Apr 2, 2016, 9:31 am
Last edit by: eponymous_coward
Emirates award guide using Alaska Airlines miles. Note that Alaska Airlines cannot book EK F any longer- it's just J or Y. F awards were ceased on 3/31/2021.
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.
Only AS and EK can be used for the award.
North American Gateway Cities:
West Coast
Seattle
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Central
Chicago
Dallas
Houston
East Coast
Boston
New York (JFK, EWR)
Washington DC (IAD)
Fort Lauderdale
Orlando
Canada
Toronto
Mexico
Mexico City (via Barcelona)
Award Chart Links*:
Middle East & Africa
Asia
Note: EK flies DXB-HKG-BKK but otherwise it is DXB-final stop
Europe
Note: EK flies JFK-MXP-DXB and EWR-ATH-DXB but otherwise routing will be via DXB
*If region is not listed on chart it's 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.
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.
Only AS and EK can be used for the award.
North American Gateway Cities:
West Coast
Seattle
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Central
Chicago
Dallas
Houston
East Coast
Boston
New York (JFK, EWR)
Washington DC (IAD)
Fort Lauderdale
Orlando
Canada
Toronto
Mexico
Mexico City (via Barcelona)
Award Chart Links*:
Middle East & Africa
Asia
Note: EK flies DXB-HKG-BKK but otherwise it is DXB-final stop
Europe
Note: EK flies JFK-MXP-DXB and EWR-ATH-DXB but otherwise routing will be via DXB
*If region is not listed on chart it's 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.
Consolidated Emirates (EK) Awards Availability/Booking/Routing (2016 and Later)
Apr 5, 2016, 9:14 am
#31
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 109
Agree with ps9a, I've been able to book many seats that did not come up on the AS website. The problem is as SanDiego1K stated. Often it's hard to differentiate between an incompetent agent and truly lack of availability, so I guess the only way to find out is to keep calling
Apr 5, 2016, 10:45 am
#32
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Mountain Time Zone
Programs: AS Million Miler/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/ IGH Ambassador
Posts: 5,992
Agree with ps9a, I've been able to book many seats that did not come up on the AS website. The problem is as SanDiego1K stated. Often it's hard to differentiate between an incompetent agent and truly lack of availability, so I guess the only way to find out is to keep calling
Apr 5, 2016, 5:36 pm
#33
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 109
Has anyone else noticed that mixed-class availability seems to have vanished?
If I search my first leg, I can see first class
If I search my second leg with my first leg, I can only see biz.
Expertflyer shows Z available on that first flight and D available on the second
I was able to do this Sunday, but can't seem to do it today.
Anyone have any luck calling to get something like this fixed? AS told me twice over the phone they can't force it and are unable to (refusing?) to contact Emirates to work it through with them.
If I search my first leg, I can see first class
If I search my second leg with my first leg, I can only see biz.
Expertflyer shows Z available on that first flight and D available on the second
I was able to do this Sunday, but can't seem to do it today.
Anyone have any luck calling to get something like this fixed? AS told me twice over the phone they can't force it and are unable to (refusing?) to contact Emirates to work it through with them.
Apr 5, 2016, 8:16 pm
#34
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Mountain Time Zone
Programs: AS Million Miler/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/ IGH Ambassador
Posts: 5,992
Has anyone else noticed that mixed-class availability seems to have vanished?
If I search my first leg, I can see first class
If I search my second leg with my first leg, I can only see biz.
Expertflyer shows Z available on that first flight and D available on the second
I was able to do this Sunday, but can't seem to do it today.
Anyone have any luck calling to get something like this fixed? AS told me twice over the phone they can't force it and are unable to (refusing?) to contact Emirates to work it through with them.
If I search my first leg, I can see first class
If I search my second leg with my first leg, I can only see biz.
Expertflyer shows Z available on that first flight and D available on the second
I was able to do this Sunday, but can't seem to do it today.
Anyone have any luck calling to get something like this fixed? AS told me twice over the phone they can't force it and are unable to (refusing?) to contact Emirates to work it through with them.
