January 20th, 2023 Estimated read time: 4 minutes and 5 seconds
Good morning and welcome back to the Daily Drop, the newsletter that's been described as "the best travel publication on the internet" by websites like FareDrop.com and... well... there are definitely others; I promise. We've got some great content to round out the week, so let's jump in:
- ✈️ First-class Friday: How to book Emirates first-class with points
- ☠️ What happens to your miles and points when you die?
✈️ First-class Friday: How to book Emirates first-class with points
Many of you know that Kara and Nate post a new video every Saturday. It's something we all look forward to every weekend. But I'll be honest; sometimes, the anticipation of waiting can be so painful. Well, I have an inside source who told me exactly what their upcoming video is going to be about, and I'm going to spill the tea, so to speak...
You see, our Youtube power couple friends recently flew on one of the most sought-after seats in the sky: Emirates first-class. In tomorrow's video, you'll get a detailed look at what flying this crazy is like. But today, I'm going to show you how you can do exactly what they did... for around $100. Why are people so stoked about Emirates first-class? I mean, it's just a plane seat... It's not like you have a full room with a closing door, unlimited Dom Perignon champagne, a full bed, world-class dining and even a shower, right? WRONG. You actually get all of those things on Emirates first class. And that's why some people pay thousands of dollars for such a seat.
But there is a much better way to book this seat. I'm talking, of course, about using points and miles. You may not realize that there are actually a few ways to do this. The first option is to transfer points from Chase, American Express, Citi, Capital One or Bilt directly to Emirates. This can be done with a whole slew of different credit cards, including numbers 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9 or 11 from our list of Top Travel Credit Cards. So yeah... You have plenty of options. But how many points will you need? That depends on the route you're taking. If you fly from the U.S., most of your flight options will go through Emirates' hub in Dubai. Since the first-class experience comes with tons of perks in Dubai like chauffer service, lounge access, and more, you'll have to pay a premium. For example, the flight I showed you earlier from Chicago to Dubai in Emirates' first class cabin will cost more than 160,000 miles and hundreds of dollars of taxes and fees, because the cash cost is so freakin high...
When you compare the points cost to the cash cost, you're still definitely getting a great deal by using points. But there's a way to experience the same plane for even less by flying on one of Emirates' fifth freedom routes. If you need a refresher on what this is, check out the newsletter where I explained the concept. Emirates flies two notable fifth freedom routes to the U.S.:
- Newark, NJ to Athens, Greece
- New York (JFK) to Milan, Italy
Since these routes don't involve the ground experience in Dubai and are a few hours shorter than flights to or from Dubai, the points cost and taxes and fees decrease significantly. 👇
So this is definitely the best option for saving your hard-earned points and getting the most bang for your buck. In fact, our friend Nate did exactly this, which you may remember from his first video about flying Emirates first class. He chose to use this card, but you can choose any of the cards I listed earlier. One other honorable mention for booking Emirates first class is Aeroplan. We have a dedicated post on how to leverage Aeroplan for luxury flights, so check that out if you want to learn more. Aeroplan also recently started using a new award chart for Emirates flights specifically.
Sadly, the points rates are much higher than simply booking through Emirates. The only time this might make sense is if you have a stash of Aeroplan points lying around. As a proud Toronto resident and (very) frequent flyer of Air Canada, I have such a stash. If I wanted to book Emirates first class, I'd definitely consider booking through Aeroplan since I have so many points in my account and rack them up pretty quickly. So when you watch Kara and Nate's video tomorrow, don't think such an experience is out of reach. It's actually much more accessible than you think. 😀
☠️ What happens to your miles and points when you die?
We've had a few readers reach out asking about a rather difficult topic: What happens to your points and miles when you die?" Obviously, this can be a touchy subject. When someone dies, the last thing you're thinking about is what happens to their frequent flier miles. But it's also a shame to let them go to waste. After all, people like me spend years racking up points and miles. I know when I die, I'd want to make sure my hard-earned points and miles can still be put to good use. There's no simple answer to this question, but I want to share some tips and data points that may give you an idea of how you can turn a deceased loved one's points into more memories, and what you can do for yourself to make this process easier when you pass on.
Make sure you give access to your accounts to a loved one
The easiest way to ensure your loved ones will be able to use your points and miles is to share your login details with someone you trust. If you pass away, those with your login info can easily log in and either transfer points out of your account or simply book travel under their own name using your points.
Contact the loyalty program and ask about which policies they have in place
Most loyalty programs understand that people can sometimes die, believe it or not. As a result, they have policies in place to help salvage points, miles, and even elite status for next of kin. Every program has a different policy in this regard, but let me give you a couple of examples from people that have told me about their experience first-hand. Marriott Bonvoy will transfer points to a next of kin after providing documentation like a marriage certificate, death certificate of the deceased, etc. If the deceased had elite status, Marriott Bonvoy will sometimes honor that status (or sometimes one status level lower) for up to a year for the next of kin, which is a very generous policy. I've met people who have gone through this process with Marriott and say they make it very easy. American Airlines is also very generous when it comes to transferring miles when someone dies. As long as you have proper documentation like a death certificate and proof of your relationship to the deceased, they'll accommodate points transfers. Many programs do not have published rules on this topic but are able to accommodate point transfers in the event of a member's death. One thing you can do to increase the odds of having your points salvaged is to make this a point in your will. Obviously, you should consult with an expert on the exact language you use, but specifying who you want to receive your points and miles after death can make the process a whole lot smoother if and when that happens. Anyway, I know this topic can be touchy and difficult to talk about. But if you love to travel and cherish your points and miles, make sure your loved ones can put them to good use when you're gone.
That's gonna do it for this week, y'all. That was a rollercoaster of a newsletter, huh? I'd love to get your feedback, so tell me: After reading the newsletter, do you feel better equipped to book Emirates first class? Are you going to use any of my tips for passing on your points and miles when you die? Let me know by replying to this email or reaching out on social media. Asubuhi njema marafiki, Mike Dodge Head Writer, The Daily Drop
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