Callumxx5

This sounds good.
i do matched betting which requires a lot of bookie transactions would I be able to use it to deposit through this card or will they link it somehow as a cash advance?

mattlander

Hi All,

Apologies if this topic has been covered previously...

I am new to Skywards and have just received my Emirates Elite Card.

On initial checks it doesn't appear that points breaks or even the companion voucher offer very good value for money. Companion voucher requires you to purchase a flex ticket to be able to use it. Also reward points expire with Emirates.

Have I hit the nail on the head or am I missing something vital? Any tips/tricks would be much appreciated.

Many Thanks

skywardhunter

I am guessing by Elite card you are referring to a credit card of some sorts? Perhaps the MBNA one?

If so there are already several threads on this topic:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/emir...edit-card.html

EK MBNA credit cards

If a different card (not MBNA) just try googling for "Emirates [bank name] site:flyertalk.com" this is the best way to find threads on flyertalk.

Miles expire but after several years, personally I don't find this to be an issue at all. The companion voucher, yes, requires a Flex fare AFAIK, but that isn't always a train smash. The fact you need to pay the taxes and surcharges is more of a bummer. I don't have any EK credit card so the above is just what I have surmised from the aforementioned threads

mattlander

Thanks for the quick response.

So I guess the main question is: When purchasing the flex ticket for companion voucher do they mean a cash ticket or can this be a rewards flex ticket?

subject2load

Hi there mattlander - those links already given above will provide a lot of useful info about the cards but suffice to say that yes .... it is definitely a full revenue cash ticket that you would be required to buy in order to qualify for the 'companion ticket'.

Ultimately you will need to make your own judgement of course ; but I do believe that the overwhelming majority of people (including myself) who have looked into the specifics of this 'benefit' find the associated T & C's to be so onerous as to render it pretty unattractive.

That said, the cards - as a normal everyday payment tool - are useful in accumulating additional Skywards miles over & above those earned from actual flying .... which is why I have them.

moral_low_ground

Despite winning awards (no doubt from paid for events) Skywards is a pretty awful scheme unless you travel up the front. Compared with BA which has much better earning and redemption it's next to useless (and I appreciate EK offers (in general) much superior product in Y to BA). I flew over 50 sectors last year (in Y), qualified for Gold again inside 6 months this year and have few miles to show for it. If you take a Y flex return from DXB - JNB, roughly 8 hours each way, 4200 miles earned for a flex ticket one way as a gold member. To upgrade a one way segment would be around 49K miles, so that is nearly 12 long haul sectors to get a one way Y-J upgrade. Redeeming in Y is almost pointless as the taxes means the ticket cost is almost the same as a saver revenue ticket. Cash + Points is the most ridiculous thing ever from a value perspective.

The only value I get is on the ground (lounge + checkin benefits) and of course I can still select a seat for free (wow!!!!)

DYKWIA

There's an interesting post on Head For Points about the MBNA relationship with AMEX. It would appear that the EK Amex card may not be long for this world

http://www.headforpoints.com/2017/06...a-credit-card/

If MBNA announce a new Visa with 1.25 points per £1, that would soften the blow slightly.

sydtogla

I've just found out that someone used my card details for fraud and I've earned myself 19,000 skywards miles for the pleasure, they're in my skywards account.

In the past when I've refunded flights, I have a cap put on my miles earning until the miles 'debt' is paid off. I'd earn 4 miles for every pound spent at EK. Because I'm a dual national I have the option of using a different EK credit card, so I may close this MBNA account. Do they have a way of recovering miles once they are paid to my account? The account used to serve me well but has essentially no benefit now.

DYKWIA

The end is nigh :-

http://www.headforpoints.com/2017/11...e-credit-cards

mozs11

Now that the MBNA airline scheme with Emirates is finished. Can we expect to see EK partnering up with another card provider or something simmilar for spending to earn miles?

Also, what do you think will happen to the existing customers of the MBNA emirates credit card

eternaltransit

Not in the EU - the interchange fee cap makes it infeasible for a card issuer to buy points.

You might see a card with a large annual fee giving things like silver status etc. though.

Existing customers will likely have a 1-3 year period to allow earnings and use then will be closed.

mozs11

So I guess there's no chance of the card being relaunched as a visa or a MasterCard like the American Airlines card?

eternaltransit

I'd say little to no chance unless there's a large annual fee.

DYKWIA

When they do pull the EK cards, I'll probably just start using my AMEX Platinum. Only 1-1 points, but still better than nothing.

Flaneurs

And hopefully they offer something that is available in US also. Amex Platinum 1 to 1 is as good as it gets right now for us. It would also be stellar if they would allow card holders with their new card to accumulate miles which don’t expire (like LX). FWIW, I don’t mind a high annual fee as long as there are good benefits.