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If you want Emirates Skywards elite status, but you don't fly the airline enough to earn it the old-fashioned way, you now have another option. The Emirates status match application is officially live. Although there's no landing page for the promotion yet, the application recently changed from “Add to Waitlist” to “Apply Now” on StatusMatch.com, so you can already submit your request.
Unfortunately, you can only match to Emirates Silver. However, even bottom-tier Silver status comes with several benefits — including unlocking the ability to book Emirates First Class awards.
Here are all the details on the Emirates status match, including whether it's worth the fee.
Match To Emirates Silver Status
The Emirates status match is through StatusMatch.com, the same site that offers status matches for Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Turkish Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, and more.
To match to Emirates Silver, you'll need to hold elite status with another airline. Once you have at least one status linked to your StatusMatch.com account, you'll see Emirates listed in the “Apply for a Status Match” section.
You'll be asked for the following information:
- Your Emirates Skywards membership number
- Your primary country of residence
- Whether you've contacted Emirates about a status match in the last 12 months
- Details on which of your loyalty accounts you would like to use for the status match application
- Verification of your status
As you go through the process, you'll come across this disclaimer:
“It is recommended that you have at least 1 business/first class revenue booking (ie: not points/miles) with Emirates in the future on your Skywards account to have a better chance of your Status Match approval.”
This doesn't necessarily mean you need a paid business or first class ticket, but it might improve your approval odds.
Surprisingly, I went through the process using my Delta Gold Medallion status, and it says that Emirates Silver is within reach. I expected to need top-tier status with a U.S. airline to qualify.
Next, you'll see information stating that StatusMatch.com will submit a request to Emirates on your behalf using the information you provided. It also says that Emirates could grant temporary status with a challenge component. If that's the case, it's considered a successful match.
Finally, the most important disclaimer:
“This status application does not guarantee a successful status match, as final approval is at the discretion of Emirates.”
The Emirates status match costs $395, and the fee isn't refundable if the match is denied. This is a lot of money, so we'd recommend holding a high elite status and also having a paid business class ticket on the books before you submit your request. The last thing you'd want is to pay $395 and not get Emirates status.
Perks of Emirates Silver
You might be thinking, “Paying $395 for an entry-level elite status tier seems like a lot.” You'd be correct. Emirates has never been known for its affordability, and this status match is no different.
Emirates Silver typically requires 25,000 Tier Miles, which you can earn through spending on Emirates
As a Silver member, you get the following perks:
- 30%
bonus miles - Complimentary seat selection
- Classic
rewards - WhatsApp chat support service
- Priority check-in at Emirates Terminal 3 in Dubai and worldwide
- Priority boarding
- 12 kg of excess baggage allowance
- Complimentary access to the Emirates Business Class Lounge in Dubai
- Earn 1 Skywards mile per $1 spent at Marriott properties worldwide, on top of
Marriott Bonvoy - Bonus miles, priority check-in, and 12 kg of excess baggage when flying Flydubai
You'll likely notice that two of these stick out as major benefits. Emirates Silver status unlocks access to Emirates first-class award redemptions, an aspirational goal for many award travelers. Plus, if you frequently transit through Dubai, having complimentary access to the business class lounge is fantastic.
Considering a business class ticket between New York and Athens would earn only 4,688 Tier Miles each way, paying $395 for automatic Silver status doesn't seem terrible. You'll certainly spend more than that if you flew round-trip to Athens in Emirates business class three times. You just need an eligible competitor status to get started.
Bottom Line
If you want to book a first-class Emirates award or visit the business class lounge in Dubai, $395 feels like a relatively small price to pay. Elite status definitely elevates your travel experience, but since Emirates isn't part of any global airline alliances, Emirates status doesn't provide much value outside of Emirates flights.
And keep in mind that many different programs have either reduced transfer ratios to Emirates or removed Emirates as a partner altogether. While access to Emirates first-class award redemptions is certainly nice, you need enough Skywards miles to book the ticket. It's probably not worth submitting a request if you have no plans to fly Emirates, since there's no telling how long your matched status will last.
