NEW: Transfer your Emirates Skywards miles to Accor Live Limitless
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Like most hotel programmes, Accor Live Limitless (the programme for ibis, Mercure, Novotel, Pullman, Raffles etc) allows you to transfer points to frequent flyer schemes.
Unlike most hotel programmes, Accor has also done deals with multiple airlines to let you transfer frequent flyer miles INTO Accor Live Limitless points.
The most relevant for HfP readers are Accor’s deals with Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Finnair Plus to convert Avios into Accor points. These are poor value, however, and we don’t recommend them.
The real value comes if you have airline miles about to expire. This is why the new Emirates deal is interesting, because Emirates Skywards miles have a tough expiry policy which – unlike Avios – cannot be deferred by having activity in the programme.
The ratio is typical of similar deals: 4,000 Emirates Skywards miles are worth 1,000 Accor Live Limitless points.
Because an Accor point has a fixed value of 2 Eurocents, it means you’re getting €20 of value for your 4,000 Emirates miles.
This is clearly poor value at 0.41p per mile in normal circumstances. However, it is in line with using Emirates Skywards miles for easyJet flight tickets and – if your Emirates miles are about to expire – 0.41p is actually a good result.
You could even convert to Avios ….
For historical reasons, Iberia Plus has a far better exchange rate with Accor Live Limitless than the other Avios airlines.
You could move your Emirates Skywards miles to Accor Live Limitless and transfer them onwards (subject to the minimum threshold) at 1:1. Again, a 4:1 conversion rate from Emirates to Iberia Avios isn’t great but it is better than nothing if the Emirates miles are expiring.
Using Accor points for hotel stays at 2 Eurocents each is a far better deal than trading them for one Avios each. You do at least have the choice though.
You can find out more about the Accor / Emirates partnership on this page of the Accor website.
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How to earn Emirates Skywards miles from UK credit cards (March 2025)
Emirates Skywards does not have a UK credit card. However, you can earn Emirates Skywards miles by converting Membership Rewards points earned from selected UK American Express cards.
Cards earning Membership Rewards points include:
- American Express Preferred Rewards Gold (review here, apply here) – sign-up bonus of 20,000 Membership Rewards points converts into 15,000 Emirates Skywards miles. This card is FREE for your first year and also comes with four free airport lounge passes.
SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.
- The Platinum Card from American Express (review here, apply here) – sign-up bonus of 50,000 Membership Rewards points converts into 37,500 Emirates Skywards miles
SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.
- American Express Rewards credit card (review here, apply here) – sign-up bonus of 10,000 Membership Rewards points converts into 7,500 Emirates Skywards miles. This card is FREE for life.
Membership Rewards points convert at 4:3 into Emirates Skywards miles which is an attractive rate. The cards above all earn 1 Membership Rewards point per £1 spent on your card, which converts to 0.75 Emirates Skywards miles
The American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card earns double points (2 per £1) on all flights you charge to it, not just with Emirates but with any airline.
