Emirates Skywards - Lifetime Status?

I'm curious to see how many people would value lifetime status from EK? For example with 2 of my other airline loyalty programs (QF and UA), both have Lifetime Recognition (in QF's case, its based on Status Credits - ie similar to tier miles) and in UA's case, it's based on BIS (butt-in-seat miles on UA metal).

If you earn 14,000 status credits with QF, you earn Lifetime Gold (which for me is excellent, because it provides lounge access globally, priority check-in, increased baggage allowance etc etc). With UA, if you fly 1M BIS miles, while the benefits have been somewhat diluted, there are still things I like (for example, your spouse sharing the same status as you) and *A Gold for life

I know many people on this board have been flying EK for many years, and have racked up plenty of tier miles. Should EK recognise you in some way (or provide some sort of benefit, either one-time or recurring) for achieving 1M tier miles? Or should there be some other metric/measurement?

if EK is still following SQ's ideology to a T.

Then I doubt it would happen, as SQ scrapped their lifetime tier more than 10 years ago.

As a customer I would definitely want the recognition. Commercially, I don't think it makes that much sense but it all depends on the population profile. Take you as an example, you are lifetime gold with QF but when was the last time you were onboard. I would relax and not worry about renewing my status YoY (not that 50K is much) and might focus my attention on other airlines.

Having said that, another way of looking at it is I would strive to retain status for the next x number of years to guarantee myself lifetime and this is guaranteed revenue for the airline.

Although I have QF lifetime gold status , I do not think it makes sense to have a lifetime tier ; even though I now only use QF for domestic flights I maintain all the benefits of gold status; fine for me, but cuckoo for the airline

We have quite enough elite members already. :td:

As a customer I would definitely want the recognition. Commercially, I don't think it makes that much sense but it all depends on the population profile. Take you as an example, you are lifetime gold with QF but when was the last time you were onboard. I would relax and not worry about renewing my status YoY (not that 50K is much) and might focus my attention on other airlines.

Having said that, another way of looking at it is I would strive to retain status for the next x number of years to guarantee myself lifetime and this is guaranteed revenue for the airline.

I have actually been flying QF a bit lately - given that I am in Australia monthly, so my lifetime status is useful because I don't fly enough with QF to maintain any type of status typically.

With both QF and UA, when you earn lifetime status, you only receive "mid-tier" recognition (ie Gold for QF and Premier Gold for UA) so its not as if they are creating another level.

It's not to say that if you earned 1M tier miles with EK, I would be happy with Lifetime Silver though....:)

I have actually been flying QF a bit lately - given that I am in Australia monthly, so my lifetime status is useful because I don't fly enough with QF to maintain any type of status typically.

To me, the main benefit is lounge access and this can be obtained by purchase of an Admiral's Club or Qantas Club membership or a business class ticket/upgrade

To me, the main benefit is lounge access and this can be obtained by purchase of an Admiral's Club or Qantas Club membership or a business class ticket/upgrade

But why purchase Club Membership if they provide it as a benefit? I achieved Lifetime status with QF back in 2002 (I think) so I haven't paid anything for 10+ years.

But why purchase Club Membership if they provide it as a benefit? I achieved Lifetime status with QF back in 2002 (I think) so I haven't paid anything for 10+ years.

Ah no, I am not suggesting that you do so, just pointing out that for those that do not have lifetime status, that the key benefit can be purchased for QF ( and Virgin ) on an annual or ( for Virgin ) one-off basis

Conversely, Emirates does not (iirc) offer a paid lounge membership scheme

LT Gold does start providing better benefits should there be occasional travel with other OW carriers in *shudder* economy

It's not to say that if you earned 1M tier miles with EK, I would be happy with Lifetime Silver though....:)

Oh no, its Gold or nothing.

Oh no, its Gold or nothing.

