Early in the year Emirates was added as an Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan partner, with the immediate ability to earn miles for travel on Emirates. Unfortunately the ability to redeem miles for travel on Emirates wasn’t immediately available, though they said it should be available in late 2012. Well, the wording on the Alaska website has now changed to indicate that it’ll be early 2013 before it’s possible to redeem Alaska miles for travel on Emirates:
As it stands the two best programs through which you can redeem miles for travel on Emirates are Japan Airlines Mileage Bank and Korean Air SkyPass.
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank has a distance based award chart with the following redemption costs for travel on Emirates:
They’re also a partner with Starwood Preferred Guest, so that’s a good way to fund an account for a redemption. You can find out more about that option here.
The other option is Korean Air SkyPass, which has considerably higher redemption rates for most zones. Their chart for travel on Emirates looks as follows:
Korean Air SkyPass is a Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partner, which is the best way to fund that account.
Anyway, Alaska and Emirates can take their time. It’s not like Emirates first class is a big deal or anything…
(Tip of the hat to Joe)
@ Dave Op -- Well there are other great uses of Alaska miles so I'm generally all for collecting Alaska miles, though I wouldn't do it specifically in anticipation of Emirates redemption opportunities since we have no clue what the chart will look like.
Should we start accumulating Alaska points in anticipation of the Emirates redemption?
@ Jeremy -- Yes, unfortunately!
Ben- is redeeming on KE partners as much a pain as redeeming on KE metal?
@Trevor....ahh good to know!...
@Ryan - But KE does have the Australia to New Zealand segment it looks like, which is an A380 as well (as I recall), and that's just a 3-4 hour flight. I think a first class ticket one way for that flight was in the $1875 range when I looked earlier in the year.
It was known for sometime that it would not happen this year, so this did not come as a surprise.
However, I think this timeline will stick as they know where they stand and what needs to be done as opposed to being in the very beginning of the project when they first announced the anticipated release date.
As for when, in AS's definition early 2013 means before June, so I will say sometime...
It was known for sometime that it would not happen this year, so this did not come as a surprise.
However, I think this timeline will stick as they know where they stand and what needs to be done as opposed to being in the very beginning of the project when they first announced the anticipated release date.
As for when, in AS's definition early 2013 means before June, so I will say sometime in March. I hope the chart will look something similar to JL's chart not KE's, but I fear it will be the latter.
I hope they have a redemption between HKG and BKK. I know others have paid for that segment but to get on the flight for only 2-3hrs would be awesome with an award...sadly Korean Airlines doesn't have that as a segment
Let's start a pool for when Alaska releases the chart. I'll take February 25.