Dubai: If you’re a frequent flyer of Emirates and plan on booking a ticket with just flydubai, you will earn rewards points that are also redeemable for free flights with the major airline.
Emirates’ frequent flyers can now score travel points even when they book a flight with the budget carrier, it has been confirmed. fllydubai flyers, in turn, can earn rewards when they fly with Emirates.
The airline said on Wednesday that flydubai’s loyalty programme, formerly known as OPEN, has just been replaced and is now officially called Emirates Skywards.
“From today, Emirates Skywards members will earn Skywards miles and Tier miles on all flydubai flights,” Emirates said in a statement.
Rewards programmes are used by airlines to promote a sense of loyalty among customers, who can accrue points, commonly called air miles, that can be exchanged for a ticket upgrade, free flight or hotel stay.
The new amendment to both of the airline’s rewards programme was announced just about a year after Emirates and flydubai said that they’re joining forces, although both are still being managed independently.
In July 2018, the two Dubai-based carriers said they’re entering into a codeshare agreement, allowing customers a number of travel options across their complimentary networks. As of January, the tie-up included more than 80 destinations.
“The strategic move will bring even more benefits to our members, giving them opportunities to earn and spend miles on an extended global route network,” said Dr Nejib Ben Khedher, senior vice president, Emirates Skywards.
“The alignment of the loyalty programme now allows Emirates Skywards members to also earn Skywards Miles and Tier Miles when travelling on both airlines,” Emirates said in a statement.
Frequent flydubai flyers, in turn, are also entitled to earn loyalty points from Emirates. “[But] customers need to fly with us to accrue miles,” a spokesperson for Emirates told Gulf News.
Former OPEN members can enroll into Emirates Skywards to continue earning miles on flydubai.
