Your Skywards Questions Answered
Jun 6, 2011, 11:37 am
#106
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,455
For those running into issues with EK/Skywards, I've realised that as long it's something that can be discussed on the phone, they're usually quick to solve it this way, while anything that needs to go online/email, will take ages or simply go missing in the sand.
At least my camel poo (Gold card package) arrived within 3 days of achieving status within the system, not bad at all! (Given I'm living in Non-EU Europe, reached status on Friday 27th, letter dated Tuesday, 31st May, arrived Friday 3rd June, only got to pick it up today, but the arrival stamp at my local post office was from Friday and they couldn't deliver it to me at that day because I wasn't home and it needed a signature)
Oh, and the letter opener is nice, I've to admit ^
At least my camel poo (Gold card package) arrived within 3 days of achieving status within the system, not bad at all! (Given I'm living in Non-EU Europe, reached status on Friday 27th, letter dated Tuesday, 31st May, arrived Friday 3rd June, only got to pick it up today, but the arrival stamp at my local post office was from Friday and they couldn't deliver it to me at that day because I wasn't home and it needed a signature)
Oh, and the letter opener is nice, I've to admit ^
Jun 6, 2011, 11:45 am
#107
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: OSL
Programs: BA Gold | SK Gold | A3 Gold
Posts: 4,553
Jun 6, 2011, 3:47 pm
#108
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Preston
Programs: Skywards Silver, Miles & Bonus Gold, BD Diamond Blue
Posts: 176
looking forward to the letter opener. Shame that will prob be my last Gold gift in a while!
Jun 7, 2011, 4:47 am
#109
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PDX
Programs: Don't think it matters...
Posts: 5,240
Hopefully it gets renewed this year ..
Btw.. IIRC you taking some flights in F in the MLE - DXB sector.. still short of miles is it
Jun 7, 2011, 4:52 am
#110
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: OSL
Programs: BA Gold | SK Gold | A3 Gold
Posts: 4,553
Yea well that's only 17,000 tier miles. I usually renew Silver towards the end of the year so it is far too early to be thinking about Gold normally. Anyway, with Saver fares I'm going to need an alternate strategy. Maybe buy a million US Air miles. They're on sale again.
Jun 7, 2011, 6:20 am
#111
Moderator: Emirates Skywards and Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: 12R/30L
Programs: EK Gold|EY Gold|Bonvoy Ambassador| IHG Plat|HHonors Diamond
Posts: 2,818
Jun 7, 2011, 11:42 pm
#112
Moderator: Emirates Skywards and Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: 12R/30L
Programs: EK Gold|EY Gold|Bonvoy Ambassador| IHG Plat|HHonors Diamond
Posts: 2,818
Share your Miles with family and friends
Received this in the Skywards newsletter last night .... it keeps getting better and better; not only do you earn less now with saver miles, they cost more to purchase. I wouldn't be surprised if they start disallowing redemptions for friends/family
"From 1 July you will have increased flexibility in managing your account by transferring or purchasing Miles.
You will now be able to transfer your existing Miles to other Skywards members at a charge of USD 25 per 1,000 Miles. Additional Miles can also be purchased at a revised rate of USD 40 per 1,000 Miles. With no additional transaction fees and an introductory saving of 5% via skywards.com, rewards have never been closer."
"From 1 July you will have increased flexibility in managing your account by transferring or purchasing Miles.
You will now be able to transfer your existing Miles to other Skywards members at a charge of USD 25 per 1,000 Miles. Additional Miles can also be purchased at a revised rate of USD 40 per 1,000 Miles. With no additional transaction fees and an introductory saving of 5% via skywards.com, rewards have never been closer."
Jun 7, 2011, 11:56 pm
#113
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: OSL
Programs: BA Gold | SK Gold | A3 Gold
Posts: 4,553
Received this in the Skywards newsletter last night .... it keeps getting better and better; not only do you earn less now with saver miles, they cost more to purchase. I wouldn't be surprised if they start disallowing redemptions for friends/family
"From 1 July you will have increased flexibility in managing your account by transferring or purchasing Miles.
You will now be able to transfer your existing Miles to other Skywards members at a charge of USD 25 per 1,000 Miles. Additional Miles can also be purchased at a revised rate of USD 40 per 1,000 Miles. With no additional transaction fees and an introductory saving of 5% via skywards.com, rewards have never been closer."
"From 1 July you will have increased flexibility in managing your account by transferring or purchasing Miles.
You will now be able to transfer your existing Miles to other Skywards members at a charge of USD 25 per 1,000 Miles. Additional Miles can also be purchased at a revised rate of USD 40 per 1,000 Miles. With no additional transaction fees and an introductory saving of 5% via skywards.com, rewards have never been closer."
Jun 8, 2011, 1:52 am
#114
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: EK Gold, EY Gold, BA Gold OW Emerald, A3 *G, SV Skyteam Elite
Posts: 972
"From 1 July you will have increased flexibility in managing your account by transferring or purchasing Miles.
