Emirates Skywards is the joint loyalty programme of Emirates and flydubai, letting members earn and redeem Miles on flights, upgrades, and partner rewards.
It runs across four tiers and stretches into shopping, hotels, car rentals, and credit cards. Here is how it works in 2026.
Skywards 101
Members earn two currencies on every Emirates or flydubai flight: Skywards Miles for redemption and Tier Miles for status. The two are tracked separately, so spending Miles on a reward never reduces your tier progress.
Find the best Emirates promo code on Wego and save up to USD 15 when you book.
Membership Tiers and How to Qualify
Tier status is what unlocks the bigger perks — bonus Miles, lounge access, and priority services. Here is how the ladder is built.
The Emirates Skywards programme runs four public tiers — Blue, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Status is awarded once you cross the Tier Miles threshold and is held for 12 months at a time. There is also an invite-only iO tier reserved for a small number of VIP members nominated by Emirates leadership; it is not open to public application.
| Tier | Qualification | Bonus Miles on Emirates and flydubai |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | Free to join — entry tier on sign-up | Base earn (no bonus) |
| Silver | 25,000 Tier Miles or 25 qualifying flights in 12 months | +30% |
| Gold | 50,000 Tier Miles or 50 qualifying flights in 12 months | +75% |
| Platinum | 150,000 Tier Miles plus at least one qualifying flight in First or Business Class | +100% |
From 8 May to 31 August 2026, Emirates is running a limited-period offer with reduced tier requirements and bonus Tier Miles on Emirates and flydubai flights. Eligible members should opt in via their Skywards account before booking to ensure flights count toward the promotion.
My Family Pooling
Status is personal, but Miles do not have to be. Skywards lets a household combine balances so a single trip can be funded by everyone’s flying.
My Family lets a Family Head pool Miles with up to seven additional members, for a total of eight on one account. Each member chooses what percentage of their earned Miles (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100%) goes into the shared pot. Only the Family Head can redeem from the pooled balance, and pooled Miles cannot be returned to individual accounts once contributed. Bank or financial points cannot be pooled.
Miles Expiry
Skywards Miles are valid for three years from the date of travel and expire on the last day of the member’s birth month in the third year.
Platinum members’ Miles do not expire while Platinum status is retained, and Miles also stay valid for primary cardholders of an active co-branded Skywards credit card.
Extensions are possible for a fee, and expired Miles can be reinstated within six months for a charge — reinstated Miles are valid for 12 months.
Earning Miles
- Earn on Emirates and flydubai based on route, cabin, and fare brand (Special, Saver, Flex, Flex Plus). Use the Miles Calculator before booking to see exact earn rates.
- Earn and redeem with selected airline partners including flydubai, Air Canada, easyJet, JetBlue, Qantas, and others.
Spending Miles
There are three core ways to use Skywards Miles:
- Classic Reward flights — available in Saver and Flex Plus variants.
- Upgrades from a paid ticket, subject to fare-brand eligibility.
- Cash+Miles — use Miles to reduce a paid fare (not valid for upgrades).
Upgrades With Miles
Fare-brand eligibility is the first thing to check:
- Special: not upgradeable.
- Saver: upgradeable only at online check-in or at the airport (Economy to Premium Economy or Business; Business to First, where available).
- Flex and Flex Plus: upgradeable any time up to six hours before departure, and eligible for auto-upgrade alerts.
Auto-upgrade is available on eligible Economy Flex/Flex Plus and Business Flex/Flex Plus fares. The system processes requests between 48 and six hours before departure if seats open up, and it cannot draw from a My Family balance.
Cash+Miles cannot be used to upgrade — it only offsets the original ticket price.
If you are holding a Saver fare and want to upgrade, the window opens at online check-in (48 to six hours before departure) and stays open at the airport.
Earn Beyond Flights
Flying is the fastest way to earn, but it is not the only way. Skywards has built up a network of shopping, hotel, car rental, and banking partners that let members keep adding Miles between trips.
Shopping
Day-to-day spending is where most members quietly grow their balance. The options below cover both UAE residents and international shoppers.
Skywards Everyday (UAE, In-Store)
Download the Skywards Everyday app and link up to five Visa or Mastercard cards. Earn 1 Mile per AED 3 at most partners and 1 Mile per AED 5 at grocery and pharmacy partners.
Miles post automatically when you pay with a linked card and can stack with co-branded Skywards credit cards.
Dubai Mall (UAE)
Upload receipts of more than AED 100 in the Dubai Mall app to earn Skywards Miles based on tier:
- Platinum: 1 Mile per USD 1
- Gold: 1 Mile per USD 1.5
- Silver and Blue: 1 Mile per USD 2
Monthly caps apply — 5,000 Miles for Blue and 10,000 Miles for Silver. Platinum members also get Fashion Avenue lounge access and delivery benefits.
The Bicester Collection (Europe and China)
Earn 1 Mile per GBP 1, EUR 1, or RMB 10 spent across designer outlets. Higher-spend bands earn at reduced rates. Gold and Platinum members get complimentary VIP lounge access at select villages.