Greedy little bugger (゜レ゜)

Addressing the germane part of your question which was would I personally value it - speaking personally, yes I would. I cannot say why and perhaps need not because it would probably be for different reasons that others may have (or not in some cases) and is largely intangible in my case. I still like the fact that I am lifetime Gold with AA and whenever I catch sight of my old Million Miler Executive Platinum card or paggage tags I slightly rue the fact that I am unlikely to ever reach the next milestone with them as I have no plans to return to the USA. Don't ask me why as I do not really know. I just do.

I would definitely value it and I believe it also makes a lot of sense from the airline's point of view. Heres why: I typically get enough tier points to re-up my Gold status about 2 months into the membership year. I have no further motivation to stick to the carrier (apart from the miles - which you can get anywhere). I just had a very lovely lady from Etihad in my office (are we even allowed to say that name on this forum?!) who handed me my status-matched Etihad Gold card and did quite a convincing sales pitch for her airline. If Etihad offered lifetime loyalty, I would instantly have switched all the rest of my travel to them as I think its a worthwhile perk to aim for. All this business travel in Business class and First is not going to last forever and I can just imagine me, after I am retired, shuffling along in the back of a long line, reminiscing about the good old days when I meant something to the airline!

Starwood recently introduced lifetime status in their SPG program after a lot of consumer research. It demonstrably influences buyer behavior and fosters long term brand loyalty and goodwill.

I just had a very lovely lady from Etihad in my office (are we even allowed to say that name on this forum?!) who handed me my status-matched Etihad Gold card and did quite a convincing sales pitch for her airline.

Ms. Z perchance?

Before one achieves status, there is value for the airline. After achieving status, there is value for the customer. So, the question is where to set this limit, so that people keep flying to try and achieve this status, but don't earn it so fast as to be a burden on the airline.

I'm sure if they offered lifetime Gold at 5 million miles, that probably wouldn't be considered very good value.

I think a more sophisticated approach would be to have a decay rate for miles that are earned, instead of them resetting to 0 after 12 months. One wouldn't have status benefits indefinitely then, but at least past loyalty would receive some recognition.

... shuffling along in the back of a long line, reminiscing about the good old days when I meant something to the airline!

I usually find myself at the end of a long line whether it is entering the DXB lounge, going to the loo, or even op-ups. I'm pretty much sure that these will come under increasing pressure and you may find the lifetimers + Golds outnumbering the actual J passengers:p.

I'd probably look forward to a Platinum tier rather than lifetime status - that may have more value to me in the immediate term than something I may look forward to enjoying several years from now.

Ms. Z perchance?

Ms. Z indeed!

Before one achieves status, there is value for the airline. After achieving status, there is value for the customer. So, the question is where to set this limit, so that people keep flying to try and achieve this status, but don't earn it so fast as to be a burden on the airline.



How is someone who is demonstrating loyalty by continuing to fly (ie generating revenue for the airline) being a burden to the airline?

You could argue that as soon as a person joins Skywards and earns their first mile, that they become a burden for EK, as those frequent flyer miles sit on the liability side of the P&L not the asset side.

I think a more sophisticated approach would be to have a decay rate for miles that are earned, instead of them resetting to 0 after 12 months. One wouldn't have status benefits indefinitely then, but at least past loyalty would receive some recognition.

In a sense this exists as there is a soft landing from Gold to Silver if you don't accrue sufficient Tier Points for status while Gold.

How is someone who is demonstrating loyalty by continuing to fly (ie generating revenue for the airline) being a burden to the airline?

I think the point being made is that you become a 'burden' after you stop flying/ switch allegiance to another airline but continue to enjoy the benefits due to your 'lifetime' status.

