Emirates Skywards is adding major restrictions to its first class award tickets…
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Emirates blocks first class awards for non-elite members
Emirates Skywards has announced that as of Monday, May 12, 2025, the airline will limit award tickets in first class to elite members. Specifically, this will be a tier benefit for Platinum, Gold, and Silver members. That’s a major policy change, and there’s not a lot of advance notice.
Emirates Skywards first class awards are generally quite expensive, requiring not just a lot of miles, but also the payment of significant carrier imposed surcharges.
Emirates has definitely been tightening up on first class awards over the years. For example, the airline mostly restricts first class awards to members of its Skywards program, and restricts these awards through most partner programs. Up until now, Emirates has at least partnered with most major transferable points currencies, so the rewards have been easy to accrue, though at least with Citi ThankYou, the ratio is being devalued.
I guess there are two ways to look at this change:
- On the one hand, with fewer people competing for first class award seats, that leaves more seats for those who do have access to them
- On the other hand, I question if this is a smart strategy; Emirates has huge first class cabins that often aren’t full, and awards are so expensive (in cash and miles) that it’s not like seats are being “given away” when people redeem, but rather, I imagine Emirates makes money on redemptions
What’s the best Emirates first class strategy going forward?
For those who value being able to fly Emirates first class using miles, what’s the best strategy going forward? Best I can tell, this new restriction only applies if redeeming miles directly for first class, and there are no new restrictions on upgrading to first class.
As I’ve covered before, Emirates has a great upgrade program, whereby even business class awards can be upgraded to first class on the day of departure using miles, assuming there are open seats. So for some people, that could be the best strategy going forward, unless that’s being restricted as well, and I just missed it.
The other play is to just earn Emirates Skywards elite status. Emirates has two co-branded Barclays credit cards in the United States:
- The most basic $99 annual fee card offers Silver status the first year, and Silver status in subsequent years if you spend at least $20,000
- The more premium $499 annual fee card offers Gold status the first year, and Gold status in subsequent years if you spend at least $40,000
So I guess the easiest workaround would be to earn elite status with one of those two cards. That’s obviously not ideal for most people, but at least it’s not impossible to earn Emirates status.
Bottom line
As of May 12, 2025, Emirates Skywards is limiting first class award tickets to elite members, with Platinum, Gold, or Silver status. This is a major policy change, since historically the airline has had no elite status requirements.
If you still value being able to fly Emirates first class without paying cash, the two best workarounds are either to upgrade a business class award to first class (either in advance or at the airport), or to get Emirates Skywards elite status through a co-branded credit card. I do love flying Emirates first class, so I think this is probably the push I needed to pick up the carrier’s credit card.
What do you make of Emirates’ new first class award restriction?
Sounds like the executives at Emirates are getting a little pissy that they're not always able to use their staff travel benefits due to all the award redemptions by influencers and wanna-be points kings. God forbid they fly in Business or Economy and realize that things aren't as good as other airlines!
Not sure how that is a thing given how empty the F cabins routinely are. Of maybe 15 F flights on EK over the years I have only seen an A380 or 777 F cabin go out full once, to TPE.
Well my penultimate Flights are looking good - I currently have silver with the EK Barclay card ;-) Although I got it for the sign up bonus and will not renew. The sign up bonus plus bank point transfers got me in Back to Back Game Changer flights then with a shower on the way home.
For my Birthday Round the World (sic) I'm upping from last years Birthday RTW DXB - BRU Game...
Well my penultimate Flights are looking good - I currently have silver with the EK Barclay card ;-) Although I got it for the sign up bonus and will not renew. The sign up bonus plus bank point transfers got me in Back to Back Game Changer flights then with a shower on the way home.
For my Birthday Round the World (sic) I'm upping from last years Birthday RTW DXB - BRU Game Changer Ha, I thought once would be enough, but no LOL So this year I have the following.
