Emirates requires a paid J or F flight to earn Platinum status

[Mattg]

This seems to have changed earlier this year, but I hadn't previously noticed.

To earn Emirates Platinum status, you need to earn 150,000 Tier Miles in a year and, as a new requirement, also take at least one flight in Business or First Class.

Membership Tiers | Emirates Skywards | Emirates

Join Emirates Skywards and enjoy a new level of privileges as you go up the Blue, Silver, Gold and Platinum tiers.

www.emirates.com

Other than SQ's PPS Club, which is a separate program, I can't think of any other airlines that make it a condition of status that you have to book a J/F ticket?

This is what Emirates considers a qualifying flight:

A ‘qualifying flight’ is a flight from origin to destination, either on Emirates, flydubai or a codeshare flight marketed by Emirates but operated by another airline.

Your origin is the airport where you start your journey, and your destination is the final airport where you complete your journey. So a qualifying flight could be a complete inbound or outbound journey, or a one‑way flight. Stopovers are not counted as a destination.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Very difficult to earn EK Platinum without biz/first travel anyway.

It's a good move.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I believe LH’s HON Circle status can only be earned through F and J flights?

 

[Daver6]

Very difficult to earn EK Platinum without biz/first travel anyway.

It's a good move.

Curious why you think it's a good move? Wouldn't it just drive Y pax to a different carrier that don't have such a requirement?

 

[Mattg]

I believe LH’s HON Circle status can only be earned through F and J flights?

True - good pickup!

Although, that status level is so hard to reach (and the benefits so exclusive) that it’s probably more comparable to Solitaire PPS than a standard Platinum tier in other programs?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

True - good pickup!

Although, that status level is so hard to reach (and the benefits so exclusive) that it’s probably more comparable to Solitaire PPS than a standard Platinum tier in other programs?

True. Although star doesn’t really have ‘platinum’ in the sense of first class lounges… so that’s the closest equivalent I guess?

 

[PineappleSkip]

If you are otherwise a Y lemming on EK, there are some inexpensive J options on FlyDubai, and it’s a reasonable product, comparable with QF dom J.

 

[encryptededdy]

Although, that status level is so hard to reach (and the benefits so exclusive) that it’s probably more comparable to Solitaire PPS than a standard Platinum tier in other programs?

Regular PPS does also require J/F flights, as those are the only ways to earn PPS Value

 

[Mickey Mouse]

Curious why you think it's a good move? Wouldn't it just drive Y pax to a different carrier that don't have such a requirement?

How much profit are EK making on those Y fares, though?
If they are being "carried" by the profit from the J & F pax, then is there a good reason to award the perks of platinum? (Would that generate more or less revenue overall?)
If, OTOH, they are paying top dollar for fully flex all the time, then the case may be different (or they may end up canibalising the original profit-drivers).

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Curious why you think it's a good move? Wouldn't it just drive Y pax to a different carrier that don't have such a requirement?

UAE has no shortage of people with unlimited money.
Premium cabins are full.
High-demand for premium cabins.
Record profits.
More people earning Gold/Plat through biz/first than ever before.

The definition of a high-value pax for EK is *VASTLY* different to that of other airlines.

It wouldn't surprise me if EK increased the min biz/first segments for Platinum.

Not many airlines can get away with this.

 

[Daver6]

UAE has no shortage of people with unlimited money.
Premium cabins are full.
High-demand for premium cabins.
Record profits.
More people earning Gold/Plat through biz/first than ever before.

The definition of a high-value pax for EK is *VASTLY* different to that of other airlines.

It wouldn't surprise me if EK increased the min biz/first segments for Platinum.

Not many airlines can get away with this.

So why don't those airlines rip-out some Y seats and add more premium seats?

 

[PineappleSkip]

Because not many EK PAX (or EY or QR for that matter) originate in Dubai. Most are transiting through Dubai, with a few more travelling in for Holidays. Also, Emiratis are about 12% of the UAE population with the remainder expats. There are some very well heeled expats but many more living on not much.

 

[Daver6]

Because not many EK PAX (or EY or QR for that matter) originate in Dubai. Most are transiting through Dubai, with a few more travelling in for Holidays. Also, Emiratis are about 12% of the UAE population with the remainder expats. There are some very well heeled expats but many more living on not much.

Which is my point then. If you want to entire Y transit pax to your airline you need to dangle that highest level status. Otherwise just transit somewhere else and fly with a different airline.

Also, seems to contradict what @trippin_the_rift is saying. Not suggesting I know what I'm talking about here

 

[trippin_the_rift]

So why don't those airlines rip-out some Y seats and add more premium seats?

Why would they add more premium seats when aussies are happily shelling out $20k for biz class to Europe?
More premium capacity=lower yield.

Why do you think QR was blocked from adding premium capacity?
Keeps the yield high for everyone else.

 

[Daver6]

Why would they add more premium seats when aussies are happily shelling out $20k for biz class to Europe?
More premium capacity=lower yield.

Why do you think QR was blocked from adding premium capacity?
Keeps the yield high for everyone else.

If they're selling out the cabin and you can sell more seats. Wouldn't you take that? Sell 5 more seats at $20k, that's another $100k in revenue per flight. It's only an issue if the cabins are NOT full, but you were saying they are.

 

[lovestotravel]

More airlines should be like that, VA should do something like this so that Platinum is actually harder to obtain

Post automatically merged: Nov 18, 2023

Why would they add more premium seats when aussies are happily shelling out $20k for biz class to Europe?
More premium capacity=lower yield.

Why do you think QR was blocked from adding premium capacity?
Keeps the yield high for everyone else.

What Aussies are paying $20K, most I have paid post-covid is $8.2K for J to Europe on SQ