I would definitely value it and I believe it also makes a lot of sense from the airline's point of view. Heres why: I typically get enough tier points to re-up my Gold status about 2 months into the membership year. I have no further motivation to stick to the carrier (apart from the miles - which you can get anywhere).
My guess is that once you achieve lifetime status, you probably won't even do the 2 months of flying that you do now with EK to achieve Gold status. The moment one has 'permanent' status, there is nothing left to achieve so most people will try to achieve status in another airline for some sundry perk or benefit that appeals to them more. The aim of the airline is to get more business from you year after year, more akin to an 'annuity'. One way to do that is to make your top tier extremely 'select', where the benefits are extremely generous and entry miles required very high, so that people have to strive really hard year after year to achieve it, but when they do achieve it, it will feel well worth it. That will encourage them to fly again and again with EK.

My guess is that once you achieve lifetime status, you probably won't even do the 2 months of flying that you do now with EK to achieve Gold status.

I couldnt disagree more. I have lifetime status with UA and QF. Being based in SIN, I have plenty of options to travel to the US. I choose UA because I want to continue to maintain my 1K status, earn my Systemwides and the 100% mileage bonus. Because I am a Million Miler with UA, whatever status I have in a given year, my spouse has the same. (ie I have 1K, she has 1K)

With QF, while they're not my preferred airline to Aus (mainly due to price and quality) I still spend a significant amount with them - and have since I earned my lifetime status with them around 10-years ago. My lounge access, priority baggage, priority check-in are all important factors.

Your argument seems to assume that once lifetime status is achieved, everyone will stop flying. My experience is exactly the opposite. If anything, you become more embedded to the brand.

Seth Godin, a wise marketer recently wrote on his blog "It's hard to love the brand if they dont love you back".

My view is that the current Skywards structure is very myopic. No incentive at all to continue to fly once you hit 50,000 tier miles. And that is entirely their right to design the program as they see fit. I dont believe though, as EK expands and looks to build its loyalty program, that the current thinking will deliver a competitive offering.

^ ^ What that crazy aussie-singaporian above me said.

I couldnt disagree more. I have lifetime status with UA and QF. Being based in SIN, I have plenty of options to travel to the US. I choose UA because I want to continue to maintain my 1K status, earn my Systemwides and the 100% mileage bonus. Because I am a Million Miler with UA, whatever status I have in a given year, my spouse has the same. (ie I have 1K, she has 1K)

I think you missed my point. UA does not make you a member of their topmost tier when you accrue 1 million miles, Gold with MileagePlus is not the same as Gold with EK - there are several higher tier levels in Mileage Plus above Gold. Here, you are asking for EK to give you access to their topmost tier for lifetime which in my thinking dilutes the value of Skywards Gold. Lifetime Gold - NO, Lifetime silver - why not.



Your argument seems to assume that once lifetime status is achieved, everyone will stop flying. My experience is exactly the opposite. If anything, you become more embedded to the brand.

I didn't mean to say people are going to stop flying. What I was trying to imply is that once you have access to their 'top most' tier for life, there is that much less incentive for you to fly them in the presence of a 'better' value being available. From personal experience, I have found myself patronizing EK for a flight, just because it would help me achieve Gold with EK even though 9W (which is probably an equally good airline when it comes to service) had cheaper fares. If had lifetime Gold status with EK, I would probably have gone with 9W.


Seth Godin, a wise marketer recently wrote on his blog "It's hard to love the brand if they dont love you back".

Exacly, and the way to do that would be to enhance the benefits that you give to your topmost tier (not counting I/O) and not diluting it. People should feel great about reaching the topmost tier unlike the frustrating experience that it is at the DXB J lounge.



My view is that the current Skywards structure is very myopic. No incentive at all to continue to fly once you hit 50,000 tier miles. And that is entirely their right to design the program as they see fit. I dont believe though, as EK expands and looks to build its loyalty program, that the current thinking will deliver a competitive offering.
I fully agree with you here. I think the incentive to continue flying after reaching 50K miles is near zero and that needs to be addressed. I think the best way to address this would be to introduce a higher tier with more generous benefits and much steeper qualification. But again, that is purely my personal viewpoint.

