Emirates Skywards is the global frequent flyer programme of Emirates and its sister airline, flydubai. Since launching in 2000, Skywards now has over 37 million members and is one of the world’s most popular airline loyalty programmes.
Having recently marked its Silver Jubilee, now’s a great time to have a closer look at the Skywards loyalty programme. Unlike some, Skywards is a loyalty programme that really rewards its members. Things like booking an aspirational First redemption are now reserved for Silver status holders and above.
Despite not being part of an airline alliance, if you regularly fly East, Emirates is worth a serious look. With an ever-growing partner network, great loyalty benefits, and flexible earning and redemption options, it certainly shouldn’t be ruled out simply because it’s not part of an alliance.
We analyse the quickest and cheapest ways to earn status for three example routes: Heathrow to Dubai, Dubai to Jeddah, and Heathrow to Sydney.
This article details the essential things you need to know about the Skywards programme as part of our series covering the most popular airline loyalty programmes and alliances.
In this post:
Emirates
Emirates is one of the largest long-haul airlines in the world, with its hub in Dubai (DXB) in an excellent location for convenient stopovers. There are a good number of flights departing from the UK daily, not just from Heathrow (like many of the main contenders). By early 2026, Emirates plans to operate 90 weekly flights from London (Stansted, Heathrow, and Gatwick) and 146 flights from other UK airports, including Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, and Edinburgh.
The great thing about Emirates is its huge route network from Dubai!
The fleet is made up of Boeing and Airbus aircraft (mainly the Airbus A380 and Boeing 777). UK flights are mainly operated by Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A350 aircraft.
It’s a luxurious airline, always pushing the boundaries of air travel – in-air showers, bars in the sky and great Business and First products paired with excellent service. Emirates often markets as ‘flexible, international and premium focused’.
The Emirates Skywards Loyalty Programme
When getting your head around the Emirates Skywards loyalty programme, it’s important to know the difference between Skywards Miles and Tier Miles:
- Skywards Miles: These are the miles you earn from flying with Emirates and flydubai, as well as through a variety of partners, and can be spent on things like flight redemptions and upgrades. Besides flying, there are a number of other ways to earn Skywards miles. We will cover this in part 2.
- Tier Miles: Earn status by collecting enough Tier miles each membership year. Earning enough tier miles will allow you to move up a Skywards Tier. They are calculated based on your fare class and distance flown. There are four tiers in the Emirates Skywards loyalty programme: Blue, Silver, Gold and Platinum. To keep your status, you must earn the required Tier Miles or qualifying flights during the first 12 months; otherwise, you drop down a tier. This is a soft landing rather than going right down to Blue. These thresholds are cumulative within a membership year. Once you reach 25,000 Tier Miles, you are Silver, and the same Tier Miles continue counting until you reach 50,000 and become Gold.
Membership Tiers Explained
Here’s how you can progress through the tiers:
| Tier | Qualification |
|---|---|
| Blue | Entry-level membership when you join Skywards |
| Silver | 25,000 Tier Miles or 25 flights |
| Gold | 50,000 Tier Miles or 50 flights |
| Platinum | 150,000 Tier Miles and at least one qualifying flight in Business or First Class |
Membership Year: Your membership year lasts 12 months from the date you join or are upgraded. You can enjoy any new tier for 14 months, giving you an extra two months of benefits beyond the membership year.
Earning Status: Unlike some airline loyalty programmes (e.g. those of BA and Iberia), the only way to earn status with Emirates as someone in the UK is to fly. There’s no route to earn Tier Miles through UK partner credit cards, hotel stays, or shopping. In the US/UAE, there are credit cards available that award Tier Miles. The other minor exception is Marriott’s reciprocal partnership with Emirates, but the benefits are ancillary and not status earning (more in part 2).
How to Earn Emirates Skywards Status
Skywards Blue
Blue is the entry-level tier of the Skywards loyalty programme. You will become a Blue member immediately upon signing up. You will then be able to earn and spend Skywards miles, get access to member-only offers (occasional promotional fares) and have the option to buy paid access to the Emirates lounge in Dubai.
On board, you’ll have unlimited chats and free WIFI. You’ll also have the chance to earn miles in other ways, such as crediting your car rental booking to your account by adding your Skywards membership number.
