The writing was on the wall, and now it’s official. The best way to book Emirates First Class, using the least amount of points, is coming to an end. One of the obscurities of points and miles has long been that using miles from one airline for flights on another can often be better than using the miles of the airline you plan to fly.
Those days are numbered, and Japan Airlines (JAL) will stop allowing people holding JAL Miles to book Emirates First Class, often at far better rates than using Emirates own Skywards miles!
JAL Ending Emirates First Class Redemptions
From September 1st, Japan Airlines will no longer allow JAL Mileage Bank loyalty program members to book Emirates First Class flights with their points. Japan Airlines has long offered absolutely exceptional rates using points to unlock this bucket list experience, lower than just about any other option.
Bookings made by August 31st, 2021 will still be accepted, giving points fanatics about 4 months to lock in one, or 10 last Emirates First Class joy rides at these super low rates. All currently booked reservations will also be honored.
From that date forward, those hoping to enjoy the sheer delights of Emirates First Class will need to prioritize earning points in the Emirates Skywards loyalty program, as the airline dismantles other programs offering better opportunities to experience their highest level of luxury.
Breaking It Down: Hobbyist Obscurity Is Numbered
In a critical piece of reading, I mused that opportunities to save points by booking flights with airline partners are limited. It doesn’t make sense for Emirates, when it’s better for people who want to fly their airline to earn miles with other airlines.
Miles bring money to airlines, so as cash strapped airlines look to rebound, they’ll want people buying and earning their miles, not others.
Emirates had already limited Alaska Airlines first class redemptions prior to this announcement, and failing to see that this trend is catching on is simply an error in your points game. The trend is appearing with the likes of Delta, Singapore, Virgin, United and many more.
Look no further than Lufthansa First Class only being bookable by other loyalty programs within 3 weeks. If you’re sitting on JAL Mileage Bank miles and hoping to use them at exceptional rates for Emirates First Class, lock in those bookings while you can. Soon enough, you won’t be able to, and new earning strategies will be necessary.
