Here’s what the rule change means for Emirates Skywards members and families.
Dubai-based Emirates Airlines will no longer allow young children to travel first class on a mileage award ticket or upgrade.
The news caused a sensation on the internet this week, as the change was not announced, but quietly inserted into the terms and conditions of the airline’s Skywards frequent flier program. The restriction, which applies to children under the age of nine, only impacts award tickets or upgrades paid with miles; passengers of any age are still free to purchase first-class tickets, or redeem miles for awards or upgrades in business, premium economy, and economy on Emirates flights.
The change was not announced by Emirates, and the airline has, at press time, not issued a statement explaining the rationale for the change. It’s worth noting that the restriction only appears in the Emirates Skywards program terms; it was similarly unclear whether there would be an age restriction for passengers redeeming miles from other programs, such as Air Canada’s Aeroplan or Qantas Frequent Flier, both of which allow their members to redeem miles for Emirates flights.
Also unclear is how many members of Emirates or their partners’ frequent flyer programs would be affected by the change, or whether Emirates anticipated a significant reduction in first class redemptions on account of the change.
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Emirates’ first class is one of the airline’s most famous products, offering individual private suites and multi-course international meals including caviar and Dom Pérignon champagne (for passengers aged 21 or over, the legal drinking age in the United Arab Emirates). First class on Airbus A380 aircraft even includes onboard shower suites and a stand-up bar for both first and business class passengers. First class fares from the U.S. to Dubai can routinely exceed $20,000 round-trip at the most discounted fare.
Age restrictions for fare-paying and mileage redemption passengers in any class of service are rare in the airline industry. A select number of airlines refrain from seating young children or infants in dedicated sections of their economy class cabins, but no other airline has introduced age restrictions for a premium cabin for mileage redemptive travel or otherwise, largely because the law in many countries requires airlines to be accessible to the public, allowing for restrictions only for safety or security purposes. Some airlines also place age restrictions on children traveling alone—Taiwan’s STARLUX doesn’t allow children under the age of 8 to travel in first class, but there’s no age restriction for children traveling with an adult.
It’s worth noting that the restriction has not yet been matched, even by other airlines in the United Arab Emirates, such as Abu Dhabi-based Etihad, or by other carriers in the Gulf region, such as Qatar Airways or Saudia, all of which offer first class on long-haul flights.
However, some airlines do place restrictions on younger children in premium cabins when formulating policies for non-revenue travelers, such as airline employees flying free or at significant discounts.
Emirates offers first class on many—but not all—flights from Dubai to North America. Emirates offers service from ten U.S. gateways to Dubai, with connections throughout the Middle East, Africa, the Subcontinent, and the Asia/Pacific region. Emirates’ U.S. gateway airports include Boston, Chicago O’Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston Intercontinental, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York JFK, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle/Tacoma, and Washington Dulles.