We always recommend you sign up for Emirates, then, in the future, if you want to make the most of an offer, transfer miles, or book a flight, it’s much quicker.
Skywards Silver
Qualification: 25,000 Tier Miles or 25 qualifying flights
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30% bonus Skywards Miles when flying with Emirates or flydubai
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Free seat selection on most fares
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Access to First Class Classic Rewards – This is a new restriction which has caused lots of debate. It’s now yet another reason to earn status and keeps First rewards more premium. The other controversial change was not allowing children under 9 to be booked in First on a reward. First.
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Priority check-in worldwide
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Priority boarding
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Access to the Emirates Business Class Lounge in Dubai
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12 kg extra luggage allowance (on weight-based routes)
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Your World Rewards partner benefits at participating Marriott properties.
Unlike the first elite level of some airline loyalty programmes, Silver has some great benefits and is a realistic goal even if you don’t think you’ll meet the threshold for Gold. If you regularly pass by or fly from Dubai, Business Class lounge access is fantastic. Free seat selection, priority check-in and boarding will really improve your experience, especially if you book in Economy, and the miles bonus can add up.
Skywards Gold
Qualification: 50,000 Tier Miles or 50 qualifying flights
- 75% bonus Skywards Miles when flying with Emirates or flydubai
- Reserved booking priority in Economy Class on sold-out flights
- Complimentary worldwide lounge access across the Emirates network, with one eligible guest when travelling on the same Emirates (or Qantas codeshare flight).
- 16 kg extra baggage allowance, or one extra checked bag (23 kg in Economy or Premium Economy, 32 kg in Business or First).
Priority boarding at all airports - Priority service through Emirates Contact Centres
- Benefits at Marriott hotels include 4 PM late check-out and access to the Elite check‑in line.
Compared to Silver, you’ll get an additional 45% bonus on your miles and access to lounges throughout the entire Emirates network as a guest. Although Silver has major benefits when travelling in Economy, plus the option to book a First redemption, Gold is where you’ll start to really see the benefits when travelling in Business or above. A 75% mileage bonus can really make your balance grow and make it much easier to work towards redemptions, especially if you combine your earnings with other ways besides flying (part 2 will have more info on this).
Skywards Platinum
Qualification: 150,000 Tier Miles plus at least one premium cabin flight
- 100% bonus Skywards Miles when flying with Emirates or flydubai
- Reserved booking priority in Business Class on sold-out flights
- Lounge access can be shared with one guest + 2x under 17 – Only when on an Emirates or Qantas codeshare flight
- Access to ‘last seat’ Classic Flex Plus reward tickets in Economy Class or Business Class – if a seat is for sale with cash, you can book it with miles.
- Nominate someone for Gold status for one membership year
- Two upgrades from Business Class to First Class, subject to availability and spend requirements
- Chauffeur-drive is offered for eligible First and Business fares
- Extra 20 kg baggage allowance
- No miles expiry for as long as you remain a Platinum member.
- Access to the Emirates First Class Lounge in Dubai
The requirement for Platinum is three times that of Gold. This tier is aimed at frequent Business and First flyers and is intentionally hard to earn, but the rewards are exceptional.
The Emirates-Qantas Partnership
Emirates status benefits are recognised on Qantas flights.
If you hold Gold Skywards status, you’re eligible for access to Qantas Club domestic lounges in Australia; if you hold Platinum, you also have access to Qantas Domestic Business Lounges (where they exist) and Qantas Club lounges. You can also earn Skywards Miles on Qantas-operated flights simply by adding your Skywards number.
Emirates Status Marriott Benefits: A Your World Rewards Partner
This partnership lets you earn with both Emirates and Marriott at the same time:
- Staying at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels can earn you bonus Skywards Miles on top of your usual Bonvoy points.
- Flying Emirates earns you bonus Bonvoy points, again. With Skywards status, you’ll also have benefits at Marriott hotels.
If this is of interest to you, the following airlines also have reciprocal Marriott partnerships:
- United MileagePlus – RewardsPlus – reciprocal status
- Air Canada Aeroplan – reciprocal status
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer – status and an accelerator challenge for higher status
These airlines are better for reciprocal status benefits, as Emirates only provides ‘benefits’ rather than status benefits.
