Emirates Skywards 2X miles on hotels & Etihad Guest's STARLUX deal: 30,000 reasons
Double Skywards miles on hotels and cars, Etihad Guest goes two-way with STARLUX, and a Mile-A-Minute comeback.
☀️ THIS WEEK IN UAE EDITION 🏨 Double Skywards miles: Emirates is offering bonus miles on hotels, holiday packages and car rentals this winter, with an IHG One Rewards double-miles deal running to January 31, 2027. ✈️ Etihad x STARLUX: Etihad Guest members can now earn and spend miles on STARLUX flights, and STARLUX COSMILE members can do the same on Etihad. ⏱️ Mile-A-Minute is back: Emirates Skywards has relaunched its offer rewarding visitors for every minute spent in Dubai. 💳 UK Emirates cards: New UK credit cards launched with up to 30,000 bonus Skywards miles. |
Partnerships were the story of the week. Etihad Guest opened a two-way door to Taiwan's STARLUX, while Emirates Skywards put its hotel and car-rental partners front and centre with a winter bonus push. Here's what matters for your miles.
| 🏨 Emirates Skywards doubles down on hotels and cars | |
Winter bonus miles beyond the flight
Emirates Skywards is rewarding members with bonus miles on hotels, holiday packages and car rentals this winter. Arabian Business reports double miles on hotels and car rentals, with booking deadlines attached, so check the fine print before you book.
One concrete example: the IHG One Rewards and Emirates Skywards double-miles promotion covers stays until January 31, 2027, but you need to book by November 30. That gives you roughly four weeks from today to lock in a stay.
The bottom line
If you already have a winter hotel or car rental planned, route it through the Skywards partner links before the November 30 booking cutoff. It's free miles on spend you were making anyway.
| ✈️ Etihad Guest and STARLUX go two-way | |
Earn and burn across both airlines
Etihad Guest has expanded its partnership with STARLUX COSMILE, and the headline is that it now pays out both ways. Etihad Guest members can earn and spend miles on STARLUX flights, while COSMILE members can earn and redeem on Etihad.
For AUH-based flyers, this opens up another route into Taiwan and beyond via a partner redemption option, without leaving the Etihad Guest ecosystem.
The bottom line
Two-way partnerships are where real value tends to hide. Keep an eye out for award availability on STARLUX before you commit any Etihad Guest miles, since the details of pricing weren't in the coverage we saw.
| ⏱️ Mile-A-Minute returns to Dubai | |
Skywards pays you for time on the ground
Emirates Skywards has relaunched its popular "Mile-A-Minute" offer, rewarding visitors for every minute they spend in Dubai. It's a fun one that plays on layovers and stopovers, turning your time in the city into Skywards miles.
The bottom line
If you're hosting friends or family transiting through DXB, point them to this one. Check the terms on the Emirates site for eligibility before you promise anyone miles.
| 💳 New Emirates cards land in the UK | |
Up to 30,000 bonus Skywards miles
Emirates launched new UK credit cards offering up to 30,000 bonus Skywards miles. These are UK-issued products, so they're only relevant if you have UK ties, but it shows how aggressively Skywards is pushing co-brand acquisition.
The bottom line
Not actionable for most UAE residents, but worth watching: when Emirates raises the bonus bar abroad, local bank co-brand offers sometimes follow. Keep an eye on your UAE card options.
| 📌 Also this week | |
🛋️ Emirates First Class Lounge at DXB Concourse A got a fresh review from Live and Let's Fly, handy if you're eyeing a First Class redemption: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMid0FVX3lxTFBjYUFhM2pTY09OQ2lUN05NX1dlRUtqN0RZNW16RXdUZXZLVXpGYmJZZGxoeXRUa0RoT0tRQ0JmMVRNeWRGUXA5SkdpSVNxUXFsUzdaSmhJNm0wYmdxWVl3aGNXcTZ5QU9mRVllY0NKTV8wSTFLWk00?oc=5
🏷️ Qatar Airways is running a sale with up to 10% off flights, per Upgraded Points: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMia0FVX3lxTE0zSEx0eXVzbzhBbUpyZW1SQ01BM19wdWFhUlZzUkF5eWRkZHZhT1dCa3hXcnJuLVRMOFVvdE5lZk11akZKZGZ1blhyMU53a3FDSkdabXZnNG9LVjlFaEdJUnVfbFNhbllSQ0RZ?oc=5
🏬 Emirates opened a new Travel Store in Rome: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwgFBVV95cUxOcnJMN3k4NjRvTlZjWERWZ2Z6NWhxRGd6THNncS01SUZpelFfSl9rc2lfRGhWUXFCVWpkb1g5NEMwc1Y5eUw5VnEzYk43bm5VTG9rRTZEbnFEMDl0cnM0UlNXLV9OcldBUW1rcU1abWhSWlZUQVVzY3J6c1l6bWpfMzAtU1g3VWFsVndqd3N2Qnd0LXRjcmlmbWxkUlhzUGY5R2U4R0liSGwxa19JSG9nN1JWd1lfOEhqNm1zUzVPU3BpUQ?oc=5
That's the week. Happy earning, and may your miles always outrun your spending. See you next Sunday! ✈️

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