I think you missed my point. UA does not make you a member of their topmost tier when you accrue 1 million miles, Gold with MileagePlus is not the same as Gold with EK - there are several higher tier levels in Mileage Plus above Gold. Here, you are asking for EK to give you access to their topmost tier for lifetime which in my thinking dilutes the value of Skywards Gold. Lifetime Gold - NO, Lifetime silver - why not.


I don't think I ever said that I wanted EK to provide Lifetime Gold.
My point is that there should be some consideration for reaching a particular milestone (i.e. like 1M tier miles or higher). Silver wouldn't cut it as far as I'm concerned. Perhaps when the 4th Tier is introduced then what is Gold now, effectively becomes the mid-level tier.

And for many of us, the current benefits of Gold are pretty much a non-event. I actually don't see why they wouldn't offer (or couldn't offer) Gold for someone who has actually earned 1M tier miles (it is in effect 20-years of maintaining Gold status). If you had earned 1M tier miles or more what would you be happy with? Silver?

Even if EK did provide life time status, what would be the benefit. Gold already doesn't have all those "special" perks other than J lounge access to warrant it. I think to get life-time status, they need to up the perks and benefits first, regardless of how much tier miles you need.

True, there is some brand loyalty tied to it. But personally, and in EK's case, I return for the brand quality (being based in this region), more than anything. A few extra kgs of luggage, or having a seat in the lounge during a one hour connection doesn't really warrant repeat business. Why? Well the luggage in Y is already more than enough (30kgs per person). And the only time you would use the lounge access is if your flight is delayed or have a long connection (which by EK's structure and my experience, your never in the lounge for more than 30mins).

Gold = Upgrades? is that proven yet.

My 2 cents.

Perhaps when the 4th Tier is introduced then what is Gold now, effectively becomes the mid-level tier.
Yes, if and when is the big question.


And for many of us, the current benefits of Gold are pretty much a non-event.
And that for me is the fundamental question. What EK need to do is to enhance the program so that there is a significant motivation to go out and accrue those 1M or whatever tier miles. Right now, the benefits of Gold are so meager that there is less motivation to clock the 50K miles, leave aside 1M miles. Whether it is lifetime gold or something else, the Skywards program is in need of some serious changes that encourage people to fly more beyond the 50K every year.

How is someone who is demonstrating loyalty by continuing to fly (ie generating revenue for the airline) being a burden to the airline?

You could argue that as soon as a person joins Skywards and earns their first mile, that they become a burden for EK, as those frequent flyer miles sit on the liability side of the P&L not the asset side.

I think the point being made is that you become a 'burden' after you stop flying/ switch allegiance to another airline but continue to enjoy the benefits due to your 'lifetime' status.

Yes, that's what I meant. It's great for the airline that you divert all revenue to them while trying to attain status. Not so much when you get it and start flying other airlines because it isn't that difficult to maintain mid/ top tier status.

I agree that the benefits of EK Gold don't warrant 1mm of flying. And agree with KU104 that it is the quality that EK is trying to use to attract travelers, not the loyalty program. They could certainly learn some things for example from LH HON, which while it may be similar to iO, at least has properly defined earning criteria.

Keep earning tier-miles to keep Gold-Status, it will be rewarded, don't worry about it.

On our Business Rewards Company Account, we just recently got 139,249 Business Rewards Miles (1 USD = 2 BR Miles) since February 2010 and I had the chance to book a 2 way business class ticket including complimentary chauffeur drive for just CNY 229 or USD 35.83. (I booked PVG-DXB-BJS)

People who like who want to have a life-time-status with Emirates will have to stay loyal forever and ever and never have a little girlfriend at outside. Being loyal to the world's best airline company is already like a marriage.

This is it, this is forever and ever!

http://i47.tinypic.com/2a7vt4k.jpg

Squalo you still have an "Account number" line visible.

Would be better to cover it. ;)