Emirates ending First Class redemptions for non-elite members on Monday

There’s big – and disappointing – news for anyone who had a redemption in Emirates First Class on their bucket list.

(And, frankly, after my own trip in the new 777-300ER First Class Suite a few years ago, I wouldn’t blame you for wanting to try it.)

From Monday, First Class redemptions will be restricted to elite members of the Emirates Skywards programme. Click here to confirm the news.

It is implied that non-elite members may still be able to upgrade cash tickets in business class to First Class, but we won’t be sure until next week.

This means that you can’t transfer a chunk of American Express Membership Rewards points into Emirates Skywards to book a First Class ticket. At least, not unless you have Silver status or higher.

It is likely to be less of an issue for regular Emirates flyers because anyone who has accumulated enough miles to book First Class would probably have at least the lowest level of status.

You can see this move as a closing of the circle:

• Airlines LOVE making ‘free money’ by letting credit card holders, hotel scheme members etc transfer their card or hotel points into frequent flyer miles

• But, shockingly, these people then have the nerve to try to redeem the points they have just transferred across

• The dirty little secret in the airline and hotel loyalty business is that the highest value redemptions go to those who convert huge chunks of credit card points rather than earning miles from actually flying or putting ‘heads in beds’ (Are the people bidding 1m+ Avios for Qatar Airways Formula 1 VIP packages really getting them from flying? I doubt it.)

• The few frequent flyers who do have enough miles to redeem for rare First Class awards – and other premium rewards – get upset because there is no availability, because it all went to people using US credit card sign-up bonuses (the US Qatar Airways Avios card is offering 100,000 Avios this week, for example)

SWISS has restricted First Class reward availability to HON Circle (BA Gold Guest List equivalent) members for many years. Air France has a similar approach, restricting redemptions in its First Class cabin (all four seats of it) to Flying Blue Platinum members.

Lufthansa is a little less restrictive. Anyone can book its First Class reward seats using Miles & More miles, but frequent flyers with partner airlines cannot do so until 14 days before departure.

British Airways is quite rare in both having a lot of First Class seats and making those seats freely available via its own loyalty programme and oneworld partner airlines.

Book Emirates First Class redemptions before Monday

If you are sitting on a pile of Emirates Skywards miles with a long term plan to use them for a First Class flight, you need to book by Sunday evening.

If you don’t have enough miles, don’t try to transfer them from American Express Membership Rewards. Transfers are currently suspended for a couple of weeks, potentially so this rule could be brought in without catching anyone out.

There is a one line statement confirming the change on the Emirates website here.

PS. You don’t need to feel SO bad about this change, because First Class on the Emirates A380 fleet isn’t very impressive at all. It’s only the 777-300ER private suites which are a real jaw-dropper.

PPS. This change won’t even impact many people holding huge volumes of US credit card points, because you can get Silver status in Emirates Skywards with a $99 credit card. It’s people outside the US who will get hit.