Qantas, Emirates: no plans for points upgrades between airlines
By David Flynn, March 30 2017
We may be four years into the ten-year partnership between Qantas and Emirates, but the airlines have no plans to smooth out one noticeable wrinkle in the relationship – the inability to use frequent flyer points earned on one airline to upgrade on the other.
Qantas loyalists still can't use their Qantas Points to apply for an upgrade on an Emirates flight, even if it's under a QF codeshare.
In the same way, Emirates Skywards members are unable to put their stack of Skywards Miles towards a better seat on a Qantas flight.
Australian Business Traveller approached both airlines for comments on the issue, which remains a sore point with many business travellers and frequent flyers who have otherwise embraced the alliance between the iconic Aussie airline and the Gulf colossus.
"Given the high demand for upgrades within frequent flyer programs, our members are unable to use their points to upgrade on flights operated by any of our Qantas Frequent Flyer airline partners including Emirates or oneworld alliance airlines," a Qantas spokesperson said.
"Qantas Frequent Flyer members are currently unable to use their points to upgrade their tickets on Emirates flights," reaffirmed an Emirates spokesperson. "At this stage there are no changes planned to the current program."
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
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And please do not tell me about "economical basis" - it is looka like that it is more profitable for QF stop flying at all and became purely EK's ticket box, but do you like to see this happens? Me definitely not.
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However, using Skywards points to book or upgrade flights is easy, always plenty of choice.
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As a qantas plat 1 FF can't even select your preferred seat. If I wanted to fly emirates I would place my loyalty with emirates not Qantas. Qantas need to ask their customers of all status what they think about the relationship with emirates and respond accordingly.
14 Sep 2013
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