Your Skywards Questions Answered

Old Dec 17, 2014, 10:11 am
  #856  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4
Originally Posted by subject2load
ryuryubu - I believe mrtdxb is correct, and that you will earn tier miles on EK operated flights ONLY.

But, even setting that aside, I couldn't in all honesty encourage you to join Emirates Skywards with the notion that it will somehow open up a whole new world after your disenchantment with the United programme.

As a member you will get lots of emails from Emirates extolling the benefits of the scheme - but it can be a different story altogether when it comes to securing award/upgrade availability on the flights & dates YOU want, as opposed to those the airline wants (and then there's the rather quaintly-named "carrier-imposed charges" of course ..... )
Oh noo... I was reading around it did not seem like Emirates offers tier mileage through partner airlines... this is a shame as I am so used to receiving qualification miles through UA partners... The hunt for greener pasture continues... I think AA may be the best at this time but I wanted to take the opportunity and really switch things up!
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Old Dec 21, 2014, 8:14 am
  #857  
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: London/Singapore
Programs: Emirates Skywards Gold
Posts: 3
DXB First Class Lounge Access

Hello Everyone,

I was hoping to get some advice, I travel LHR > DXB in First, then connect to KUL in Biz (the aircraft for this leg I have been informed is a 777-300ER 2 class, so no First available).

I prefer the First Lounge in DXB and was wondering if anyone has had any experience of requesting access to the First lounge rather than the Business lounge when arriving at the Business Lounge reception. I'm not sure if Emirates will permit this. I am a Gold tier member should that make any difference.

My apologies if this question has been asked and addressed before, I tried searching for such a thread with no joy.

Thanks!
S

Last edited by SphinxE; Dec 21, 2014 at 8:41 am
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Old Dec 21, 2014, 8:51 am
  #858  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 5,447
Originally Posted by SphinxE
Hello Everyone,

I was hoping to get some advice, I travel LHR > DXB in First, then connect to KUL in Biz (the aircraft for this leg I have been informed is a 777-300ER 2 class, so no First available).

I prefer the First Lounge in DXB and was wondering if anyone has had any experience of requesting access to the First lounge rather than the Business lounge when arriving at the Business Lounge reception. I'm not sure if Emirates will permit this. I am a Gold tier member should that make any difference.

My apologies if this question has been asked and addressed before, I tried searching for such a thread with no joy.

Thanks!
S
If the fare basis for your onward sector DXB-KUL is in F (so F/A/Z fare basis), then you will be allowed access to the F lounge - go straight to the F lounge reception and take a printout of your e-ticket if you qualify as you'll probably have to talk to one of the lounge supervisors if at first they reject you out of hand at the F reception. I'm reasonably sure as you booked it as one ticket and you paid around 3.8k GBP+ for it, you should be able to access it, but without knowing the fare basis, I can't be 100% accurate. Still, the receptionists do encounter this situation quite frequently, so you should be in luck.
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Old Dec 21, 2014, 9:33 am
  #859  
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: London/Singapore
Programs: Emirates Skywards Gold
Posts: 3
Thank you for your reply eternaltransit.

The ticket was purchased on a Business Skywards Saver fare (lowest possible fare) and I have used miles to upgrade the legs I could (I have been lucky in that rewards seats were available on all except the sector in question DXB>KUL, for once!).

I would of used miles to upgrade to F for this leg also, should it have been available.

Does this mean I will be denied access to the First Lounge?
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Old Dec 21, 2014, 9:35 am
  #860  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 5,447
Originally Posted by SphinxE
Thank you for your reply eternaltransit.

The ticket was purchased on a Business Skywards Saver fare (lowest possible fare) and I have used miles to upgrade the legs I could (I have been lucky in that rewards seats were available on all except the sector in question DXB>KUL, for once!).

I would of used miles to upgrade to F for this leg also, should it have been available.

Does this mean I will be denied access to the First Lounge?
Unfortunately yes, you will denied access in this case - you have an underlying J ticket with the first leg to upgraded to F with miles, I understand?
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Old Dec 21, 2014, 9:49 am
  #861  
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: London/Singapore
Programs: Emirates Skywards Gold
Posts: 3
Yes that's correct.

