Emirates is stretching its loyalty programme well beyond the runway. The airline has launched Skywards Rail, a new service that lets Emirates Skywards members redeem their miles on more than 12,000 train destinations across Europe, marking one of the biggest expansions of the programme’s redemption options since it began.
Miles that now work on trains, not just planes
The new service spans more than 40 major rail operators across 12 European countries, meaning Skywards members can now put their miles toward a wide range of European rail routes, including onward connections from Emirates and flydubai flights. For members based in Denmark, that opens up a genuinely useful way to extend a long haul trip with a rail leg somewhere across the continent, rather than letting miles sit unused between flights.
Bookings run through skywardsrail.com, where members can browse departures, pick a class and ticket type, and pay either fully in miles or with a mix of miles and cash. Miles can also be used to book train tickets on behalf of family or friends, with tickets delivered afterwards as an e-ticket by email.
A network built around europe’s best known rail operators
The rail partners on offer read like a checklist of Europe’s most established train operators, including Eurostar, Deutsche Bahn, SNCF, Trenitalia, TGV, Renfe and ÖBB, alongside British operators such as Heathrow Express, Gatwick Express, Thameslink, Great Western Railway and ScotRail. At the moment, Nordic train operators are not included. Between them, the operators cover both long distance intercity routes and the kind of airport rail links that make a real difference at the start or end of a long haul journey.
