I can provide one side effect of this change: I won't start collecting miles on Emirates. Being based out of CDG, I will need to go to Dubai on a semi regular basis. However, I calculated that it will take me NINE roundtrips between Paris and Dubai in Saver fare in order to qualify for the basic SILVER status, and 17 to qualify for Gold.

The system is fine if you are based in Dubai and so use Emirates to fly to most locations, but if you are not based in Dubai, and since Emirates is not part of an alliance, it make no sense for me to put my miles there. I'll take them on United and forgo the useless tier miles.

Another devaluation?
 

Most of us flying the last couple of years have got used to the online booking bonus. Now that it is April 1, it looks like this promotion isn't being extended. That's just a whole new level of devaluation now.

I can't see the end of a promotion reasonably being classed as a devaluation; the promo gave extra on top of the expected amount for a while and now is back to normal

But when a promotion has been running for 6 years straight, it is felt like a devaluation.

I'm not convinced the program has been devalued, based on my last 12-months travel with EK, but I only have 1-year as a data point.

Ok, so I've not earned the online bonuses for 5+ years like some others, but after a quick check of travel since Apr 09, I earned 33,000 miles via the online bonus offer.

Hardly anything worth jumping up and down about if you ask me.

I received 25,000 miles for a end of year offer and I personally think that the Miles Accelerator Bonus miles are far more valuable.

95% of my travel is in Y and I will fly/earn 200K tier miles in this 12-month period (Apr 09-Apr-10). I'd like to be able to buy more than 25,000 miles in a year (US carriers allow up to 60,000), would like a far more generous lounge access policy (ie more than 1-guest) and there is absolutely no incentive for me to keep flying EK after I pass the 50K tier mile threshold.

However, in terms of op-ups, I couldnt be happier and EK have by far been the most generous carrier that I have ever flown. I am lucky though that I am based in SIN and I fly routes which have been experiencing high-loads. I am convinced though its all to do with load and Gold status in general, rather than any sort of personal notation in EK's CRM system or equivalent.

There's also probably not as many Golds based out of SIN as there are obviously based out of DXB or LHR.

I often peek at the lounge list when I visit the MEL lounge and there are often no more than 3 Gold's on it.

The sooner they bring out a 4th tier with the appropriate benefits, the happier I will be...

This time last year, there was the online booking bonus, as well as the double/ triple miles offer. In terms of value for miles, it looks like its definitely going to be lower over the next 12 months.

Mileage accelerator in my experience so far, has been quite disappointing. At least on the routes I've been flying, there have been little or no bonuses. It doesn't matter how many miles this actually is - it is at least a 20% devaluation. And 33,000 miles is a fair amount I think.

I agree with ung1 on the mileage accelerator. Barely any extra on the SIN routes. Another thing I am quite p1ssed about is that there seem to be no upgrades available on my usual route (LON-DXB-SIN) over the next six months. I tried to upgrade three bookings (for the next 4 months) however no upgrade available for any single one of them. I keep asking them when the upgrades will be released and nobody at Skywards seems to know. They could give me a billion miles for my birthday, if I can not use them due to non-availability of upgrades they are worthless! (J and F still wide open for my dates without upgrades by the way).

If you had a billion miles, why on earth would you waste them on upgrades? You would use them for peak/ flex First class rewards. Those, surely, are available in abundance.

I was trying to make a point regarding lack of upgrades...

I agree that this is a major devaluation. Emirates needs to realize that its brand name has taken a REAL beating with inconsistent service and cramped NARROW economy seating. Skywards was a great way for us to fly business relatively easy as compare to other airlines, and this fact I really liked about Emirates. But making it harder through this new program to accumulate miles, this will only force flyers like myself, who will now have to fly economy more often in order to get the miles, to look seriously at other airlines. SORRY Emirates, but you are NO longer the only game in town as you were 5-10 years ago. There is Qatar Airways with the same entertainment system, 5 star rated BETTER seating in Economy, and Eithad Airlines. I really hope that Emirates changes, or else its loyal passengers are going to be EX-EMIRATES passengers and start to fly Qatar Airways or Eithad!