The Starwood and Emirates Your World Rewards partnership has launched, with registration opening November 19, 2014, but how useful will it be for points earning?
Here are the details:
- Register starting November 19, 2014
- SPG Gold and Platinum members earn 1 Starpoint per $1 on all eligible Emirates flights (in addition to Skywards Miles)
- SPG Platinum members enjoy priority check-in for Emirates flights, priority boarding and complimentary e-gate access
- Emirates Skywards Silver, Gold and Platinum members earn 1 Skywards mile per $1 (in addition to Starpoints) for all eligible stays at Starwood hotels and resorts
- Emirates Skywards Gold and Platinum members receive these benefits for Starwood hotel stays: 4pm late checkout, access to SPG elite check-in and complimentary Internet access
FAQ
Who is Eligible for SPG / Emirates Your World Rewards?
Any active SPG member who has an Emirates Skywards account in the same name is eligible to register for Your World Rewards *except* SPG members who are registered for the SPG Airline Direct Deposit program with any airline, or who have an SPG employee-level account.
Can a Non-Elite SPG Member Earn Starpoints via Your World Rewards for Emirates Flights?
No–only SPG Platinum or Gold elite members are eligible to earn Starpoints on Emirates flights via Your World Rewards.
Can I Participate in Both Crossover Rewards with Delta and Your World Rewards with Emirates?
Yes, you can participate in both programs. Note that for a given stay, you must decide which miles to earn (Delta SkyMiles or Emirates Skywards miles) in addition to SPG points. I consider the SPG points you earn to be far more valuable, since they can be transferred to a variety of airline frequent flyer programs. See SPG Airline Partners: Transfer Starwood Points to Miles.
Can an Elite Member of Both Delta and Emirates Earn Double Bonus Miles When Staying at a Starwood Hotel?
No–you would need to decide whether to earn Emirates Skywards miles or Delta SkyMiles for a given SPG stay. You can switch your preferred bonus currency at any time.
How Soon Will Starpoints Earned from an Emirates Flight Post to My SPG Account?
Starpoints will post within 2-4 weeks after an eligible flight is taken.
Can I Credit an Emirates Flight to Alaska Airlines While Earning 1 SPG Point per Dollar Spent?
No–if you include any frequent flyer number other than an Emirates Skywards number for your Emirates flight, you will not earn Starpoints for the flight. You would need to credit the Emirates flight to Skywards, since obviously the Your World partnership is about promoting the Emirates Skywards frequent flyer program and the SPG loyalty program. So you can choose to credit an Emirates flight to Alaska Mileage Plan without earning an SPG point per dollar spent, or credit to Emirates Skywards and earn an SPG point per dollar spent.
The Verdict
It makes sense for SPG and Emirates to launch this partnership, since it costs them very little in terms of additional Skywards miles and Starpoints awarded and benefits, and Delta and Emirates don't compete with each other so there are no issues with SPG partnering with both. For elites, there are a few more miles/points, but probably not enough to sway business over. And most U.S. flyers will likely prefer to credit Emirates flights to Alaska over Emirates Skywards, given expensive Skywards award charts and the relative ease of topping up Alaska Mileage Plan accounts.
Do you plan to register for the new SPG and Emirates Your World Rewards on November 19?
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