Book flights now for travel through May 2022 and save up 58%.
First the bad news. Emirates is no longer offering a tiered-award structure, having discontinued their First Class Flex Classic Rewards. That leaves us with their First Class Flex Plus Classic Rewards, which were the higher priced option for First Class round-trip and one-way bookings. Cue sad-faced emoji.
Happily, there’s also good news. Emirates is an Amex partner, so you can buy points at 2.5 cents each. So even if you pay the Flex Plus (everyday) Classic Reward cost to Dubai, you are still saving up to $9,454/58%.
Before and after First Class award costs…
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It’s also worth noting that if you have Japan Airline miles or Marriott points, you can still book Emirates First Class through September 1 for travel up to 330 days out.
[aside headline="Dubai Is Now Open to Tourists" alignment="aligncenter" width="big" headline_size="default"]The only requirement is that you’ll have to present a valid negative COVID‑19 PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before departure.
Emirates also has a vast route network beyond Dubai. Visitor info here.[/aside]
What You Can Book Now: First Class
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FIRST CLASS A380 Seat
Emirates has reintroduced the spacious A380 on its routes from New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. This is a great ride, frankly, one of the best First Class suites in the world. The shoulder-high enclosed compartment offers sliding doors for optimum comfort and privacy during the flight. And depending on the specific aircraft and route, the number of suites ranges from 8 to 14, in a 1x2x1 configuration.
Then it gets personal. Each suite has an 80.5” lie-flat seat, a mini-bar, vanity table, mirror, wardrobe, and a 27” monitor to catch up on all those movies you’ve been meaning to see. A380 suite passengers also get to use the in-flight Shower Spas, that’s a cool (or steaming hot) experience in itself. Check it out here.
Cost Comparison
While it’s a bummer that Emirates changed their award chart options, THIS chart will demonstrate there is still good opportunity, especially when you check out the last two columns that show how much you’ll still save by using miles. Sure it’s an expensive experience, but in my mind, it’s well worth it for many.
Sample Cost Comparison When Using Amex: From San Francisco
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Low or No Emirates Miles?
Getting Emirates miles is relatively simple. They’re a points transfer partner with three major credit card reward programs — Amex, Chase, and Marriott — so it’s easy to get Emirates miles. Our research shows that transfer times from Amex and Chase are nearly instantaneous, while Marriott points can take up to three days.
No Amex Points? No Problem.
You can buy up to 500,000 Amex Rewards points per year for just 2.5 cents each. Given that the baseline First Class fare from San Francisco to Dubai is $16,266, you can buy 310,000 Amex Rewards Points for $7,750, and add in taxes with the Emirates loyalty program for around $400, to save $8,516 — that’s 52% off.