Emirates, Alaska launch new partnership

Emirates and Alaska Airlines have launched a new frequent flier partnership, offering passengers the opportunity to accrue Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles when they fly to any of Emirates’ 118 destinations worldwide, including points across Africa, India and the Middle East. Emirates Skywards members can also accrue miles across the Alaska Airlines network in the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii), Canada and Mexico. “As part of our commitment to Seattle, we are launching our service by partnering with Seattle’s hometown airline to offer customers the convenience of a frequent flier partnership as well as one-stop check-in and through checked baggage, providing easier access to a vast range of points across the United States, Canada and Mexicoösaid Nigel Page, Emirates’ senior vice-president of commercial operations for the Americas.” Emirates will operate a daily nonstop flight from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Dubai aboard an ultra-long range B777-300ER beginning March 1, 2012 . Seattle will become the airline’s sixth U.S. gateway , joining New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston and from 2nd February, Dallas/Fort Worth. Under the new partnership, travellers connecting between any point on Emirates and Alaska Airlines’ networks will be able to check in for their flights at either carrier’s counter, receive their boarding passes and check their bags to their final destination. “Alaska Airlines is delighted to welcome Emirates as our newest Mileage Plan partner,” said Caroline Boren, the carrier’s managing director, loyalty marketing and customer advocacy. “Our customers will be able to earn and redeem miles on Emirates — a carrier admired for its service and quality and with a route network that gives our members even more access to global destinations.” Miles flown on Emirates will count toward qualification for Alaska’s MVP elite level program. And to celebrate the new partnership, both airlines are offering double miles on each others’ flights starting March 1 through May 31, 2012. To earn Double Miles, members must register their Skywards number at http://www.skywards.com or Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan number at http://www.alaskaair.com prior to their first qualifying flight.