Emirates Skywards Extends Elite Statuses By A Further Year

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Emirates has announced that even though we’re not through January yet, it is already taking steps to keep its elite flyers happy for another year. With the UAE awash with new cases of COVID-19 and with the nation now imposing stricter entry rules for visitors, the airline has decided to extend the tier statuses of its elite members into 2022.

All in all, Emirates has said that it is taking action to keep elite members happy in three separate ways.

Extending Tier Statuses

Unlike what we’re used to seeing with the US airline loyalty programs, Emirates Skywards elite status doesn’t run through a calendar year – members get to enjoy the benefits of their tier status for 14 months from when they earn their status and are given 12 months in which to retain their status. This means that different Emirates Skywards members will have their elite statuses expiring at different times of the year.

As of today, Emirates has said that all Skywards elite members with a tier review date (the date by which status has to be re-earned) in 2021 will have their current tier status extended by 12 months.

In addition, Emirates Skywards Platinum members will also see the status of their Gold status nominee extended by 12 months.

Skywards Miles Validity Extended

Sometimes Emirates overcomplicates things and a great example of this is the system that it uses to expire Skywards miles.

Technically, Skywards Miles are valid for three years from the date they’re earned but they aren’t actually removed from a member’s account after exactly three years. In the year of expiry, they’re removed in a member’s birthday month. For example, if a member earned miles in January 2018 and their birthday is in March, the miles will be removed from their account on 31st March 2021.

Ordinarily, members can add an extra year to the validity of any Skywards Miles due to expire in the next 3 months by paying $20 per 1,000 miles (earning more miles doesn’t reset the expiration date) but, temporarily, Emirates is granting members with expiring miles (or miles that have recently expired) a reprieve.

All Skywards mileage expirations have now been frozen through 20 June 2021 and this extends the freeze on expirations that has been in place since April 2020.

More Ways To Retain Status Are On The Way

While no details have been forthcoming, Emirates has said that it plans to make it easier for Skywards members to earn, retain, and/or improve their tier status in 2021 by rolling out new initiatives. Per Emirates:

Members can look forward to a year of delightful surprises including bonus tier miles, complimentary tier upgrades, paid tier opportunities, and many more exclusive offers.

Details of any initiatives that Emirates announces will be published here on Traveling For Miles as and when those announcements are made.

Bottom Line

Emirates is extending the elite statuses of all members with a tier review date in 2021, it’s extending the moratorium on mileage expirations through June 2021, and has promised to introduce new initiatives that should make it easier for Skywards members to earn, retain, and/or improve their tier status in 2021.