live early next year, its using the standard Aeroplan chart for partner redemptions and keeping Emirates first-class redemptions off-limits. That's especially true since it's an avenue to avoid hefty cash costs when booking Emirates award tickets after the airline implementeda series of increases to fuel surcharges earlier this year. That's what you have us for: Here's how it's done. Every time you book a flight with us, youll have the option to pay with a combination of Cash+Miles. The Best Uses of Emirates Skywards Miles - AwardWallet Blog Manage your booking | Emirates Receive all your flight details and booking confirmation by email. Emirates reduced fuel surcharges by hundreds of dollars, frequent flyer program to partner with all major transferable points programs, Emirates Skywards miles are now easier to earn, the opportunity cost of transferring Marriott points to airlines, How to credit miles to a partner airline program, The ultimate guide to Emirates first class, which will join the Oneworld alliance this year, A review of Korean Airs business class on the 747-8 from Atlanta to Seoul, Everything you need to know about Emirates Skywards, How to maximize your rewards points on other redemptions, Emirates is ending first-class partner redemptions, debuted a stunning six-seat first-class cabin, fifth-freedom routes from the New York area to Europe, Prestige Class is the airline's equivalent of business class, especially after the most recent devaluation, How to get to South Korea on points and miles, Ultimate guide to searching award availability for the major airlines, Amex Membership Rewards vs. Chase Ultimate Rewards, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Last updated June 8, 2023 | By Ben Luthi On demand dining and fine wines. Your best bet for finding Emirates award space is using the Emirates website. Your email address will not be published. Find the right card for you. If you search and book one-way flights instead, you would only be able to book a Flex Plus award and that requires 87,000 miles in business class and 38,750 in economy. The airline made the delightfully unexpected decision to drop them earlier this year, meaning taxes on a US to Dubai first-class award are now in the $100 to $200 range. Choose your flight seat, book a special meal or add services like hotels, car rentals or Chauffeurdrive. And eventually, even if the milage rates are higher than booking through Emirates' own program, it will still be a great option considering how much lower the unavoidable taxes and fees will be when booking with Aeroplan. Through Manage your booking you can change your seat at any time up until checkin. After a careful review of operational considerations, Emirates can confirm that starting from 1 April 2021, First Class Rewards will be exclusively available to Emirates Skywards members as well as members of select strategic airline partners that offer mutual benefits to our customers. I choose to start with the selection of canapes, designed for Emirates by Dom Perignon's head chef. For Emirates, you'll need to use the Emirates' miles calculator to estimate your earnings, which are based on a combination of your fare class and the distance of your flight. For example, if you were flying Emirates business class from New York (JFK) to Bangkok (BKK) with a stop in Dubai (DXB), that would price out at 87,500 miles in business class since it's a flight between North America and Pacific zones. Emirates | Qantas AU While I would never be able to afford the $14,000+ cash cost of this ticket, I had no qualms about redeeming more than half a million miles to fly Emirates first class round-trip to Dubai. as well as other partner offers and accept our, 100,000 points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. These flights have stirred up a great deal of political controversy. Emirates economy and business class redemptions are already live and available to book via Aeroplan all the way into November 2023. Emirates' other North American partner is Alaska Airlines, which will join the Oneworld alliance this year. Rewards. There is no change to the way you are currently able to upgrade bookings. All Rights Reserved. Manage your travel plans by logging into your Emirates account . Once youre logged in on the Emirates website, youll see the option to book a classic rewards ticket. New applicants can earn a whopping 100,000 points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Hello, is it still possible to book Emirates business class for 90k miles roundtrip from New York to Milan? As other airlines like Alaska Mileage Plan have lost the ability to book Emirates, this new option stands out. But searching, finding, and booking these fares can be a challenge. Priority check-in and boarding. Related: How to get to South Korea on points and miles. And that's not always a slam dunk especially in business class. It is not the bank advertisers responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered. This isn't the best deal at just 0.6 cents per mile in value, so we recommend steering clear of this redemption too. If I cancel my Cash+Miles booking, will my Skywards Miles be refunded? All Rights Reserved. How to book Emirates flights using Qantas Points - Point Hacks Other times, you won't find a thing while searching through Emirates or you may only see flights at much higher award rates. So long as youre making a roundtrip booking, youll be able to get the Saver award rates if you can find the award space to make it work. Like JetBlue awards, the price you'll pay for an Alaska award ticket depends on how long your flight is. Save your details and book flights in just a few clicks. Can I upgrade an existing booking using Cash+Miles? Like many luxury airlines, Emirates offers a "dine on demand" concept in first class. We've found that this gives you a relatively low value, so skip this redemption option if you can. What once cost just $180 in additional taxes and fees now costs more than $600. This might be a good deal if pricing is high on your flight of choice, but make sure to compare the cash cost first. Redeeming your hard-earned Skywards miles on a low-cost carrier like EasyJet might not be the best value. Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. In early 2022, Emirates started charging far more miles for a one-way ticket on many routes. A minimum of 5,000 points per booking on Qantas and 3,500 points per booking on Jetstar must be redeemed. This incredibly positive development came barely a month after Citi added Emirates as a 1:1 transfer partner of Citi ThankYou Points, making Emirates Skywards the third frequent flyer program to partner with all major transferable points programs. And while booking a business class ticket and upgrading to an Emirates first class ticket at check in (or even at the gate) is a great strategy, it doesn't appear that will be an option for partner bookings through Air Canada's Aeroplan program. There are a handful of non-travel ways to redeem your miles too.