FAQ 1 - Program Overview
 

Program Overview

Skywards offers four tiers of membership - Blue, Silver, Gold and Platinum. There is also an unpublished tier - which has recently been released, called Invitation Only. See image below.

This is for EK's most loyal customers and criteria is still largely unknown. Rumours around the program suggest 50+ First sectors per year and/or a minimum spend (which is allegedly US$300K) and entry into the i/O program is by invitation only (by the EK President, Tim Clark's office).

http://img574.imageshack.us/img574/7316/ioimage.jpg
Earning Platinum, Gold and Silver Status
Tier threshold for Skywards Platinum, Gold and Silver Membership between a consecutive 12-13 month period:

Qualify and Retain
Silver 25,000 tier miles*
Gold 50,000 tier miles*
Platinum 150,000 tier miles*

*Tier miles will be calculated over a flexible consecutive 12-13 month earning window.

Your tier status will be valid for any consecutive 12-13 month period. Your tier miles earned are based on a combination of fare, cabin and zones of travel. Upon achieving a higher tier (e.g. Silver), the review date to retain that tier will be set to the same month the following year, rounded off to the end of the month (i.e. 12 months, plus any residual days of the month).

Recognition and validity of the membership card will be set to the same month the following year, plus an extra 2 months, rounded off to end of the month (i.e. 14 months, plus any residual days of the month).

For example, if Silver tier is achieved on 17 July 2008, the review date will be set to 31 July 2009. Recognition and card validity would be set to 30 September 2009.

The Skywards program was overhauled at the beginning of 2010, with many members unhappy with some of the core program changes.

The biggest issue for many were the earn/burn ratio's. For example, if you fly between MEL and SIN, and your on a FLEX fare, you earn 7500 Skywards Miles (as a Blue Member) and 7500 Tier Miles. If however, you travel on a SAVER fare, then you'll earn 3750 Skywards Miles and 3750 Tier Miles.

Clearly, EK are wanting to encourage passengers to purchase Flex fares over Saver fares. The challenge sometimes is getting the booking engine to force one over the other.

The benefits of Skywards Platinum
In addition to all the benefits of Skywards Gold, you'll also enjoy exclusive Platinum member benefits, such as:

• First Class check-in and baggage delivery.
• Access for yourself and a guest to the Emirates First Class lounge in Dubai and Emirates Lounges across the network.
• 75% bonus Skywards Miles when you fly with Emirates
• Gold 'Partner' Card for a spouse or partner
• Guaranteed Business Class revenue seats
• 'Last Seat' Flex reward tickets even on high-demand flights

The benefits of Skywards Gold

• Guaranteed seat reservations, even on fully-booked flights (restrictions apply).
• Personal travel assistance from our dedicated Gold Desk.
• Complimentary e-gate access at Dubai International Airport*.
• Access for members and a guest, to all Emirates and affiliated Business Class lounges. For lounge access in some countries, minors may need to be accompanied by an adult. Members and accompanying guest must be departing on the same Emirates flight.
• Premium Skywards Opening Doors benefits from our worldwide partners.

* Available to all members residing in the United Arab Emirates, or nationals of the Gulf Co-operative Council or of the UAE's visa waiver countries:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the USA and the Vatican.

The benefits of Skywards Silver
Skywards Silver membership instantly entitles you to extra travel privileges, including:

• Extra Skywards Miles when you fly with Emirates.
• Excess baggage allowance.
• Priority check-in.
• Exclusive lounge access to Emirates Business Class lounge at Gate 122 at Dubai International Airport when the member is departing on an Emirates flight. Minors may need to be accompanied by an adult.

How Will I Be Treated Onboard if I am a Silver or Gold Card Holder?
The onboard manifest (the paper print-out the staff often refer to), which is normally stuck up on the wall of galley, will refer to Gold card customers as HVC (High Value Customer). It will also specify your drink preference, and in each cabin (ie First/Business/Economy), the manifest will show how many HVC's there are per cabin.

IO members have the designation HVC+ beside their name.

Each cabin supervisor (and the overall Flight Pursar) should greet all HVC's by name and welcome them back, with the obligatory "if there is anything you need" speech. Some flights will be heavily populated with Golds and Silvers, so it may not be possible for personal greetings. Others will be light. Regular EK travellers observe that the greeting is inconsistent and some would even prefer if it was bypassed altogether. Personal choice I suppose and in reality, if you're flying in J or F, the service quality should be the same regardless of status.