IAD - LHR - DXB BA First for 160,000 Avios + $583 Then DXB - HND EK Game Changer for 141,000 Skywards + $441.06 and Finally HND - DXB - IAD Game Changer & Shower for 187,500 Skywards + $1,289.62 (YIKES)
If I figure the cost of aquiring Bank points + Barclay sign up bonus at no more than a penny a point, Then I have an out of pocket expense of $7,198.30 and a Total of 488,500 points/miles Subtract the Out Of Pocket from today's cash ticket prices of $32,574.19 and you get for a value of $0.052/point
FYI My First Round the World in 2013, with 4 Cathy First then BA First - all 747-400 then home via DFW on AA's new at the time B77W for only 263,000 AA Miles
BTW My final (??) Trip is in August and involves LH 747-8i First HND - FRA But apropo of this post, there was an equipment downgrade FRA-IAD, so I used the LH Swiss Hack and reboked on Swiss First without any Swiss status!
I've had a lot of fun, but winding down this hobby. I've flown almost every First Class I have interest in flying - only Air France and the newest seats (JAL / LH) Best Wishes to all and Safe Travels!
You’re a legend! Love seeing your itineraries. How do you generate the spend to get the points?
When I got into the points game 15 years ago I thought I was late. I agree that credit cards have created this situation but also influencers and access to info. I remember the days of refreshing OMAAT, learning in the deep comment sections, and spending time on FlyerTalk. Boy, was it a fun ride for a while.
15 years ago, actually even 10 years ago, you can easily fly 4 segments of Emirates First for 100k Alaska miles.
Those were the days
Of course that was before credit cards and TikTok
I can totally see their point.
That and CX F and QF F were bread and butter for me back in the early/mid-2010s through AS miles. So many EK F flights. The glory days as a CA-based flyer constantly flying up and down the coast.
I still remember reading the excitement of Lucky’s first EK first class flight thanks to a delay on original flight and got him rebooked to EK F!
And this is why they can boast to be the world's most profitable airline with the financial results to back up their boast.
You want their first class product, pay up or move on. Can't say that I blame them. At the end of the day everything is transactional for companies.
Fine with me. It was always an order of magnitude more expensive even with miles for a tired hard product.
But Omar, some people love to rave about bathing in the steamy cramp shower stall onboard...
Will point upgrades still be available to non elite members?
First class should not be available for miles in the first place, it's a bit absurd and kills the product, but if it has to be, restricting it to actual frequent fliers rather than some cheapskates with credit card points and no loyalty to the airline is a wise strategy.
Ahhh yes, the cheapskates who underwrite all airline FF programs
I see this as positive as well. A proper F product should not be available with miles/points. LX F is way better since they stoped allowing miles bookings.
Whatever the case, the trend is towards a general tightening-up of first class redemptions across the board.
LMFAO. Yeah I flew EX F 3 times. DXB to Europe was great. I’m sure some obnoxious and loud New Yorkers on the MXP JFK route played part of this. They diminished the experience . A dubai passenger with license plate number 5 on their rolls Royce must have lodged quite the complaint. Gonna be a great day. :)))))
About time! The credit card points trash will be gone and there will not be people vlogging themselves eating.
The credit card points crowd was something…thankfully the cabin gets it dignity back.
You sound trashier and less dignified than the people you're judging.
Too many OMAAT readers drinking the expensive champagne and cognac...They had to get rid of the freeloaders
The mileage game is gradually being killed by US credit cards, it’s as simple as that.
The reason in addition to maintaining exclusivity that this makes sense to me is the EK F soft product is the best in the world and they need to maintain that - I imagine the calculation for releasing an award seat in F is very different to other airlines as a result. Filling an empty seat with a reward...
The mileage game is gradually being killed by US credit cards, it’s as simple as that.
The reason in addition to maintaining exclusivity that this makes sense to me is the EK F soft product is the best in the world and they need to maintain that - I imagine the calculation for releasing an award seat in F is very different to other airlines as a result. Filling an empty seat with a reward ticket makes sense for many other airlines where the additional cost is just a cheap meal and some mid-level wines, but on EK that passenger is going to be eating unlimited caviar, potentially drinking Hennessy Paradis and Dom Perignon P2 etc, so even at massively discounted purchasing prices it’s no doubt costing EK well into a three figure amount for F&B for each First passenger. Equally, F is really quite full in my experience on many routes right now (I’ve taken one EK flight from LHR out of more than 10 in the last 18 months where F didn’t go out 14/14 in the end).
Speaking selfishly, I would love them to go further and release first to Platinum before other levels (the full Air France style restriction to Plat only doesn’t seem viable given the size of F cabins).