If you call EK and tell them you are booking AS award then they will tell you to call AS.. Next time get the AS agents name
Apr 6, 2016, 12:48 pm
#35
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: 718
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, IHG Diamond
Posts: 967
"Connecting segments-- and I'm speaking from experience with DXB-MLE/SEZ/SIN/BKK, seem to be more readily available to agents than AS.com. IME, married segments and stopover inventory are quite unreliable on AS. "
I totally agree with this.
Originally Posted by paladin732 View Post
Has anyone else noticed that mixed-class availability seems to have vanished?
If I search my first leg, I can see first class
If I search my second leg with my first leg, I can only see biz.
Expertflyer shows Z available on that first flight and D available on the second
I was able to do this Sunday, but can't seem to do it today.
Anyone have any luck calling to get something like this fixed? AS told me twice over the phone they can't force it and are unable to (refusing?) to contact Emirates to work it through with them.
Assuming you are not within the 60 days (from departure) so you can just cancel if it doesnt work; if you see F in your first leg, but when searching for first leg+2nd leg together, you do not see F but only see J available. I recommend you to book the J seat. Then right after booking, call AS immediately and tell them you want to upgrade your first leg to F. The rep should have no problem doing this and will tell you that it will cost you the F redemption rate for the entire trip (though your 2nd leg will be in J). I hope this makes sense...
I totally agree with this.
Originally Posted by paladin732 View Post
Has anyone else noticed that mixed-class availability seems to have vanished?
If I search my first leg, I can see first class
If I search my second leg with my first leg, I can only see biz.
Expertflyer shows Z available on that first flight and D available on the second
I was able to do this Sunday, but can't seem to do it today.
Anyone have any luck calling to get something like this fixed? AS told me twice over the phone they can't force it and are unable to (refusing?) to contact Emirates to work it through with them.
Assuming you are not within the 60 days (from departure) so you can just cancel if it doesnt work; if you see F in your first leg, but when searching for first leg+2nd leg together, you do not see F but only see J available. I recommend you to book the J seat. Then right after booking, call AS immediately and tell them you want to upgrade your first leg to F. The rep should have no problem doing this and will tell you that it will cost you the F redemption rate for the entire trip (though your 2nd leg will be in J). I hope this makes sense...
Apr 7, 2016, 10:07 am
#36
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Mountain Time Zone
Programs: AS Million Miler/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/ IGH Ambassador
Posts: 5,992
"Connecting segments-- and I'm speaking from experience with DXB-MLE/SEZ/SIN/BKK, seem to be more readily available to agents than AS.com. IME, married segments and stopover inventory are quite unreliable on AS. "
I totally agree with this.
Originally Posted by paladin732 View Post
Has anyone else noticed that mixed-class availability seems to have vanished?
If I search my first leg, I can see first class
If I search my second leg with my first leg, I can only see biz.
Expertflyer shows Z available on that first flight and D available on the second
I was able to do this Sunday, but can't seem to do it today.
Anyone have any luck calling to get something like this fixed? AS told me twice over the phone they can't force it and are unable to (refusing?) to contact Emirates to work it through with them.
Assuming you are not within the 60 days (from departure) so you can just cancel if it doesnt work; if you see F in your first leg, but when searching for first leg+2nd leg together, you do not see F but only see J available. I recommend you to book the J seat. Then right after booking, call AS immediately and tell them you want to upgrade your first leg to F. The rep should have no problem doing this and will tell you that it will cost you the F redemption rate for the entire trip (though your 2nd leg will be in J). I hope this makes sense...
I totally agree with this.
Originally Posted by paladin732 View Post
Has anyone else noticed that mixed-class availability seems to have vanished?
If I search my first leg, I can see first class
If I search my second leg with my first leg, I can only see biz.
Expertflyer shows Z available on that first flight and D available on the second
I was able to do this Sunday, but can't seem to do it today.
Anyone have any luck calling to get something like this fixed? AS told me twice over the phone they can't force it and are unable to (refusing?) to contact Emirates to work it through with them.
Assuming you are not within the 60 days (from departure) so you can just cancel if it doesnt work; if you see F in your first leg, but when searching for first leg+2nd leg together, you do not see F but only see J available. I recommend you to book the J seat. Then right after booking, call AS immediately and tell them you want to upgrade your first leg to F. The rep should have no problem doing this and will tell you that it will cost you the F redemption rate for the entire trip (though your 2nd leg will be in J). I hope this makes sense...