How Much Does it Cost to Earn Emirates Status?
Since British Airways overhauled its loyalty programme and BA Gold is now £20,000+ to earn, one of the questions we get asked most often is whether it’s ‘cheaper’ to earn status with other airlines. For example, our recent calculations show that you can earn Aer Lingus Concierge status (top tier) for just £2,556. Read more about that in our AerClub guide here.
Is it cheaper to earn status with Emirates? The number of Skywards tier miles you earn depends on your cabin class, fare type and distance flown. You can use the Skywards Miles Calculator to work this out. To estimate the cost of status, we can look at popular routes.
Earning Tier Miles is based on your total cumulative Tier Miles earned in a membership year and does not reset when you reach the next tier (only at the end of your membership year).
Example: London Heathrow to Dubai Flights Only
Keep in mind that off-season flights and special offers can massively reduce the price. At certain times of year, there are also extreme pricing jumps. These are simply examples to give you an idea of what you could achieve.
A one-way ticket from Heathrow to Dubai covers 3,421 miles. We’ve highlighted the cheapest way to reach each status level and the cost of reaching each status level by cabin:
Figures are based on average one-way fares and current Tier Mile earning. Actual prices vary by season and sale fares.
| Cabin | Fare Type | One-way Tier Miles | Average One-way Fare | Silver (25,000 TM) | Gold (50,000 TM) | Platinum (150,000 TM incl. 1× Business Flight) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | Flex | 1,700 | £515 | 15 Flights = £7,725 | 30 Flights = £15,450 | 86 Economy + 1 Business Class flight = £47,156 |
| Premium Economy | Flex Plus | 2,600 | £1,070 | 10 Flights = £10,700 | 20 Flights = £21,400 | 56 Premium Economy + 1 Business Class flight = £63,544 |
| Business | Saver | 3,750 | £2,866 | 7 Flights = £20,062 | 14 Flights = £40,124 | 40 Flights = £114,640 |
| Business | Flex | 5,250 | £3,624 | 5 Flights = £18,120 | 10 Flights = £36,240 | 29 Flights = £105,096 |
| First | Flex | 7,500 | £6,300 | 4 Flights = £25,200 | 7 Flights = £44,100 | 20 Flights = £126,000 |
| First | Flex Plus | 7,500 | £7,900 | 4 Flights = £31,600 | 7 Flights = £55,300 | 20 Flights = £158,000 |
The Shortest Route Option – Dubai to Jeddah
For shorter routes, you won’t earn as many tier miles, but then the tickets are more likely to be much cheaper. This route covers just over 1,050 miles, earning between 300 and 5,000 Tier Miles one-way, depending on your cabin and fare type.
The average one-way fares sit between £166 in Economy, £1,450–£1,895 in Business, and £2,280 in First.
| Cabin | Fare Type | One-way Tier Miles | Average One-way Fare | Silver (25,000 TM) | Gold (50,000 TM) | Platinum (150,000 TM incl. 1x Business Flight) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | Flex | 1,000 | £166 | 25 Flights = £4,150 | 50 Flights = £8,300 | 148 Economy + 1 Business Class flight = £25,018 |
| Economy | Flex Plus | 1,400 | £166 | 18 Flights = £2,988 | 36 Flights = £5,976 | 106 Economy + 1 Business Class flight = £19,046 |
| Business | Saver | 2,500 | £1,450 | 10 Flights = £14,500 | 20 Flights = £29,000 | 60 Flights = £87,000 |
| Business | Flex | 3,500 | £1,642 | 8 Flights = £13,136 | 15 Flights = £24,630 | 43 Flights = £70,606 |
| Business | Flex Plus | 3,800 | £1,895 | 7 Flights = £13,265 | 14 Flights = £26,530 | 40 Flights = £75,800 |
| First | Flex | 5,000 | £2,280 | 5 Flights = £11,400 | 10 Flights = £22,800 | 30 Flights = £68,400 |
A Long Route: London to Sydney
| Cabin | Fare Type | One-way Tier Miles | Average One-way Fare | Silver (25,000 TM) | Gold (50,000 TM) | Platinum (150,000 TM incl. 1x Business Flight) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | Saver | 3,200 | £945 | 8 Flights = £7,560 | 16 Flights = £15,120 | 41 Economy + 1 Business Class flight = £43,535 |
| Premium Economy | Flex Plus | 9,000 | £2,330 | 3 Flights = £6,690 | 6 Flights = £13,980 | 15 Premium Economy + 1 Business Class flight = £39,740 |
