How to Book Emirates First Class with Points—Even After the New Restrictions (2025 Update)
If you’ve ever dreamed of flying Emirates First Class using credit card points or airline miles, we have some bittersweet news. Starting May 12, 2025, Emirates has officially restricted First Class award redemptions to elite members of its Skywards loyalty program.
That means most travelers will no longer be able to directly book Emirates First Class award space unless they have status.
But don’t worry—there’s still a workaround to flying one of the world’s best first class suites on points. And while it’s not as easy as it used to be, it is still possible.
Why Emirates First Class Was the Ultimate Points Redemption
Before this change, Emirates First Class was one of the most luxurious ways to redeem your points—offering insane value, often $12,000+ in flight experience for just 102,000 points and $105 out-of-pocket.
Some of the most popular “sweet spot” routes included:
- New York (JFK) to Milan (MXP) on the Emirates A380
- Cost: 102,000 credit card points + $105 in taxes/fees
- Cash price equivalent: $12,000+ one-way
And this wasn’t just any flight…
You’d get:
🚿 A shower at 40,000 feet in the A380’s onboard spa
🥂 Bottomless Dom Pérignon Champagne and rare vintage wines (which you can also enjoy at the A380’s on-board bar)
🍽️ Endless caviar, fine dining, and a dine-on-demand menu
🛏️ A private suite with a closing door and a lie-flat bed
👜 Luxury Bvlgari amenity kits and branded pajamas to take home
For many travelers, this was the single most glamorous way to spend points—and it’s no wonder Emirates became one of the most aspirational awards in the world of points and miles.
Other popular sweet spots included Newark (EWR) to Athens (ATH) on the Emirates B777 for 102,000 points, and Miami (MIA) to Bogota (BOG) for 60,000 points.
The New Rule: First Class Bookings Are Now Elite-Only
As of May 12, 2025, Emirates First Class is no longer bookable via partner award programs and is only available to Emirates Skywards elite members. This means:
- You can no longer transfer points from major banks to partner airlines (such as Qantas) to book Emirates First Class award space.
- Only Emirates Skywards elite members will have access to First Class award seats.
This change dramatically limits access for casual travelers and points enthusiasts who don’t fly Emirates regularly or hold elite status.
Thankfully, there are several workarounds. We cover these below!
What’s Still Available: Business Class on Emirates
While First Class is off the table for most, Emirates Business Class is still bookable with points, including via:
- Emirates Skywards (transferable from Amex, Chase, and Capital One)
- Partner programs like Qantas for certain routes and availability
Though it doesn’t offer a shower or private suite, Emirates Business Class still includes:
✔ Lie-flat seats
✔ A top-tier wine program
✔ Incredible international cuisine
✔ Access to Emirates lounges
If you’re looking for a luxury experience without the First Class price tag, Business Class remains a great redemption—just keep an eye on fuel surcharges if you’re flying through Dubai.
(Pro tip? If you want to avoid paying $800+ out of pocket on business class award tickets, look into fifth-freedom routes like JFK-MXP, EWR-ATH, and BOG-MIA!)
How to Still Book Emirates First Class with Points (Yes, It’s Still Possible!)
It just requires a few extra steps.
While Emirates has made it much harder for the average traveler to book First Class with points, there are still a couple of smart strategies you can use to unlock this experience—even after the May 12, 2025 restriction.
Here’s how you can still get your hands on a First Class award seat on Emirates:
Leverage Emirates Skywards Elite Status (Even If You Don’t Fly Often)
After May 12, only Emirates Skywards elite members (Silver, Gold, or Platinum) will have access to First Class award availability. If you don’t already have status and don’t fly Emirates regularly, don’t worry—you can shortcut your way to elite status through a co-branded credit card.
If you ever plan to fly Emirates First Class using your points, don’t dismiss this option. Even though both of these credit cards have annual fees (ranging between $99 and $499), those annual fees may be worth paying if your goal is to save $12,000+ on a first class ticket!
Emirates Co-Branded Credit Cards (U.S. Issued)
These credit cards are your golden ticket:
- Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard® –
💳 $99 annual fee
🥈 Grants Silver Status for the first year
🔁 Renewed each year if you spend $20,000+ annually
- Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard® –
💳 $499 annual fee
🥇 Grants Gold Status in the first year
🔁 Renewed annually with $40,000+ in annual spend
🔄 If you don’t meet the spend, you retain Silver Status
Here’s why it’s worth it: Emirates First Class cash tickets often cost $12,000+ round-trip. If you can secure an award ticket using points by holding a card that grants elite status, the return on your $99–$499 investment can be massive.
Book Business Class and Upgrade Using Miles at the Gate
Even though First Class redemptions are now locked behind elite status, Emirates Business Class is still fully bookable with points—and there’s still a backdoor into First if you’re strategic.
Here’s the play:
- Book an award ticket in Emirates Business Class using your credit card points.
- Choose a flight where the First Class cabin isn’t fully booked—you can check this using tools like ExpertFlyer or even the Emirates seat map.
- Once you’re booked, aim to upgrade at check-in, at the gate, or even onboard by speaking to the cabin crew and offering to use your Skywards miles.
Emirates is known to allow last-minute upgrades using Skywards miles if First Class seats are still available. It’s not guaranteed, but it’s a smart, relatively low-risk strategy that could land you in the shower spa suite for a fraction of the points.
Final Thoughts:
Emirates First Class is still within reach… Provided that you know the right moves!
Unfortunately, this restriction is part of a wider trend wherein airlines restrict their best cabins to their elite members. Air France, Lufthansa, and now Emirates all follow this trend. Depending on which destinations you prefer and which airlines fly there, don’t dismiss airline status – even if you rarely fly a certain airline!
Yes, Emirates has made First Class redemptions harder—but not impossible. With a bit of planning, a co-branded credit card, or a clever gate upgrade, you can still experience:
- A shower in the sky
- Dom Pérignon Champagne & caviar
- A fully enclosed suite
- Luxury Bvlgari amenity kits
- And so much more!
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Note: Opinions expressed here are ours alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
