The best ways to spend 100,000 Emirates Skywards miles

Emirates Skywards miles can take you from Sydney to London or even just Sydney to Melbourne: but how could you best-spend 100,000 of those miles, such as you'd pocket by signing up for a new American Express Platinum Charge Card?

Australian Business Traveller reveals your top options for spending that Skywards bounty, and by taking advantage of Emirates' many airline partnerships, you'll have the world at your feet.

1. Fly return business class to Tokyo with Japan Airlines

Despite being the Emirates Skywards program, the airline counts a number of other partners among its roster: including Japan Airlines, which allows you to book business class from Sydney to Tokyo for just 85,000 Skywards miles, return.

That gets you access to the Qantas business class lounge in Sydney, plus a 'Sky Suite' aboard JAL's Boeing 777 or Boeing 787 aircraft en route to the Japanese capital.

With the return flight being overnight, travellers will appreciate their pre-flight visit to a Japan Airlines Sakura business class lounge in Tokyo, complete with private shower suites, plus a fully-flat bed in the air and a spare 15,000 Skywards miles for their next journey abroad.

AusBT review: Japan Airlines Sky Suite business class, Sydney-Tokyo

2. Enjoy three business or first class upgrades on Emirates flights to Asia

Booked to travel with Emirates from Australia to Bangkok or Singapore? You could use your Skywards miles to upgrade to the next-highest class of service from just 30,000 Skywards miles per flight: stretching your balance to three one-way upgrades with change to spare.

Among your options: swapping an economy Flex Plus fare for a business class seat (30,000 miles), or a business Flex or Flex Plus fare for a first class suite (also 30,000 miles per flight).

Some less-pricey tickets instead require a higher 39,000 Skywards miles for a one-way upgrade – including Business Saver to first class and or Economy Flex to business class – which would still allow you to upgrade two flights from your bounty of 100,000 miles: just not three.

AusBT review: Emirates Boeing 777 first class, Melbourne-Singapore

3. Fly Emirates return to Auckland in business + first class

There's no better way to fly to Auckland than in first class aboard an Emirates Airbus A380: and for just 54,000 Skywards miles (one way), you can make that happen.

Fly from Sydney or Melbourne and your journey can begin in the magnificent Qantas first class lounges, or in the Emirates lounge from Brisbane: and once on board, you'll have a private closing-door suite in which to stretch out, and if an on-board shower takes your fancy, there's that option too.

Book your flight home in business class for 36,000 Skywards miles and you'll have burned only 90,000 overall: or, wait until you have precisely 108,000 miles and take the entire trip in first class!

Don't forget: Emirates' Airbus A380s also feature an inflight cocktail bar and lounge for both business class and first class passengers, so for a cocktail or a social moment, make time for a visit.

4. Fly return Qantas business class to Indonesia or Singapore

From Sydney, 100,000 Skywards miles could take you to Denpasar (Bali) or Jakarta and back in Qantas business class, leaving no Skywards miles at all to waste.

You could also maximise that value by opting for Qantas’ Airbus A330 flights to Jakarta with its new Business Suites and fully-flat beds, rather than the domestic-style Boeing 737s which jet to Bali with reclining seats at the pointy end.

Readers on the west coast could instead take a return business class trip between Perth and Singapore with Qantas, also for a rounded 100,000 Skywards miles.

5. Take two return trips in Qantas domestic business class

Stay closer to home by taking two return journeys in Qantas domestic business class: or bring your partner along for the ride for a single return trip together!

The best value can be found on routes within ‘Skywards zone 2’, including flights like Melbourne-Brisbane, Sydney-Adelaide and Sydney-Hobart, rather than shorter hops like Sydney-Melbourne. These slightly lengthier flights set you back 48,000 Skywards miles per return business class trip, or 96,000 Skywards miles after your second journey.

A single return voyage from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane to Perth is also an option at 72,000 Skywards miles: although this burns too many miles to allow for a second return business class trip, even on those shortest routes.

Honourable mention: Jetstar international business class

Sure, it’s not as flash as a fully-flat bed, but a precise 97,250 Skywards miles could get you abroad and back again in Jetstar’s Boeing 787 business class.

Among your options at that price: a return journey between Sydney and either Bangkok or Phuket, or return from Melbourne to Bangkok or Singapore.

Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.