Members of the Emirates Skywards loyalty program can now use accumulated miles to book train journeys in over 12,000 destinations across Europe, thanks to the launch of a new service for exchanging miles for train tickets.
Skywards Rail Service Capabilities
The airline's loyalty program announced that the Skywards Rail service gives participants access to over 40 operators in 12 European countries. It covers domestic, international, and high-speed rail routes.
Users can view schedules, select service classes, and ticket types. Payment is possible entirely with miles or a combination of cash and miles. Furthermore, members can use their miles to purchase tickets for friends and relatives, with e-tickets sent via email. The service is available online and via mobile devices in five languages.
List of Participating Carriers and Fares
Among the participating companies are carriers such as Eurostar, Deutsche Bahn, SNCF, Trenitalia, TGV, Renfe, and ÖBB. British services, including Heathrow Express, Gatwick Express, Thameslink, Great Western Railway, and ScotRail, are also included.
Examples of available fares include a trip from Berlin to Frankfurt for 4,100 miles, Heathrow Express for 4,700 miles, from Barcelona to Madrid for 5,400 miles, from Rome to Milan for 8,100 miles, and from London to Paris for 9,400 miles.
Expansion of the Loyalty Program
Dr. Nejib Ben Hedher, Senior Vice President of the Emirates Skywards division, noted that participants are increasingly looking for more flexible ways to use their miles. He emphasized that Skywards Rail is another step in expanding the program beyond air travel.
He added that this platform will allow members to make connections after Emirates or flydubai flights, travel between major European cities, or explore new destinations using their miles.
The launch of this option adds another non-flight benefit, thereby expanding the Emirates Skywards loyalty offering at different stages of travel. The program, launched in 2000, has over 39 million members in 190 countries and attracts over 78,000 new members every week, according to Emirates Skywards data.