SKYWARDS (Emirates & Sri Lankan Airlines rewards program

[Baysider]

The Emirates Skywards program, free to join online at www.skywards.com, is worthwhile if you're travelling to Europe or elsewhere via Dubai. Points are allocated to your account almost immediately after each sector, and if you plan a stopover in Dubai on your return journey you can redeem points for things like entry to the Wild Wadi water slide park, which is well worth a visit (5000 points). You can simply phone Skywards in Dubai, and they'll have the tickets sitting at the counter waiting for you in their office, which is en-route from the airport area to Wild Wadi.

Skywards membership also gives you pre-assigned seating and waitlist priority. Airline partners are ANA, BA, Continental, SAA, Delta and United, and hotel partners include Radisson, Marriott, Hilton, Le Meridian, Sofitel and Sheraton.

[arun]

I was trying to get tickets to go to Colombo (Sri Lanka) and Madras from Sydney around Christmas. The cheapest route would have been taking QF to SIN and then UL (Sri Lankan Airlines) to Colombo and Madras. Unfortunately, I just could not get any seats on SIN-CMB sector on UL. Also, gettng half points on QF and other half on Skywards did not appeal to me.

So I booked SQ for SYD/SIN/CMB and decided to by a separate ticket for CMB/MAA. The cheapest I could find was about $400 return. I almost decided to buy, but then I rememered my son having some Skyward points that were due to expire on 31 December. With the harsh experience of booking flight so late (it was a lesson) around Christmas, I did not have any hope of getting a reward ticket, but decided to call.

I managed to get a return ticket around Christmas for 10,000 points!!!!
This is an international flight of about 70 minutes.

The skywards staff were really, really helpful in booking and organising my ticket. Excellent service.

[Lindsay Wilson]

arun, to quote Baysider:

Luck is the ability to take advantage of an opportunity when it presents itself.

I believe you did. For all the folk who say it's impossible to get FFP Award flights....

[arun]

I fully agree with you Lindsay.
I am really getting annoyed with the newspapers running stories that frequent flyer programs are all crap and you can only buy a toaster after two years of credit card spending, etc. (eg: today's Sydney Morning Herald).
As they say.... winners analyse, cynics criticise.

Regards
Arun

[Lindsay Wilson]

and to top it off, Today Tonight ran a story on some idiot who had 220,000 FF points and couldn't find an Award flight...what a tosser, any experienced FF worth their salt can find flights..he mustn't know which end to look

[icemann]

Sorry Lindsay, just read your post AFTER I posted mine !

You saw the same program too then

[Sarah-julie]

Hello,
Thanks for sending my e-mail. I'm having a bit of trouble trying to get the information so i can gain points on my flight to london.
Please help.ahhhhhhhhhh...........
Sarah-julie

[freoflyer]

Julie:

www.skywards.com or Emirates and follow the links.

There are also contact phone numbers on the website if that's no good.

On the issue of not being able to spend you FF points...paff....as long as you a) book early enough b) have some flexibility in flying dates and c) are prepared to do your research.....

I have booked my last few holidays almost entirely on QF/SQ points....twice Perth to Queenstown business class for me plus partner (during peak ski season), a return business class Per-LHR (peak europe summer season) and two return flights perth to india (next week).

In fairness, SQ krisflyer points have always beene asier to use than QF points.

And both SQ and Skywards allow you to pre-book upgrades using points, so none of this QF ....make an application and you'll find out at check-in....which I find is the one BIG disadvantage with QF points.

[albatross710]

why do the girls in pink get all the help?...lol

[Evan]

Because although we can't see them we hope they are cute and single
E