How do I earn Miles with Skywards?
Skywards membership gives you two easy and direct ways to earn Skywards Miles - through flights with Emirates*, partner airlines and through non-flight partners.
*Emirates and some partner airlines offer a minimum earning rate for single sector distances of less than 500 Miles.

Earning on flights
Your earning opportunities through flights occur when you fly with Emirates, or with one of EK's partner airlines

Emirates
Every time you fly you will earn Skywards Miles based on the combination of fare purchased, cabin and zones of travel. In addition, you can also take advantage of the Skywards Miles accelerator that will offer special flight bonuses throughout the year.

Family Bonus Programme
You can also take advantage of the Family Bonus programme. You can nominate up to eight family members and when they fly Emirates, 20% of their flown miles will be credited to your account, including bonuses for flying Business or First Class and any promotions.

Earning tier miles
Flying with Emirates also credits your account with the equivalent amount in tier miles, which help you move toward and retain the higher status of Skywards Silver or Gold membership. Once you reach these tiers, you'll gain access to additional benefits and rewards, including a special tier bonus when earning Skywards Miles.

Details on tier miles:

• Help you progress to Skywards Silver and Skywards Gold membership levels.
• Are earned only when you fly Emirates.
• Are earned at the same rate as Skywards Miles and depend on the fare purchased, cabin and zones of travel.
• Are valid for up to 13 months.

Tier miles required to qualify and retain - Skywards Silver
25,000 Miles to be earned in a consecutive 12 month window*

Tier miles required to qualify and retain - Skywards Gold
50,000 Miles to be earned in a consecutive 12 month window*

*This means you will not lose your Miles at the end of the year if you travel in any consecutive 12-13 month period, helping you to maintain your current tier status.

Partner airlines
When you fly with one of the partner airlines listed below, you will also earn Skywards Miles.

- Japan Airlines
- Jet Airways
- Kingfisher Airlines
- Korean Air
- South African Airways

Flight Miles at a glance
Economy Class - Base Miles
Business Class - Additional 75%
First Class - Additional 150%

Tier bonus
Skywards Silver - Additional 1.25 Miles per mile earned
Skywards Gold - Additional 1.50 Miles per mile earned

Earning with non-flight partners
Your ability to earn Skywards Miles extends to non-flight partners, with earning opportunities at partner hotels, or with leisure and lifestyle partners, car rental and financial institutions.

Mileage Accelerator
These are one-off mileage bonuses which are awarded by EK and apply to specific routes. They are seasonal and class dependent. For the latest promotions surrounding Mileage Accelerator, click here.

Skywards Contacts

Dubai contact centre
Address
P.O. Box 35436,
Dubai, UAE.

Telephone
In the UAE call 04 214 4444

From the rest of the world call +9714 214 4444
Fax +9714 316 7001
Working hours (open 07:00 - 22:00 hrs. daily)

Karachi contact centre
Address
4 Lakson Square Bldg 1, 265 R.A. Lines,
Sarwar Shaheed Road,
Karachi, Pakistan.

Telephone
In Pakistan call 111 225 535

From the rest of the world call +9221 3520 3377
Fax +9221 3521 2305
Working hours (open 09:00 - 19:00 hrs. Mon to Sat)

Manchester contact centre
Address
Riverside Court, Riverside Park,
Bollin Walk,Wilmslow,
Cheshire SK9 1DL, UK.

Telephone
In the UK call 0844 800 2777

In Germany call +49 699 4519 2000
In Switzerland call +41 44 511 8440
In Italy call +39 02 91483 3383
In France call +33 15 732 4999
In Austria call +43 120 609 1999

From the rest of the world call +44 1625 445 402
Fax +44 1625 524 632
Working hours (open 07:30 - 20:30 hrs. Mon to Sat)

Mumbai contact centre
Address
Emirates Contact Centre, Interface -11,
Unit No. 301 3rd floor,
off New Link road, Malad west,
Mumbai 400 064

Telephone
In Mumbai call 022 4097 4097

From the rest of the world call +9122 4097 4097
Fax +9122 2844 4670
Working hours (open 09:00 - 19:00 hrs. Mon to Fri / 09:00 - 17:30 hrs. Sat to Sun)

Melbourne contact centre
Address
Emirates House, Level 2,
257 Collins Street,Melbourne, Victoria 3000,
Australia.

