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Alaska Airlines has massively devalued its award charts to fly Emirates with zero notice. That’s devastating because Alaska miles were the best way to book Emirates A380 First Class, my second favorite product behind Etihad A380 First Class.
Emirates is most famous for having showers and bars on the A380 for First Class passengers.
Until yesterday, you could book Emirates First Class at slightly expensive/kind of reasonable prices:
USA to Dubai: 90,000 Alaska miles one way in First ClassUSA to Dubai to Asia/Africa/Europe: 100,000 Alaska miles one way in First Class (2-4 flights total)
Say bye-bye to those those prices. Today, Emirates First Class prices have gone up 67%-100%.
- USA to Middle East/India: 150,000 Alaska miles one way
- USA to rest of Asia or Europe: 180,000 Alaska miles one way
- USA to Africa: 200,000 Alaska miles one way
Business Class prices were also gutted, though that’s less of a blow to me personally. Here are the full charts for Africa and Asia. 
Emirates has apparently forgotten to update its Europe award chart. It still shows the old prices.
Don’t get too excited. Not only do new higher prices apply to Emirates First Class awards to Europe that connect in Dubai…
…but the same 180,000 miles one way applies to the nonstop route from JFK to Milan that is just over seven hours in the air.
So the current Emirates award chart to Europe is a lie. Ordinarily I wouldn’t do anything about it, but if you think a no-notice devaluation is as much horse***t as I do, especially when aggressively selling its miles at a discount simultaneously, then you might want to call Alaska to book Emirates awards to Europe and point phone agents to the posted award chart if they try to charge you 180,000 miles one way.
How to Fight Back
You should tweet @AlaskaAir with your displeasure. They will notice, and I think will be far less likely to make a no-notice devaluation in the future. If you aren’t feeling creative, just retweet my tweet.
Retweet if you think no-notice Emirates devaluation from @AlaskaAir is unethical especially during a Buy Miles sale.https://t.co/oaKl1SGLBx
— MileValue (@MileValue) March 31, 2016
Best Way to Book Emirates First Class Now
Japan Airlines miles, transfer partner of SPG Starpoints. I’ll have more on this option soon.
Bottom Line
Devaluations stink.
Major devaluations stink more. (Please do it the Aeroplan way of small yearly devaluations with a few months notice instead.)
No-notice major devaluation stink the most.
They are plainly unethical. For weeks Alaska has been selling its miles with a bonus to entice you to buy. This is a revenue stream in the hundreds of millions of dollars annually for them.
The implied promise is that you buy the miles and redeem them at the stated award chart prices, and then those prices change with no warning. I am sure someone got caught out on this sale with the no-notice Emirates devaluation, and that is slimy as all get out, Alaska.
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Tough Luck if U snooze U loose they control the Game . I just got off the phone from Delta changing ($144) my 0630 flt to 1130 from NCE I booked a year ago so I don’t get shot . This is a big deal to me my last trip to EU like if U can’t control; Ur borders or people why would anyone go there.
USA CaveMan
CHEERs
just when we thought Alaska was trying to differentiate themselves from Delta… they have become just like them, or actually worse!
Lantean
I really think Ur being to hard on Alaska it took many years to be as F uped as Delta . I can get any card and I really think Delta is no better then a Cheap Hooker or the US integration service .Can’t wait to DO Delta then be do with them .
[…] Alaska Airlines doubled the price of flying Emirates First Class awards with no notice whatsoever. Here was my […]
It’s simple textbook racketeering. Alaska baits you to earn all these miles and without any notice changes their value overnight. Even United/American and Delta aren’t that low to sneak in such changes and hope no one notices. Alaska has truly hit a low in the industry for this move!
[…] Sadly, Alaska Airlines massively devalued their Emirates chart with no notice. Emirates First Class prices have gone up 67%-100%. […]
[…] between members of a frequent flyer program and the airline. Alaska was so embarrassed by its no-notice Emirates devaluation that it offered explanations after the fact, promised not to devalue again without notice, and […]