When we went to Greece, Rob and I flew on Emirates business class from Newark (EWR) to Athens (ATH)—a dream trip made infinitely sweeter by booking it with miles instead of cash.
I’d been eyeing Emirates’ business class route from Newark to Athens for a while. It’s one of those unicorn routes: a flight operated by Emirates between two non-UAE cities, giving you the chance to enjoy Emirates’ world-class service without flying all the way to Dubai.
The Missed Saver Award (and What I Booked Instead)
I was hoping to snag the ultra-valuable Saver award for, at the time, 90,000 Skywards miles round trip, but I wasn’t the only one with that plan—by the time I got serious about booking, those Saver seats were long gone. Lesson learned: Emirates award space gets scooped up fast, especially on this popular route.
Still, all was not lost. I was able to lock in two round-trip business class tickets for 125,000 Emirates Skywards miles apiece. That might not be the lowest redemption available, but when you do the math, it was still an incredible deal.
Don’t Have Emirates Miles? No Problem.
I didn’t have 250,000 Skywards miles just sitting in my account—but that’s the beauty of flexible points programs. Emirates is a transfer partner of:
- Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- American Express Membership Rewards®
- Capital One Miles
- Citi ThankYou® Points
- Bilt Points
That means if you earn points in any of those programs, you can move them over to Emirates. And when I say move them—I mean it. I transferred points from both Chase and Amex, and the transfers were instantaneous. No waiting, no stress, just a few clicks and I was ready to book.
Why I Always Have Points on Deck
People often ask how I always seem to have points available when these opportunities pop up. It’s because I strategically use credit cards that offer great earning multipliers based on my everyday spending—groceries, dining, travel, etc.—and I regularly take advantage of welcome bonuses, referral offers, and promotions. That way, I’m never starting from zero.
For this redemption, I had a healthy stash of Chase and Amex points thanks to consistent earning and thoughtful planning. When it came time to transfer, I didn’t hesitate.
The Value: $11,200 for 250,000 Points
These Emirates business class tickets were going for around $5,600 each, or $11,200 total for two. Since I used 250,000 points total, my redemption value worked out to 4.48 cents per point—a phenomenal value in the world of points and miles, where most people aim for 2 cents per point or better on premium cabin redemptions.
To be clear: that’s not just a win—it’s a big win.
Final Thoughts
Booking this trip reminded me why I always tell people to focus on earning flexible points. Unlike airline-specific miles that can trap you in one ecosystem, flexible currencies like Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi, and Bilt give you the power to move fast when you see a deal—or, in my case, a dream flight to Greece.
Even though I missed the 90,000-mile Saver sweet spot, I still flew in style, had a lie-flat seat and amazing service, and saved over $11,000 in the process.
That’s the power of points.
The Points Mom’s Got IT!
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