Emirates has quietly moved to restrict first class reward bookings to its own elite Skywards members, announcing the change without warning over the weekend.
The update sparked concern among frequent flyers that Emirates first class redemptions might soon disappear from the Qantas website. However, both Qantas and Emirates have confirmed to The Champagne Mile that Qantas Frequent Flyers will still be able to book these seats.
“These changes relate specifically to Emirates’ own Skywards program members,” a Qantas spokesperson told The Champagne Mile. “Qantas Frequent Flyers continue to have access to First Class reward seats on Emirates.”
In a statement emailed later in the day, an Emirates spokesperson added: “Members of airlines which partner with Emirates Skywards are not impacted by this change.”
What’s happening?
From today 12 May, Emirates first class classic rewards are set to be officially limited to Skywards Silver, Gold and Platinum members. This change was quietly added to the Skywards dashboard and Miles Calculator page on the Emirates website:
Emirates has framed the update as part of a broader program review. A spokesperson told The Champagne Mile “As part of our regular business review, Emirates Skywards has revised the criteria for Classic Rewards. Starting from 12 May, Classic Rewards for First Class will exclusively be available for Platinum, Gold, and Silver Tier members only.”
On the upside, for those seeking to book with Qantas Points, there is currently availability on routes including the fifth freedom Sydney to Christchurch service (one of my personal favourite redemptions), as well as flights from Australian cities to Dubai and onwards into Europe.
The Sydney – Christchurch route is bookable for just 64,500 Qantas Points, plus around $150 in carrier charges.
A future block on Emirates first class would sting for Qantas Points collectors
Since the Skywards program doesn’t have a major footprint in Australia, Emirates First Class is typically accessed via Qantas. While access appears to be safe for now, any future changes could put this experience out of reach for most Australian travellers.
Skywards miles aren’t easy to earn locally. There are no Skywards-branded credit cards in Australia, and while some proprietary points programs offer transfers into Skywards, the options are limited and not especially competitive.
Currently, Emirates lists just two Australian banking partners: American Express Membership Rewards and CommBank Awards. Both allow points transfers to Skywards, but at relatively poor rates — Amex at 3:1 and CommBank Awards at 5:1 — making it hard to build a meaningful balance through everyday spend.
Emirates’ move reflects a broader shift in loyalty strategy
The decision to restrict First Class reward access to elite members aligns with a wider trend in the loyalty space. Emirates told us:
“This change has been implemented to provide our premium and loyal members with more rewards, exclusive benefits, and greater access to Emirates’ renowned First Class travel experience.”
In recent years, more airlines have focused on rewarding spend-based loyalty rather than allowing broad access via transferable points. Air France limits La Première to Flying Blue elites, SWISS First is only available to Miles & More status holders, and Singapore Airlines rarely releases long-haul First outside its KrisFlyer program.
Tighter control over premium cabin inventory may also help Emirates attract more Skywards members and protect availability on high-demand routes.
What Emirates’ move says about Qantas points and your frequent flyer strategy
Qantas has a strong network of international partners through oneworld and direct tie-ups. But those partnerships only matter if members can actually redeem for high-value rewards.
With First Class availability on Qantas-operated flights being limited, the airline relies on partners like Emirates, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines to fill the gap. Emirates, in particular, has been one of the more consistent options bookable with Qantas Points — especially for those watching closely near departure.
If access to Emirates First Class disappears in the future, it will remove one of the most valuable uses of Qantas Points. While Emirates continues to release plenty of Business Class seats to partners, carrier charges often exceed $1,000 per segment, making the value proposition far less appealing.
Why Emirates should have communicated better
In Australia, frequent flyers are used to receiving advance notice when major loyalty changes are made.
In recent months, both Qantas and Virgin Australia gave members ample time to prepare for reward seat price increases. American Express also flagged upcoming changes to its transfer rates well in advance.
By contrast, Emirates implemented this First Class restriction without any public announcement, opting to place a small notice on the website just a few days ahead of the change. For such a significant change, the lack of communication erodes member trust.
Conclusion
A jaunt in Emirates First Class has long been one of the most aspirational ways to redeem Qantas Points. It’s indulgent, completely over the top, and for many, a true bucket list experience.
Right now, Qantas Frequent Flyers can still access Emirates First Class reward seats. Whether that remains the case in the future is unclear, but for now, availability is holding steady.
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