@Tom
The amount of credit card debt slaves in the US being enabled by their MASTER card points is out of control but it’s a big business. Emirates may receive pushback from the US credit card companies.
This. We seem to be at the end stage of value for points, anyway. I'm trying to fly off season to any airport in Japan, no availability whatsoever. I'm just going to pay cash, like I have done for the last year.
Glad I completed this bucket list item in February!
Yea, I got 3 runs out of this...
Twice I had entire EK F cabin all to myself from DFW-DXB and twice with only one other passenger.
Cool!
Assuming as a silver member with a non-status spouse, I can book two F award tickets?
This is unfortunate but given the number of’ influencers’ clamoring for EK F and degrading the experience for their fellow passengers I think this is a welcome change for many
Honestly I actually expected this, as rather like domestic USA and European short haul, Emirates are increasingly upselling the product to business and other passengers before flights. Also they are shrinking the footprint in new planes. I think most airlines will be like Air France in the next couple of years. With First Class increasingly ultra premium rather than the 12 seat posher version of business it once seemed. Even BA will be like this...
Honestly I actually expected this, as rather like domestic USA and European short haul, Emirates are increasingly upselling the product to business and other passengers before flights. Also they are shrinking the footprint in new planes. I think most airlines will be like Air France in the next couple of years. With First Class increasingly ultra premium rather than the 12 seat posher version of business it once seemed. Even BA will be like this once they have refurbished the A380s and have the new first product in their delayed 777x cabins.
About 2 years ago I was booked in a 777 business, asking about an upgrade to first. The price on board was 5K per person, and I wouldn't be entitled to the first class meal because they didn't have time to prepare it. I also wouldn't be earning miles for it.
On any subsequent trip I've looked at, paid upgrades were never available. If you book through a third party, there's a 0% chance it'll ever happen.
They need to do a better job selling, IMO.
I assume EK won’t downgrade existing F bookings by non-elite members, assuming the ticket has been issued?
Wondering the same thing. Just booked a flight in F for next March. Hoping it doesn't get downgraded.
Maybe they’ll to it in a LX / SWISS kinda way, where they’re overselling Biz and then op-upping full fare J tickets to F which is great to keep high spenders happy.
Usually its staff tickets in J class.
LX upgrades full fare revenue pax to accommodate J class staff tickets.
Can always book an economy or business flex and upgrade with miles. There are still alot of good deals in this. LH did the same for HON. I think EK would rather fly empt(ier) first class (reducing food etc for a full 1st cabin) than not?
As A Qantas Frequent Flyer I often use QF Miles to book EK First, as I often fly from Australia to Europe. Will I still be able to redeem for EK First with Qantas?
No - obviously. It's restricted to EK status holders.
it clearly says NO
No.
Sad, but cue the "this is a dumb decision because it means *I* can't fly Emirates first class" comments...
Keeping the YouTubers/TikToker/credit card trash out of First Class, and keeping it for the high-payers only.
Well done Emirates, no wonder they make more money than any other airline in the world!
They are only following the example displayed by the likes of AF.
In regards to credit card trash are you referring to yourself? That is no way to beat yourself down.
If it opens up award inventory, some will do what's necessary. An unfortunate but necessary inconvenience.
Not sure if this was the smartest idea. It seems like 50% of the Emirates first class flights I’m on go out with empty seats in first class, which is understandable when one is on the A380 with 14 first class seats. By not filling up the cabin, they’re leaving money on the table.
As one who will likely be hitting platinum this year, first class award restrictions won’t matter, plus, I am almost...
Not sure if this was the smartest idea. It seems like 50% of the Emirates first class flights I’m on go out with empty seats in first class, which is understandable when one is on the A380 with 14 first class seats. By not filling up the cabin, they’re leaving money on the table.
As one who will likely be hitting platinum this year, first class award restrictions won’t matter, plus, I am almost always flying Emirates on revenue tickets. That said, if Emirates wants to restrict these awards to those with status only, it would be nice if they would lower the cash fee for the awards.
“By not filling up the cabin, they’re leaving money on the table.” Your entire post is such an American perspective on the world. That is not always how luxury products work and why no US airline will ever offer a proper luxury experience.
I’m guessing that they don’t need the first class cabin to be filled for it to be profitable. Besides I’m also assuming that they make far more money from a customer that pays cash vs booking with points.