Telephone
In Australia call 1300 555 551

From the rest of the world call +613 9940 7801
Fax +613 9654 3006

Working hours (open 07:00 - 19:00 hrs. Mon to Fri / 07:00 - 17:00 hrs. Sat / 09.00 - 17.00 hrs. Sun)*
(Ticket office hours open 09:00 - 17:00 hrs. Mon to Fri)
* Hours of operation for customer service by telephone only.

In New Zealand call 0508 759 927
(from 09:00 - 21:00 hrs. Mon to Fri / 10:30 - 19:00 hrs. Sat)

New York contact centre
Address
P.O. Box 709, Mineola,
New York 11501-0709,
USA.

Telephone
In the US and Canada call 1 800 777 3999
Fax +1 516 247 3527
Working hours (open 24/7)

Can a Gold bring a Blue
 

I am a Gold card holder and just wonder if I could bring a Blue card into the Bis lounge at Dubai airport? TIA

Only if you are flying Business or First and they are on the same flight (though the latter rule is less strictly enforced)

Can a skywards gold flying F guest someone(flying in Y in the same flight) into a emirates F lounge?

Yes, no problems. I was fortunate to be the Y guest not so long ago of a fellow FT'er who was in F. The front desk staff didnt blink when it came to gaining entry. We were in Dubai.

priority checkin
 

The benefits of Skywards Silver
Skywards Silver membership instantly entitles you to extra travel privileges, including:
Extra Skywards Miles when you fly with Emirates.
Excess baggage allowance.
Priority check-in.
Exclusive lounge access to Emirates Business Class lounge at Gate 122 at Dubai International Airport when the member is departing on an Emirates flight. Minors may need to be accompanied by an adult.

just been reading the benifits for a silver member, which i am, and read the bit regarding priority checkin,can someone tell me how one takes advantage of this ?
i flew in feb in business and it took ages to checkin? maybe i was in the wrong lane ? flying again next week from manchester and would like to take advantage of this , thanks^

Silvers are entitled to the Business class check in when flying economy, though at many outstations they just have a separate Gold/Silver check in queue separate from the J class queue.

At Dubai there is a separate check in area for Silver members flying Economy.

IO benefit
 

I noticed a benefit for IO members I was not aware off. We were parked at a remote stand at DXB for a flight last Tuesday, as our bus gave us a tour of all the facilities in Dubai Airport and more we finally arrived at our A345 but the driver wouldn't open the doors; everyone was wondering why but that was soon answered as 2 IO Range Rovers pulled up alongside the stairs to the aircraft and 2 passengers came off, their documents checked by ground staff and then they were allowed up the steps.

Then the premium passengers were allowed to disembark of the bus and into the plane....

Interesting. Where was this flight headed to?

BEY

As far as I could see and count the flight had a large number of HVCs. The purser/SFS welcomes took quite sometime and must have covered at least 60% of the J cabin. Not to mention those in F & Y which I spotted with Gold tags

Just experienced the same. IO travelling in J(!) was taking the bonus tour. Chatted with him in ADD Lounge for a while. Really nice guy - and says: IO doesn't have too many nice "features" except you get a lot of extra ....-chat - if you like. ;)

As I understand it, the mileage accelerator miles does not credit to tier miles, only to bonus miles?
Does the tier bonus miles also only credit to bonus miles account, and not to tier?

As the FAQ only says you will get the same amount tier miles as bonus miles, maybe someone can explain if there are any exceptions and maybe add to FAQ?

Tier mileage earning is not affected by status; the status bonuses are only bonus miles

Unless there happens to be some special promotion where EK offers extra tier miles ( I don't know if EK ever does these ) the tier miles are fixed

If I am traveling with a colleague, I'm silver, he's blue I guess, can he check-in with me at the Silver zone?

Also, curious as I am a mere 625 miles from Gold, when I am gold is it the same as above for the gold zone?

Final question, Silver lounge, can you bring +1 guest?

Cheers, Powers

Yes he can check-in with you in any zone/class that you use.

Silvers can't guest