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Consolidated Emirates (EK) awards availability/booking/routing thread

Old Apr 5, 2014, 3:23 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: eponymous_coward
Emirates award guide using Alaska Airlines miles

Routing Rules:

All trips must start or end in North America.
One open jaw and one stopover allowed on each one-way award.
No fees for changes/cancellations prior to 60 days from departure.

North American Gateway Cities:

West Coast
Seattle
San Francisco
Los Angeles

Central
Chicago
Dallas
Houston

East Coast
Boston
New York (JFK)
Orlando (Effective September 1, 2015)
Washington DC (IAD)

Canada
Toronto

Award Chart Links*:

Middle East & Africa

Asia

Europe

*If region is not listed on chart its not available.

Perks

Chauffeur Drive NOT Available
Car service is not available for all Business Class and First Class passengers on Alaska Airlines ticketed award tickets on Emirates flights (as of Jan 2015). The chauffeur will not confirm if you use the EK website for this, though the website makes it look you can make a reservation.

Lounges
Access is available for all passengers traveling in Business and First Class. Not all cities have lounges and many may be operated by a Partner. There have been some reports of people having an issue accessing the Dubai lounges as the tickets may appear in their system as non-revenue employee travel. This is not as much of a problem as it used to be but in case it comes up please advise the lounge attendant that you are on an Alaska Airlines award.

Dubai Connect

AS Awards on EK do not qualify for Dubai Connect, which is the service that offers the free hotel.

Tricks to find Transoceanic availability

Instead of performing a blanket, i.e. SEA-DXB search, perform: SEA-MED.
Madinah is a destination that is only served by EK. Consequently, if there is availability, only EK will show up in the calendar results.
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Consolidated Emirates (EK) awards availability/booking/routing thread

Old Oct 6, 2015, 1:01 pm
  #2266  
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,517
Originally Posted by jamienbaker
Pardon all the newbie questions...

So, I booked MRUJFK with a nine hr DXB connection, for 4 in J, on a date in August I have no intent to fly. I'm willing to ignore AS fees inside of 60 days.

Will I be able to:

1) Change departure date if availability exists on both legs? (Yes)
2) Extend or reduce DXB layover if availability exists on different DXBJFK but not on my initial MRUDXB?
3) Upgrade both legs to F if availability exists? (Yes)
4) Upgrade only one leg to F if other leg is completely sold out for awards in any class (even though I'm ticketed in J)?
5) Change MRUDXB to something else (JNB?) if availability exists but does NOT exist on the DXBJFK I'm already ticketed on? (Sounds like answer is no).

Thanks in advance - Jamie
Well, I was disappointed nobody replied, so I did my own research. I'm sure that others will disagree, but I'm finding AS awards on EK to be one of the worst redemptions out there relative to other FF partner situations.

1) Rampant phantom availability on AS site.
2) Inability to reticket individual segments without jettisoning the entire itinerary and starting over.

Answers to 2/4/5 above are NO. I'm curious what other partner awards are equally as restrictive? I've never come across the inability to reticket individual segments or on any airline, though I can't claim to have flown them all.

Deeply disappointed at the SPG currency I wasted - Jamie
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Old Oct 6, 2015, 2:11 pm
  #2267  
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: LON
Programs: AS MVPG, Marriott Titanium, UA Silver
Posts: 1,350
Originally Posted by rankourabu
Its just a brilliant commercial with JA, poking fun at the lameness of US based carriers. Discussed in the Emirates forum.
I thought it was pretty good as well.

for the curious.

Last edited by MonThruThurs; Oct 6, 2015 at 2:21 pm
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Old Oct 6, 2015, 3:24 pm
  #2268  
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Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
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Posts: 11,066
Originally Posted by MonThruThurs
I thought it was pretty good as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwYr4LAIUjk for the curious.
Cute... but...

Over half of Emirates planes do not have showers. And of course you have to be in first to use them on the planes that do have them.
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Old Oct 6, 2015, 4:32 pm
  #2269  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: Jeff is Deaf
Posts: 541
Originally Posted by jamienbaker
Well, I was disappointed nobody replied, so I did my own research. I'm sure that others will disagree, but I'm finding AS awards on EK to be one of the worst redemptions out there relative to other FF partner situations.

1) Rampant phantom availability on AS site.
2) Inability to reticket individual segments without jettisoning the entire itinerary and starting over.

Answers to 2/4/5 above are NO. I'm curious what other partner awards are equally as restrictive? I've never come across the inability to reticket individual segments or on any airline, though I can't claim to have flown them all.

Deeply disappointed at the SPG currency I wasted - Jamie
I have never encountered phantom award space. You're following EF Z=2 rule?
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Old Oct 6, 2015, 5:37 pm
  #2270  
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Posts: 11,066
I have scrolled back and read this thread since July.

1 - It looks like you need to see at least Z-2 in first on Expert Flyer for EK?. And then you "should" be okay to book.

2 - If there are two separate AlaskaAir accounts with enough miles in EACH, they can handle it online?

3 - We are doing a piece by piece around the world and really want to do Emirates. We have opted to do DFW-DXB and connect to Europe after 1-2 days in Dubai. Checking ExpertFlyer it looks possible.

