Mixed Bag: Emirates Skywards Devalues Miles Again, With One Silver Lining - Emirates

Mixed Bag: Emirates Skywards Devalues Miles Again, With One Silver Lining

Ben Schlappig — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 23:53:32 +0000

Emirates seems to think that this is a good time to make mostly negative changes to its loyalty program, which strikes me as a questionable decision, given what’s going on in the world…

Continue reading: Mixed Bag: Emirates Skywards Devalues Miles Again, With One Silver Lining

Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.

tokyobuta — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:49:28 +0000

I fly UK - Japan two or more times each year. Have stuck with Emirates because of Skywards perks (lounges, check-in, etc) rather than the miles themselves. Emirates have now reduced miles earned so that I can no longer qualify for Gold with 2x return Business Flex or for Silver with 2x return Premium Economy. Skywards+ is not really an option for 2 - 4 return flights/year. It certainly won't destroy Emirates to lose my business, but usually one or more friends choose to fly Emirates with me, and for the first time in more than a decade I will be looking at alternative carriers before booking. Own goal for Emirates?

PeteAU — Thu, 21 May 2026 07:43:09 +0000

And the fantastic wine list, don’t forget the fantastic wine list. They may still cram 14 seats into the A380 F cabin, but the showers! And the wine list! On a 777? Well chances are you’ll have the F cabin with 8 old seats seats rather than 6 fancy new ones, but just remember the wine list!

Cecilia — Thu, 21 May 2026 03:32:06 +0000

Have the amount of miles needed to upgrade from business flex to first also increased, and if so, by how much from, for example, EWR-ATH or MXP-JFK?

Ramon Ymalay — Thu, 21 May 2026 01:40:56 +0000

I booked the 59k today for Mar 31 next year for our spring break trip. Totally lucked out on the dates. There were a couple around that date, same for the return. It’s not very common but they exist.

VS — Thu, 21 May 2026 00:04:55 +0000

You would win that bet handily.

Grant — Wed, 20 May 2026 19:06:19 +0000

> Often those redeeming points for a flight end up becoming loyal customers who book revenue tickets in the long run, often in the cabin they redeemed for I'd bet that 95% of people in the award travel game (specifically: those who earn the majority of their miles from transferrable credit card points from churning) never book cash J. Maybe PE at best.

John — Wed, 20 May 2026 19:05:39 +0000

I have used the fifth freedom route a lot for Greece. Just a quick search a year out shows only 100000 business class flex plus awards from Athens to Newark. Is the business saver going to be a unicorn ?

TrumpGambit — Wed, 20 May 2026 17:51:51 +0000

It's not just the stock market.....the bond market is also more attractive now than it has been at any point in my adult life. Interest rates in the US are higher now than at any point since before the Great Financial Crisis (which is great). Right now, one can invest in risk-free inflation protected bonds (TIPS) and enjoy a 2.5% real yield, which was unheard of 4-5 years ago when real yields were negative. In fact, some developed countries (Germany/Japan) even had negative nominal yields on their 30 year bonds.........talk about financial repression. 2026 is great time to be alive.

Drew — Wed, 20 May 2026 17:37:17 +0000

While the calculator is updated, actually booking/upgrades have no yet changed.