Qantas Frequent Flyer is making major changes to how members can redeem points for Emirates flights, ending a long-standing advantage that allowed travelers to access premium cabins—especially First Class—more easily than through Emirates’ own Skywards program.
The airline announced three updates affecting Emirates (EK) award redemptions, including new restrictions for First Class bookings and higher points requirements across all cabins. The changes are expected to reduce the value of some high-end redemptions and bring Qantas’ award rules more closely in line with Emirates’ own policies.
A Major Shift in the Qantas–Emirates Loyalty Partnership
Qantas and Emirates maintain a deep commercial partnership that allows Qantas Frequent Flyer members to redeem points across Emirates’ global network.
For years, this partnership created a clear arbitrage opportunity, especially in First Class, where Qantas points could be used more freely than Emirates Skywards miles.
Reported by OMAAT, Qantas has now confirmed changes that directly address this imbalance by matching Emirates’ own redemption policies and revising award pricing across all cabins.
New Emirates First Class Restrictions Begin in 2026
Two of the three announced updates apply specifically to Emirates First Class awards booked using Qantas Frequent Flyer points. Qantas confirmed that existing bookings are not affected, meaning members who already have Emirates First Class travel reserved will not be impacted.
Minimum Age Requirement for First Class Redemptions
From January 21, 2026, all passengers redeeming Qantas points for Emirates First Class must be at least 9 years old.
This mirrors Emirates Skywards policy and removes access for younger travelers.
Elite Status Now Required to Book Emirates First Class With Points
From February 18, 2026, Emirates First Class awards will only be available to Qantas Frequent Flyer members holding Silver status or higher.
Members without elite status will no longer be eligible to book First Class using points.
This change shifts Emirates First Class redemptions toward more frequent flyers and higher-tier customers, limiting availability for casual travelers who may have accumulated points through credit card spending or occasional travel.
Emirates Award Chart Devaluation: Higher Point Costs Across All Cabins
The third change affects Emirates award redemptions in every cabin, not just First Class. Qantas is increasing the number of points required for Emirates award flights across all markets and distance bands.
Bookings made through March 30, 2026, will follow the current award chart
Bookings made from March 31, 2026, will follow a new, higher-priced chart
Point increases vary by distance band and cabin, with most routes seeing increases of approximately 10 to 30 percent.
Premium cabins, including Business and First Class, experience the largest increases, though Economy awards are also affected.
For many travelers, the biggest impact will be on long-haul premium redemptions, where award pricing can already be steep and availability limited.
Why the Emirates “Arbitrage” Opportunity Is Ending
The updates remove a long-standing pricing gap between Qantas and Emirates Skywards and significantly reduce premium award value.
Emirates does not operate its loyalty program as a separate profit engine. Skywards is structured to support commercial objectives and reward elite loyalty rather than maximize redemption volume.
Recent Skywards changes include:
A worse transfer ratio when converting partner points
A minimum age requirement for First Class redemptions
A requirement that members hold elite status to book First Class
Allowing unrestricted First Class access through partner programs would undermine these policies.
As a result, Emirates has either increased reimbursement costs for partner awards or required pricing alignment, prompting Qantas to raise point requirements and add similar restrictions.
Strategic Context: Loyalty Programs Push Toward Elite Travelers
While unfavorable for members, these changes were highly predictable. Limiting First Class access within Skywards while leaving partner programs unrestricted would have been commercially inconsistent.
Aligning Qantas Frequent Flyer rules with Emirates Skywards eliminates redemption loopholes and reinforces Emirates’ control over premium cabin inventory.
From a business perspective, this approach helps Emirates protect its premium product and prioritize availability for its own top-tier customers, while ensuring partner redemptions do not undercut the airline’s broader commercial strategy.
Bottom Line: More Expensive and More Restrictive Emirates Awards
Qantas Frequent Flyer has introduced age and status requirements for Emirates First Class awards and increased point costs across all cabins.
Existing bookings remain protected, but future redemptions will be more restrictive and expensive.
These changes close a long-standing arbitrage gap and fully align Qantas-issued Emirates awards with Emirates’ broader loyalty strategy.