You will now be able to transfer your existing Miles to other Skywards members at a charge of USD 25 per 1,000 Miles. Additional Miles can also be purchased at a revised rate of USD 40 per 1,000 Miles. With no additional transaction fees and an introductory saving of 5% via skywards.com, rewards have never been closer."
You will now be able to transfer your existing Miles to other Skywards members at a charge of USD 25 per 1,000 Miles. Additional Miles can also be purchased at a revised rate of USD 40 per 1,000 Miles. With no additional transaction fees and an introductory saving of 5% via skywards.com, rewards have never been closer."
How much was the purchase price before? USD 25 per 1,000 miles? That's almost doubling it!
Jun 8, 2011, 2:32 am
#115
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 123
This is very disappointing and contributes to the devaluation of the program. While we were talking about difficulties earning tier miles it is now even spending miles that is had to get.
How much was the purchase price before? USD 25 per 1,000 miles? That's almost doubling it!
How much was the purchase price before? USD 25 per 1,000 miles? That's almost doubling it!
Jun 8, 2011, 2:59 am
#116
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 123
Even Skywards didn't know!!!
Then after 20minutes of holding - they discovered that it is indeed correct!
Jun 8, 2011, 4:25 pm
#117
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: EK Gold, EY Gold, BA Gold OW Emerald, A3 *G, SV Skyteam Elite
Posts: 972
Jun 9, 2011, 12:35 am
#118
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,307
Or whether an upgrade will actually be available. The money may be wasted if the poster will not have another opportunity to use them before the purchased, or currently owned, miles expire.
Jun 17, 2011, 9:47 am
#119
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Dubai
Programs: British Airways Silver, Emirates Skywards Gold, Priority Pass, Hilton Gold, Priority Club Gold
Posts: 3
Brand new to this site but wanted to air my question and see if it could get answered.
I gained Gold status in May after a few flights to the UK, Singapore, Bahrain and Qatar mostly economy apart from Qatar flights. Average tier points to UK 6000 and Singapore 7000 so got 32k quite quick.
About a month after gaining my letter opener came the news that no guest in lounge for Gold Member flying economy (my wife isn't to happy) until lounge extensions done but when I asked staff recently they said until further notice I.e. Never. Next issue tier points, just booked flight to Hong Kong no choice whether flex or saver ended up with saver so only get 3500 tier points (18h in the air, I earn the same flying 2h business to Doha) checked flight to UK only 3000. now the price isn't any cheaper than I paid before but tier point halved? It would seem they are trying to make Gold far more exclusive by emptying lounges of guests and making it far harder for economy high mileage flyers to achieve gold. Thoughts please?
I gained Gold status in May after a few flights to the UK, Singapore, Bahrain and Qatar mostly economy apart from Qatar flights. Average tier points to UK 6000 and Singapore 7000 so got 32k quite quick.
About a month after gaining my letter opener came the news that no guest in lounge for Gold Member flying economy (my wife isn't to happy) until lounge extensions done but when I asked staff recently they said until further notice I.e. Never. Next issue tier points, just booked flight to Hong Kong no choice whether flex or saver ended up with saver so only get 3500 tier points (18h in the air, I earn the same flying 2h business to Doha) checked flight to UK only 3000. now the price isn't any cheaper than I paid before but tier point halved? It would seem they are trying to make Gold far more exclusive by emptying lounges of guests and making it far harder for economy high mileage flyers to achieve gold. Thoughts please?
Jun 17, 2011, 10:06 am
#120
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,455
Welcome to FT.
The topic you're mostly mentioning, i.e. Saver/Flex and Gold lounge access for guests has been plenty in the discussion
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/emira...e-changes.html
While the changes are definitely not nice, some of the prior rules from EK were pretty good, i.e. full earning on even the cheapest Eco fares was something which is definitely NOT industry standard today, and Gold was indeed earned too quick by many.
About the Lounge access rule, hope is that with the harder qualification for it, and expanding of lounges once the new terminal gets operational, lounge access for 1 guest could indeed work out again. I would give EK a bit time on this, but certainly not defend them for restricting it. It was just too crowded in some lounges, notably DXB, they had to do a change. How it was done, of course, was wrong.
The topic you're mostly mentioning, i.e. Saver/Flex and Gold lounge access for guests has been plenty in the discussion
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/emira...e-changes.html
While the changes are definitely not nice, some of the prior rules from EK were pretty good, i.e. full earning on even the cheapest Eco fares was something which is definitely NOT industry standard today, and Gold was indeed earned too quick by many.
About the Lounge access rule, hope is that with the harder qualification for it, and expanding of lounges once the new terminal gets operational, lounge access for 1 guest could indeed work out again. I would give EK a bit time on this, but certainly not defend them for restricting it. It was just too crowded in some lounges, notably DXB, they had to do a change. How it was done, of course, was wrong.