How Much are Emirates Skywards Miles Worth?

Emirates miles are worth about 0.6 cent each when used to book economy class.

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Updated · 2 min read
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Written by JT Genter
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Edited by Kevin Berry
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Fact Checked
Nerdy takeaways
  • Emirates Skywards miles are worth 0.6 cent each when redeemed for economy flights.

  • Emirates has the lowest valuation of all airlines in our analysis.

  • You can redeem Skywards miles on over a dozen airlines.

Emirates is well known for its premium cabin seats and luxurious experiences. Given that, you might be wondering: What are Emirates Skywards miles worth?

Based on our analysis, the short answer is that they are worth 0.6 cent each.

This is a baseline value, drawn from real-world data on hundreds of economy routes, not a maximized value. In other words, you should aim for award redemptions that offer 0.6 cent or more in value from your Skywards miles.

What does this value mean?

Our estimated value of Emirates Skywards miles at 0.6 cent per mile provides a lower-end value you can use to determine the relative value of your own redemptions. It is based on comparing main cabin fares, using both cash and miles, across several dates and destinations.

In other words, this is the value you can expect to get from your Skywards miles without seeking particularly high-value redemptions. This means you can get more value by looking for sweet spots and using more advanced award techniques. It also means you can end up getting lower value than this if you’re not careful and book the first award ticket you find.

How to convert Skywards miles to dollars

With this calculator, you can figure out how much your miles are worth in dollars based on our valuation.

How does the value of Skywards miles change when booking business class?

Emirates Skywards redemptions are much more valuable in business class than economy.

Emirates economy awards are less valuable than almost any airline program we analyzed. Even Spirit points (1.3 cents per point) are more valuable than Emirates miles for economy awards on their respective airlines.

When is the best time to book with points on Emirates?

In our analysis, we compared booking flights 15 days until departure, booking 180 days before departure and booking flights during peak winter holidays. Unlike with other mileage programs, we found that value is pretty much the same, no matter when you book.

How flexible are Emirates Skywards miles?

Emirates isn't a member of a major airline alliance, but that doesn't mean there's a lack of options. You can redeem Skywards miles on over a dozen airlines — including Japan Airlines, JetBlue, Korean Air, Qantas, South African Airways and TAP Portugal.

Partner awards aren't as lucrative as they used to be, but you can still find value on partner awards. For example, you can book awards on TAP Portugal from the U.S. East Coast to Lisbon for 64,000 Skywards miles each way in business class. Or book Japan Airlines business class from Seattle to Tokyo for 76,000 Skywards miles each way.

Cards that earn Emirates Skywards miles

If you want to earn Skywards miles through travel card spending, you've got a few options. Emirates offers two co-branded cards to consumers, but a number of popular transferrable points programs can transfer to Skywards at a 1:1 ratio.

Here are a few cards to consider:

Top cards for booking Emirates flights
Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card
Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard®
Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card
Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard®
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express
NerdWallet Rating
Apply now

on American Express' website

Rates & Fees
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
NerdWallet Rating
Annual fee

$99.

$499.

$695.

$395.

Earnings rates

• 3 miles per $1 on eligible Emirates purchases, which includes purchases on emirates.com or at the Emirates sales office.

• 2 miles per $1 on airfare, hotels and rental cars.

• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.

• 3 miles per $1 on eligible Emirates purchases, which includes purchases on emirates.com or at the Emirates sales office.

• 2 miles per $1 on airfare, hotels and rental cars.

• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.

• 5 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 spent per year.

• 5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

• 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.

Terms apply.

• 10 miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars through Capital One Travel.

• 5 miles per $1 on flights through Capital One Travel.

• 2 miles per $1 on everything else.

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How did NerdWallet determine the value of Skywards miles?

NerdWallet collected hundreds of data points comparing the cash value to award (mile) value for the same routes and dates. That is, we compared the cost of a given ticket in either cash or miles, across many tickets.

This method differs from others in that it looks at actual redemptions rather than hypothetical, maximized redemptions. The advantage of this approach is that it provides a real-world indication of how much these miles are worth, on average. That said, it doesn’t take into account the high-value redemptions that points enthusiasts seek.

Wondering what you can do with those miles? Learn which credit card is best for international award travel.

Frequently asked questions

10,000 Emirates miles are worth $60.

20,000 Emirates miles are worth $120.

50,000 Emirates miles are worth about $300.

80,000 Emirates miles are worth about $480.

100,000 Emirates miles are worth about $600.

To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, see this page.

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