Here's Skywards+, Emirates launches its paid membership
It has been official for a few days and is already a trending topic in the world of frequent flyers and reward travelers. [...]
Emirates
DXB
It has been official for a few days and is already a trending topic in the world of frequent flyers and reward travelers. The paid membership program launched by Emirates called Skywards+ is not the first such example. In the European market there are the programs of low-cost carriers such as easyJet e Wizz Air and the more structured one of Tap Portugal, However, the Dubai company as its usual when it does things., he does them differently and well.
How the Skywards+ program works
In this article:
Upon annual payment for one of the three levels you get benefits that, almost, make this project look like Ek's way of selling the elite level of its loyalty program.
There are 3 levels and benefits are associated with each of them, and let's be clear, even from the classic level they are a real revolution.
Skywards+ Classic at a cost of €340/year provides:
- 20% Skywards bonus miles. With Skywards+, each flight will earn you 20% extra Skywards Miles.
- 20% Discounts on Classic Rewards. Book on emirates.com desktop version and get a discount of 20% on a Classic Rewards flight (usable once only).
- Make use of Special rates by booking a flight with the Cash+Miles option.
- 2x Lounge access at the airport. You get 2 single admissions, for yourself or a guest, in some Business Class lounges in Dubai and the Emirates network, valid during the membership period.
- Embarked baggage allowance (kg). Travel worry-free thanks to the 5 kg additional allowance for checked baggage.
Skywards+ Advanced at a cost of €595/year provides:
- 20% Skywards bonus miles. With Skywards+, each flight will earn you 20% extra Skywards Miles.
- 20% Discounts on premium class passes.. Get an award class passage by spending 20% Skywards Miles less.
- 20% Discounts on Classic Rewards. Book on emirates.com desktop version and get a discount of 20% on a Classic Rewards flight (usable once only).
- Make use of Special rates by booking a flight with the Cash+Miles option.
- 5x Lounge access at the airport. You get 2 single admissions, for yourself or a guest, in some Business Class lounges in Dubai and the Emirates network, valid during the membership period.
- Embarked baggage allowance (kg). Travel worry-free thanks to the additional 10 kg allowance for checked baggage.
- Embarked baggage allowance (package). Travel without worries embarking on extra baggage.
Skywards+ Premium at a cost of €851/year provides:
- 20% Bonus Category Miles. With Skywards+, each flight will earn you 20% extra category miles. This will make it easier for you to keep your category or move to the next one.
- 20% Skywards bonus miles. With Skywards+, each flight will earn you 20% extra Skywards Miles.
- 20% Discounts on premium class passes.. Get an award class passage by spending 20% Skywards Miles less.
- 20% Discounts on Classic Rewards. Book on emirates.com desktop version and get a discount of 20% on a Classic Rewards flight (usable once only).
- Usufruite of tspecial ariffes by booking a flight with the Cash+Miles option.
- 5x Lounge access at the airport. You get 2 single admissions, for yourself or a guest, in some Business Class lounges in Dubai and the Emirates network, valid during the membership period.
- Embarked baggage allowance (kg). Travel worry-free thanks to the additional 10 kg allowance for checked baggage.
- Embarked baggage allowance (package). Travel without worries embarking on extra baggage.
It is worthwhile to subscribe to Skywards+
Absolutely YES. No ifs or buts. The only condition is having one or more flights scheduled with the company and/or a willingness to book an award ticket to fly with EK.
In the article above where we review the first class flight bought with the Skywards points, earned through the transfer of Membership Rewards points, we would have saved 20% of the necessary points, something like Alitalia's milesback.
The 20% one-time discount on an award ticket applies to all persons traveling on a single reservation, applies to award tickets in all classes of service, and can be used for one-way or round-trip travel.
Just to give an example, an Emirates first class award ticket of round trip from JFK to Malpensa costs 170,000 miles. If you get the 20% back, you will be reimbursed 34,000 Skywards miles ... I would value those miles at about $ 400, which is the cheapest subscription cost.
It doesn't matter whether you travel as a couple to the Maldives or you program Christmas in New York with the family, the 20% discount alone is worth the price of the basic subscription.
And if, on the other hand, you are an Emirates frequent flyer, then the Advanced and Premium levels can really be the breakthrough.
The 20% of bonus miles per ticket/flight means getting, regardless of the elite level in the Emirates program, more miles to use for the next award ticket. Also with Premium membership you have an accelerator to renew/get status faster.
Lounge access passes might come in handy if you're flying Emirates Economy, but the most interesting item is being able to get the discount on Upgrade Rewards, since redeeming Skywards miles for upgrades can be a great value.
In conclusion
This is not an invention of Emirates, but just as with the new A380 and premium economy just launched, the Dubai-based company when it arrives it disrupts and forces other carriers to copy, personally I think the classic level I will not let go.