| Business | Flex | 19,250 | £4,790 | 2 Flights = £9,580 | 3 Flights = £14,370 | 8 Flights = £38,320 |
| First | Flex | 27,500 | £6,500 | 1 Flight = £6,500 | 2 Flights = £13,000 | 6 Flights = £39,000 |
The Cheapest and Quickest Ways to Earn Skywards Status
Some people prefer to earn status the quickest way to start getting the benefits early, while others will look for the cheapest option. Based only on the three routes we’ve looked at, here are the cheapest and quickest ways to earn status:
| Status Level | Cheapest Way to Earn Status | Quickest Way to Earn Status |
|---|---|---|
| Silver | Economy Saver, London–Sydney – 8 Flights = £7,560 | Business Flex, London–Sydney – 2 Flights = £9,580 |
| Gold | Economy Saver, London–Sydney – 16 Flights = £15,120 | First Flex, London–Sydney – 2 Flights = £13,000 |
| Platinum | Business Flex, London–Sydney – 8 Flights = £38,320 | First Flex, London–Sydney – 6 Flights = £39,000 |
I’m sure there are many other combinations, in addition to the three routes we’ve examined here. You can also lower the price of Platinum status flying Economy by booking a very cheap qualifying Business Class fare.
Emirates Status Matches
To learn more about status matches, read our ‘What is a Status Match Guide‘ and guide to current airline status matches. Emirates may offer unofficial status matches – look at statusmatch.com to find more. Once you have Emirates status, it’s a status you can use for many other matches, which could get you alliance-wide benefits. You may be offered a status challenge instead. Nothing is confirmed, but it’s worth getting in touch.
Final Words
Emirates Skywards remains one of the most premium and rewarding airline loyalty programmes, ideal if you often fly East or connect via Dubai, especially when you factor in Emirates’ superior onboard service and network coverage. The loyalty programme puts a big emphasis on rewarding its members with meaningful benefits right from Silver (e.g. Dubai Emirates Business lounge access).
If you fly Premium Economy or Business, Gold is a realistic status tier to aim for with a fantastic mileage bonus (75%) and priority treatment across the network. Platinum remains an aspirational but achievable goal and is still attainable for under £40,000
If you plan routes carefully. Platinum status is not out of reach, as with the top tiers of programmes like KrisFlyer and Finnair Plus. However, £40,000 is notably higher in comparison to comparable tiers like BA Gold, which costs around £24,000 by the time you’ve factored in taxes, etc. However, even though it’s comparable, the benefits differ, and BA also holds Oneworld recognition.
Our analysis found that the cheapest route to Silver is in Economy Saver on London to Sydney, costing an average of £7,500 for eight one-way flights (or four return flights). The quickest is via just two Business Flex flights on the same route for an average of £9,580. The trade-off between distance, fare class, and cost makes Skywards an unusually flexible programme.
If you’re looking for alliance-wide benefits, Skywards may not be for you. But, if you prioritise status when flying with multiple airlines, another Middle Eastern airline, such as Oman Air or Qatar Airways, both members of Oneworld, may be a better option. Similarly, there are some excellent programmes based in Europe to opt for, so you don’t have to transfer in DXB (especially if you fly West). That said, Emirates does have a good range of partners (more in part 2).
If you prefer premium service, aspirational redemptions, and meaningful recognition when you fly, Emirates Skywards remains one of the best premium-focused loyalty programmes.
In Part 2, we’ll look at the best ways to earn and redeem Skywards Miles, and how to maximise value.
Would you consider switching your loyalty to Emirates Skywards, or are you already a Skywards status holder? Let us know in the comments below!
Make sure you also read our other airline loyalty programme guides:
