- By Soumyaroop Mukherjee
- Sun, 21 Sep 2025 04:50 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Emirates has recently imposed new regulations, setting an age limit on passengers eligible for the reward system or the miles system. Under the reward system, passengers gain loyalty points, which help them to upgrade tickets to first class. The new rules, introduced in mid-August 2025, would impact Indian flyers among others. "Please note that passengers aged 8 years old and below are ineligible for First Class Emirates Classic Rewards and Upgrade Rewards," the updated terms and conditions of the Skywards program read.
The reward system will not work for children below the age of 9 years while booking tickets. Cash bookings will still be possible, but this move will impact many families who rely on the more economical way of traveling using the loyalty points.
What Are The Rule Changes?
Changes | Before August 2025 | After August 2025 |
|---|---|---|
Age | There was no age limit to use the Emirates Upgrade | Children aged 8 years and below are ineligible |
Skyward Miles | Anyone could use Skywards Miles to redeem award tickets or upgrade paid tickets. | Children below 9 years are ineligible |
Cash bookings | Children could fly First Class with paid tickets. | Rule remains unchanged |
Premium benefits | All members (gold, platinum and silver) could use the reward system | The reward is now applicable for members above 8 years of age |
Impact On Indian Flyers
Emirates operates multiple flights from key Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. It enjoys a loyal customer base travelling to Europe and North America. The current change in policy will raise the cost incurred by passengers travelling with kids younger than 9 years. Indian families, who gained Skywards Miles through credit cards or frequent travel, would opt for other airlines that allow children to redeem miles.
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Emirates Flyers Give Mixed Reactions
The change in the reward system has attracted strong reactions from travelers who have used the reward system of the Emirates for travel for quite a while. While on one hand, families have expressed frustration, others have highlighted the difference between the cash payments and the rewards system in place.
Several families even shared screenshots on their social media handles, which showed the change in rules regarding the frequent flyers, making it difficult to book tickets for the children.
Travelers who have used the first class frequently welcomed the decision taken by the airlines, arguing that this would keep the luxury factor of the First Class in place. According to them, it’s the unmatched luxury of Emirates that justifies every penny spent.
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Alternative For Emirates Flyers
To save the flyers from the hassle of paying ‘extra’ in cash, many travel bloggers have even suggested redeeming the reward points while booking tickets for adults, while paying cash for the children.