Skywards Miles Mall
Start at skywardsmilesmall.com and shop participating brands to earn Miles (in India, up to 38 Miles per INR 1,000). Miles can also be redeemed for gift cards from 2,000 Miles upward. The portal is available in India, the US, the UK, the UAE, and Australia.
Other Handy Options
- Emirates Official Store: earn 1 Mile per USD 1.
- Dubai Duty Free: redeem 4,500 Miles for AED 75 at participating counters.
Hotels
Hotel stays earn Miles two ways — through Emirates’ own booking portal or through select partner programmes.
Emirates Skywards Hotels
Earn up to 10,000 Miles per night on paid stays through the Emirates Skywards Hotels portal, plus up to 2,500 bonus Miles per night when paying with a co-branded Skywards card.
Rapid Earnings properties credit Miles within three days for non-refundable bookings, and Miles can also be redeemed for hotel stays from 5,000 Miles upward. For broader options, search hotels in Dubai on Wego.
Marriott Bonvoy
The Your World Rewards partnership offers Earn Twice benefits on eligible flights and stays. Points convert both ways: 3 Bonvoy points to 1 Skywards Mile, and 3 Skywards Miles to 1 Bonvoy point.
Car Rentals
Members can earn on rentals booked either through Emirates’ aggregator or directly with major rental brands.
CarTrawler
Book car rentals, transfers, and shuttles via the Emirates CarTrawler portal to earn up to 1 Mile per USD 1. Add your Skywards number at booking; Miles typically post within six weeks.
Direct Rental Partners
Avis, Budget, and Hertz offer flat rates of 500 to 5,000 Miles per rental. Europcar and SIXT offer up to 1,000 Miles per rental. Check each partner page for current promotions and exclusions.
Bank Cards
Co-branded credit cards turn everyday spending into Skywards Miles, with the strongest options in three markets.
- India — ICICI Bank x Emirates Skywards co-branded cards earn up to 2.5 Miles per INR 100 and include built-in Silver tier (higher tiers via spend milestones on select variants).
- United States — Barclays Emirates Skywards Mastercard offers welcome bonuses, tier status benefits, and no Miles expiry while the account stays open.
- UAE — Emirates NBD, Emirates Islamic, and HSBC issue co-branded Skywards credit and debit cards across a range of fee tiers, with Miles earned on everyday spend plus travel perks.
Outside co-branded cards, members can convert points from American Express Membership Rewards into Skywards Miles, with ratios and eligibility varying by country and issuer.
In India, SBI Card converts 4 Reward Points to 1 Skywards Mile. Always confirm the local ratio before transferring.
Booking Rules to Remember
Reward tickets come in two flavours — Saver and Flex Plus — and the differences matter when plans change. The table below summarises the key contrasts.
| Reward Type | Saver | Flex Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Trip type | Return only, Economy or Business | One-way or return, all cabins |
| Stopovers | Up to 1 | Up to 2 |
| Date change | USD 25 | Free before travel |
| Cancellation | USD 75 | Free before travel |
- One-way awards require Flex Plus and must cross zones (not valid wholly within a single zone).
- First Class awards: only Silver, Gold, and Platinum members can book First Class Classic Rewards. Blue members are not eligible.
- Mixed-cabin tickets and award availability buckets can vary by segment, so it is worth keeping searches flexible.
- Premium Economy: Classic Reward access and upgrades to or from Premium Economy may be limited depending on current operations.
- Taxes and surcharges apply to reward tickets and upgrades — expect to pay airport and government taxes plus any carrier-imposed charges.
For complete fare conditions, visit the official Emirates Skywards programme rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Blue members book First Class awards with Skywards Miles?
No. Only Silver, Gold, and Platinum members can book First Class Classic Rewards.
How many stopovers can I add on an Emirates award?
Saver allows one stopover on returns; Flex Plus allows up to two stopovers. One-way awards require Flex Plus.
Do Skywards Miles expire?
Yes. Miles are valid for three years and expire at the end of the member’s birth month in the third year. Extensions are available for a fee, and Platinum members’ Miles do not expire while Platinum status is held.
Can I use Cash+Miles to upgrade?
No. Cash+Miles only reduces the original ticket price. Upgrades require a separate Miles transaction.
Which fares are upgradeable with Miles?
Flex and Flex Plus can be upgraded any time up to six hours before departure. Saver fares can be upgraded only at online check-in or at the airport. Special fares cannot be upgraded.
How many family members can I pool Miles with?
My Family allows up to eight people on one account — a Family Head plus seven additional members. Each member sets a contribution percentage between 0% and 100%, and only the Family Head can redeem from the pooled balance.
Which global airline has the best loyalty programme?
For a comparison across major carriers, see the Wego guide to the best airline loyalty programmes.
Sources
- Emirates Skywards Membership Tiers
- Emirates Skywards Programme Rules
- Emirates Skywards My Family
- Emirates Skywards — Do More With Your Miles
- Emirates Skywards Miles Calculator
- Emirates Skywards Airline Partners
- Skywards Everyday
- flydubai Skywards Membership Tiers
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