Emirates to change Skywards awards May 20

Emirates is set to change the number of Skywards miles required for selected Classic Rewards and Upgrade Rewards on May 20, according to a notice now displayed on the airline’s mileage calculator. The notice does not spell out which routes or cabins will be affected, and it does not say in that message whether the number of miles will rise or fall. (emirates.com) The change applies to two of the program’s core redemption uses: award tickets booked as Classic Rewards and mileage upgrades on paid tickets. Emirates directs members with existing reservations to “Manage your booking” to see the miles tied to trips they have already booked. The update matters because Skywards is a large loyalty program shared by Emirates and flydubai. Emirates said in September 2025 that Skywards had more than 37 million members worldwide, after previously putting the figure above 35 million. The program lets members redeem miles for flights, upgrades and partner rewards, and Emirates has continued to add redemption options, including Premium Economy awards introduced in 2025. ### What exactly did Emirates say will change on May 20? The Emirates mileage calculator says: “From 20 May 2026, there will be changes to the number of Miles required for selected Classic Rewards and Upgrade Rewards.” That wording appears on the airline’s own site and is the clearest official statement currently available in public view. (emirates.com) The same page says the miles shown in the calculator can differ from the miles quoted at booking depending on itinerary, and that carrier-imposed charges and government taxes are charged in addition to miles. That means travelers still need to price a specific trip in the booking flow to see the full redemption cost. (emirates.com) ### Which parts of Skywards are affected? Emirates program rules define a Classic Reward as a flight ticket sold by Emirates in exchange for Skywards miles, excluding taxes and other fees where applicable. The rules separately define Upgrade Rewards as rewards provided in exchange for Skywards miles, placing both products at the center of how many members use the program for flight redemptions. (emirates.com) In September 2025, Emirates expanded those redemption options by allowing members to use miles for Premium Economy Classic Rewards and Upgrade Rewards. Emirates said at the time that Premium Economy redemptions started from 15,000 miles one-way and Economy-to-Premium Economy upgrades from 7,020 miles one-way, showing how the airline has recently broadened, not narrowed, the menu of award products even as pricing changes continue. (emirates.com) ### Has Emirates confirmed whether prices are going up? Travel blogs and loyalty sites that first flagged the notice said the airline had not initially published enough detail to show whether pricing would increase or decrease across affected awards. (emirates.com) Several observers urged members to wait for route-by-route pricing before drawing broad conclusions. More recent coverage from travel outlets said the change would increase the miles required for selected rewards, citing the wording they saw on Emirates channels. Reuters could not independently verify a full list of changed redemption levels from a public Emirates award chart, because Emirates uses a calculator and live pricing rather than a single published chart on the pages reviewed. (emirates.com) ### Why is the lack of a published chart important? Emirates does not show a single public award chart on the pages reviewed for this story. Instead, members are directed to the mileage calculator, the booking path and the “Manage your booking” page for existing trips. (onemileatatime.com) That structure makes it harder to compare old and new redemption rates across many routes at once. The calculator page also says the miles shown may differ from the final quote at booking, depending on itinerary. For travelers, that means a search done before May 20 and a search done on or after May 20 may be the most practical way to measure any change on a specific route. (msn.com) ### What should travelers watch next? May 20 is the key date because that is when Emirates says the revised mileage requirements for selected Classic Rewards and Upgrade Rewards take effect. Travelers with Skywards balances will be able to check the new rates through the Emirates mileage calculator and live booking flow once the change is active. (emirates.com) Emirates’ next concrete milestone for members is the appearance of updated pricing on Emirates.com on May 20, alongside any further clarification the airline may publish on affected routes, cabins or upgrade bands. (emirates.com)