I can tell you I am seeing "phantom " availability aka AF on some EK flights
Apr 9, 2016, 10:21 pm
#37
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: AA, UA, DL, AS, LH, BA, VS, HHonors, Hyatt, Club Carlson, IHG, Marriott
Posts: 833
I only find EK availability on AS.com departing from North America.
Is there a reason that there isn't any availability from other countries like in Europe or am I only able to get that availability through an agent by phone?
Also, how many stopovers am I allowed other than DXB?
Is there a reason that there isn't any availability from other countries like in Europe or am I only able to get that availability through an agent by phone?
Also, how many stopovers am I allowed other than DXB?
Apr 9, 2016, 10:31 pm
#38
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,755
Apr 10, 2016, 11:00 am
#39
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: AA, UA, DL, AS, LH, BA, VS, HHonors, Hyatt, Club Carlson, IHG, Marriott
Posts: 833
Apr 10, 2016, 11:39 am
#40
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Mountain Time Zone
Programs: AS Million Miler/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/ IGH Ambassador
Posts: 5,992
You can stop over in DXB going west to east of course you can do JFK to Milan. EK is more or less point to point
Apr 10, 2016, 11:42 am
#41
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,397
Because AS doesn't actually fly outside the North American continent (save Hawaii), and thus they expect their membership to be predominantly based in the United States. They don't do zone-based charts either (the awards that are available are potentially different for each partner; for instance, at present AA awards to Australia aren't valid, even though AA flies there).
PS: the restriction is in the wiki, helpfully placed at the top of every page of this thread.
Right. Generally AS doesn't allow stopovers for fifth freedom routes, they want them in the partner hub (for EK that's DXB, for CX that's HKG, and so on). Some people play the HUACA game and get them anyway, but that's obviously dependent on how well and how long you want to play that game.
PS: the restriction is in the wiki, helpfully placed at the top of every page of this thread.
Right. Generally AS doesn't allow stopovers for fifth freedom routes, they want them in the partner hub (for EK that's DXB, for CX that's HKG, and so on). Some people play the HUACA game and get them anyway, but that's obviously dependent on how well and how long you want to play that game.
Apr 10, 2016, 2:44 pm
#42
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: AA, UA, DL, AS, LH, BA, VS, HHonors, Hyatt, Club Carlson, IHG, Marriott
Posts: 833
How are you able to have an open jaw on a one-way award like the wiki says?
Wouldn't that be essentially a RT with an open-jaw because I thought open jaws are only applicable to RTs?
Update: Nevermind, I think I figured it out.
Wouldn't that be essentially a RT with an open-jaw because I thought open jaws are only applicable to RTs?
Update: Nevermind, I think I figured it out.
Last edited by MVF Trekker; Apr 11, 2016 at 12:37 pm
Apr 11, 2016, 11:26 pm
#43
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 91
Lounge Access with AS award ticket
I am at SIN waiting for a SIN-DXB-JFK AS award flight in First. We have been told that there is no lounge access. I know that there was a blip because of staff coding on the ticket a few months ago - but I have read reports of people being admitted in SIN before, so I am wondering if this is connected to the AS devaluation?..
Have folks had Emirates first class lounge access on AS tickets in the past few weeks? Most concerned about access in DXB.
Have folks had Emirates first class lounge access on AS tickets in the past few weeks? Most concerned about access in DXB.
Apr 11, 2016, 11:42 pm
#44
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 117
I am at SIN waiting for a SIN-DXB-JFK AS award flight in First. We have been told that there is no lounge access. I know that there was a blip because of staff coding on the ticket a few months ago - but I have read reports of people being admitted in SIN before, so I am wondering if this is connected to the AS devaluation?..
Have folks had Emirates first class lounge access on AS tickets in the past few weeks? Most concerned about access in DXB.
Have folks had Emirates first class lounge access on AS tickets in the past few weeks? Most concerned about access in DXB.
Apr 12, 2016, 12:54 am
#45
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 91
Did you have lounge access printed on your boarding card? Boarding passes that I have seen online often do (I obviously don't know if AS miles were used. ). Mine doesn't.
I also was given a meal voucher (we have a long transit). Did you get one printed automatically?