Point Hacks reader Karen sent us this question:
My mother has Emirates Skywards miles due to expire at the end of this month. Can these be transferred to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program?
Can I transfer my Emirates Skywards miles to Qantas Frequent Flyer?
No, you cannot transfer your Emirates Skywards miles to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account. However, you can use your Skywards miles for redemptions on Qantas, Jetstar and other partner airlines.
Qantas does not have any reciprocal agreements with other airline’s frequent flyer programs to transfer points between them.
That’s in contrast to Velocity’s bilateral relationship with Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, and the ability to transfer Avios between British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus and Aer Lingus AerClub.
What should I do with my expiring Emirates Skywards miles?
Your Skywards miles are valid for three years from the date of travel. Within the calendar year that Skywards miles are due to expire, they will be removed from your account at the end of the month in which you were born.
That means that earning more Skywards miles, or transferring some American Express Membership Rewards points over, will not extend the expiry of your miles.
Given that, here are some suggestions of what to do with your Emirates Skywards balance, with the minimum miles requirement for each redemption given:
- 54,000 miles: use your miles for one of these best uses, including Emirates First or Business Class
- 9,000 miles: upgrade an existing Emirates booking
- 8,000 miles: book a Qantas Economy Class flight
- 7,500 miles: book a JetBlue Economy Class flight if travelling to the US
- 7,000 miles: book a Jetstar Economy Class flight
- 5,000 miles: book a hotel through Rocketmiles
- 2,500 miles: donate your miles to the Emirates Airline Foundation
You can also pay to extend expiring miles but this is rarely a good-value option. Miles that are due to expire within the next 3 months can be extended for another 12 months at the cost of US$20 per 1,000 miles.
I would recommend setting up a family account with Emirates (much like you can with Velocity) so that you can earn and redeem your Skywards miles faster.
Summing up
Question: Can you transfer Emirates Skywards miles to Qantas Frequent Flyer?
Answer: No, you cannot.
If you have a balance of Emirates Skywards miles that are due to expire, try to see if you can redeem them for a flight reward. If not, you may be able to use them with a non-airline partner.
As a last resort, consider donating them so that they are at least doing some good.
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