4 - THE BIG ONE - We have about 50k each. About to pull the plug and spend a grand each to get enough miles. Am I crazy?
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Old Oct 6, 2015, 6:36 pm
  #2271  
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YVR to SEA
Posts: 2,527
Originally Posted by NoStressHere
2 - If there are two separate AlaskaAir accounts with enough miles in EACH, they can handle it online?
I wouldn't do it online.

When I was booking it that way for LAX-DXB (and Z=2), when I made the first reservation online, the second seat disappeared. When I cancelled the booking, only one seat went back into inventory.

I ended up calling in and an agent made a single PNR but withdrew miles from 2 accounts for DFW-DXB instead.
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Old Oct 6, 2015, 6:50 pm
  #2272  
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Originally Posted by crimsona
I wouldn't do it online.

When I was booking it that way for LAX-DXB (and Z=2), when I made the first reservation online, the second seat disappeared. When I cancelled the booking, only one seat went back into inventory.

I ended up calling in and an agent made a single PNR but withdrew miles from 2 accounts for DFW-DXB instead.
Thank you so much. I "sort of" figured that out from some posts earlier. As I think someone said, it might be some inventory management process that pulls seats, though MAYBE temporarily.
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Old Oct 7, 2015, 1:41 am
  #2273  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: Jeff is Deaf
Posts: 541
Originally Posted by NoStressHere
I have scrolled back and read this thread since July.

1 - It looks like you need to see at least Z-2 in first on Expert Flyer for EK?. And then you "should" be okay to book.

2 - If there are two separate AlaskaAir accounts with enough miles in EACH, they can handle it online?

3 - We are doing a piece by piece around the world and really want to do Emirates. We have opted to do DFW-DXB and connect to Europe after 1-2 days in Dubai. Checking ExpertFlyer it looks possible.

4 - THE BIG ONE - We have about 50k each. About to pull the plug and spend a grand each to get enough miles. Am I crazy?
Z=2 , if your booking from seperate accounts do it by phone since online will mess up the system.

As for worth the $1000, depends on the occasion
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Old Oct 7, 2015, 12:31 pm
  #2274  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,913
I know with AS awards you can make free changes up until 60 days before the flight but does that include just cancelling the award ticket outright before the 60 day mark free of charge? Also, another random question but is LAX eligible for a stopover?
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Old Oct 7, 2015, 2:00 pm
  #2275  
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,431
Any other thoughts on EK F flights repopulating (or not) after cancellations? I want to make a change to the second segment but only if the LAX-DXB will still be available.
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Old Oct 7, 2015, 5:54 pm
  #2276  
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: SEA
Posts: 2,021
Originally Posted by ASUDan130
I know with AS awards you can make free changes up until 60 days before the flight but does that include just cancelling the award ticket outright before the 60 day mark free of charge? Also, another random question but is LAX eligible for a stopover?
My understanding is that you can cancel but you will lose the $12.50 fee. I don't believe this is refundable but I could be wrong.

In terms of LAX, where is your starting point?

I recently booked SEA-LAX (AS), LAX-DXB (EK), stopover for 3 days then DXB-BKK (EK) all in First for 100,000 miles.

http://singleflyer.com/2015/10/01/ar...-alaska-miles/

I am not actually making a stop over in LAX (just a few hours), but I really wanted to fly the A380 instead of the 777 (which is what the SEA-DXB route is served by).
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Old Oct 7, 2015, 9:55 pm
  #2277  
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Originally Posted by Single_Flyer
My understanding is that you can cancel but you will lose the $12.50 fee. I don't believe this is refundable but I could be wrong.).
It's not refundable.
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Old Oct 8, 2015, 7:19 am
  #2278  
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Originally Posted by Single_Flyer
I am not actually making a stop over in LAX (just a few hours), but I really wanted to fly the A380 instead of the 777 (which is what the SEA-DXB route is served by).
Good call, and you can also enjoy the EK lounge at TBIT at LAX.
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Old Oct 8, 2015, 9:06 am
  #2279  
 
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: USA
Posts: 224
Just to answer your question, you have one stopover a one-way award. You could take LAX or DXB as your stopover in your scenario.

As an aside, in the case where Emirates departs from your hometown, then you can actually add a "free oneway" on Alaska-only metal preceding the Emirates departure. This can be done on your return one-way as well if you use your one-stop at your Emirates US-arriving city.

Originally Posted by ASUDan130
I know with AS awards you can make free changes up until 60 days before the flight but does that include just cancelling the award ticket outright before the 60 day mark free of charge? Also, another random question but is LAX eligible for a stopover?
TrAAveller is offline  
Old Oct 8, 2015, 9:10 am
  #2280  
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,517
Originally Posted by YoungSoloTraveler
I have never encountered phantom award space. You're following EF Z=2 rule?
Pull up DARJFK for four in F, the ENTIRE month of August shows as available and let's you click all the way through until payment...before being hit with the realization that it is phantom.

As for EF, I really shouldn't have to cross reference with AS site (in a perfect world) though clearly that's what's required. Is Z-1 for AS what I should assume and does that also pertain to D?

I.e. is it always (Emirates saver - 1) = what AS can book, for all three classes?
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