I may still try my luck when I get to DXB, my return journey KL>DXB>LHR is all in F class.
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Old Dec 21, 2014, 9:51 am
  #862  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 5,447
Originally Posted by SphinxE
Yes that's correct.

I may still try my luck when I get to DXB, my return journey KL>DXB>LHR is all in F class.
Luck will have nothing to do with it - as you are departing DXB with a ticket upgraded with miles beforehand, you will be eligible.
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Old Dec 29, 2014, 12:00 pm
  #863  
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: LAS//MIA
Posts: 24
Question RE: Upgrades and Reward Tickets

Hello all,

I am planning a trip for four of us to Cape Town in October.

I would like for all of us to fly first (leaving on a Saturday). I am considering the following options:
(1) Use my skywards miles for flex ticket
(2) Use skywards miles for an upgrade (business to first)
(3) Purchase the tickets outright

Looking online there does not seem to be any availability. Am I missing something? Shouldn't flex fares have decent availability this far in advance?

For the upgrade, how likely are all four of us to be upgraded in advance or close to departure?
--Anecdote: I fly cpt-dxb regularly (always the later flight on Thursday). Usually there are 4-5 people. I've never seen it full.

For the price difference, if its too much hassle I'll probably just purchase the tickets. However, I would prefer to use up some of my miles.


Regards,
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Old Dec 29, 2014, 12:12 pm
  #864  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 5,447
Originally Posted by LVGlobetrotter
Hello all,

I am planning a trip for four of us to Cape Town in October.

I would like for all of us to fly first (leaving on a Saturday). I am considering the following options:
(1) Use my skywards miles for flex ticket
(2) Use skywards miles for an upgrade (business to first)
(3) Purchase the tickets outright

Looking online there does not seem to be any availability. Am I missing something? Shouldn't flex fares have decent availability this far in advance?

For the upgrade, how likely are all four of us to be upgraded in advance or close to departure?
--Anecdote: I fly cpt-dxb regularly (always the later flight on Thursday). Usually there are 4-5 people. I've never seen it full.

For the price difference, if its too much hassle I'll probably just purchase the tickets. However, I would prefer to use up some of my miles.


Regards,
Do you mean you are looking for 4 Skywards F redemptions? In that case you may find it difficult as there are generally only 1 or 2 seats available for redemptions, up until close to time of departure. You may have a similar problem if you buy a J ticket and then use miles as F upgrades and redemptions all come out of the same bucket (Z).

I have just been able to price up 4x DXB-CPT return in F for about 93k AED.

All 4 of you are unlikely to be op-upped: the flight must be -4 in J at least, and then you will need to be ahead of solo traveller status pax. YMMV if you are iO.
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Old Dec 29, 2014, 1:28 pm
  #865  
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: LAS//MIA
Posts: 24
Thanks for the reply eternaltransit.

This is actually a CPT-USA ticket I'm looking at.

I think I'm better off buying the seats


One last question: lets say there are four empty seats in F 60 min before departure. We are all on the upgrade list. Would EK upgrade us all? Do they withhold seats?
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Old Dec 29, 2014, 1:41 pm
  #866  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 5,447
Originally Posted by LVGlobetrotter
Thanks for the reply eternaltransit.

This is actually a CPT-USA ticket I'm looking at.

I think I'm better off buying the seats


One last question: lets say there are four empty seats in F 60 min before departure. We are all on the upgrade list. Would EK upgrade us all? Do they withhold seats?
If you mean upgrade list similar to US-based airlines, there is no such thing on EK. If J is not overbooked, EK will send the flight out with an empty F cabin. If J is overbooked, controllers will look for go by Skywards tier looking for solo travellers. (So, solo platinum flyers, then platinum flyers in smaller groups, then golds). However, this is not a cast iron rule: controllers have the discretion to move anyone they want for any operational reason, there's no published rules. Their main concern is not to be hassled by DXB for late closing of a flight.

Status pax on board in J may use miles to upgrade once doors are closed/flight is closed. You may also use cash on board on a space available basis, but you will pay the fare difference - pursers in flight have tablets with the cost (miles or cash) pre-calculated.
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Old Mar 26, 2015, 2:12 pm
  #867  
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA GS-2MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 3,697
Thread Closure.

Please continue over at the 2015 thread
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/emira...ed-2015-a.html
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