Emirates is celebrating reaching a milestone of over 27 million members joining its Skywards frequent flier program. The figure comes on the 20th anniversary of the program, which has seen dramatic growth in the last decade. The Dubai-based carrier has become one of the most recognizable international airlines, connecting passengers globally.
Rapid growth
While the 27 million figure is quite impressive, the most notable point is how quickly Emirates has added members. In 2005, the airline only had one million members and has since added a staggering 26 million in 15 years. Roughly converting, this means the airline added over 4,700 members every single day in this period (or three per second!).
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This dramatic growth has coincided with Emirates’ rise as a global hub-and-spoke carrier. By connecting smaller cities, Emirates has led in growing markets and major passenger centers alike.
Since 2010, the airline has doubled its yearly passenger traffic from 27 million to 56 million in 2019. This growth has undoubtedly helped the airline gain its strong frequent-flyer following in recent years.
Where are members located?
Emirates has Skywards members in 180 countries, reflecting its diverse route map. However, a few countries stand out for their particular affinity for the airline, with millions of Skywards members each. Here is the list of countries with the most Skywards members:
- United Kingdom: 3.5 million members
- United States: 2.7 million members
- Australia: 2 million members
- India: 1.9 million members
- United Arab Emirates: 1.9 million members
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The UK is by far home to the most Skyward members. The airline flies to seven airports in the nation, including three in London alone. The US and Australia also see substantial Skywards members, primarily since Emirates offers key connections to Asia and Europe for passengers in both countries.
In its home country of the UAE, Emirates racks up 1.9 million members. While this isn’t as high as others, the small population of the country means 20% of all residents are Skywards members!
Battling the crisis
While Skywards has grown substantially in the last few years, this year’s crisis has undoubtedly affected it. To combat the effect of passengers not flying, the program has launched an online store that rewards travelers for online purchases. Additionally, Skywards also has dozens of retail partners and hundreds of hotels where miles can be earned or spent.
Passengers who can and wish to fly, Emirates is offering double tier miles for all flights booked until December 10th for travel before 31st March 2021. For the 32,000 members who have been Skyward members since its founding in 2000, Emirates is also offering double Skyward miles as well.
2020 has undoubtedly hit frequent-flyer programs hard, with a fraction of passengers taking to the air. As travel gradually recovers, airlines are hoping to offer travelers with more rewards and miles as incentives to get back in the air.
Are you an Emirates Skywards member? Do you enjoy the program? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!