Ask Finder: Can I earn Emirates Skywards Miles with Jetstar?
The devil is in the details for this points partnership.
It is indeed possible to earn Emirates Skywards Miles on Jetstar flights. That relationship exists because of the wide-ranging partnership between Emirates and Jetstar's parent airline Qantas, a partnership that is set to run until at least 2023.
However, before you start getting too excited it's worth being aware of two key restrictions: the kind of fares where you can earn points, and the routes which are covered.
In terms of fares: only bookings which are made as Economy Starter Plus, Economy Starter Max or Business Max are able to earn points. That means that those super-cheap fares you see during Jetstar's regular sales won't qualify unless you add a Plus bundle.
The table below shows the earning rates for eligible fares; check out our detailed Skywards guide for more on how earning works in Skywards.
| Jetstar fare | Skywards Miles |
|---|---|
| Economy Starter | Not eligible |
| Economy Starter Plus | 50% Economy |
| Economy Starter Max | 100% Economy |
| Business | Not eligible |
| Business Max | 125% Business |
That restriction on its own means flying Jetstar isn't going to be a cheap way of earning Skywards Miles. But for Australians, there's a bigger issue.
Domestic flights with Jetstar are only eligible to earn Skywards Miles if they're part of an international booking. In other words, your flight from Sydney to Melbourne can't earn points unless it's also attached to a flight to Hawaii, or Japan, or Bali, or what have you. International flights with Jetstar, Jetstar Asia and Jetstar Japan are eligible for points (provided you've booked some form of Plus fare).
There are two other conditions to bear in mind. Firstly, you have to supply your Skywards membership number to Jetstar prior to the flight departing. You can't add those details after the flight. Secondly, it can take up to six weeks for points to show up in your account.
Bottom line? If you are taking a Jetstar flight overseas and think it's worth paying for a Plus bundle, then Skywards is an option to make sure the flight actually does earn some points. However, there are many faster ways to boost your points totals, so don't rely on this approach exclusively.
Ask Finder is a regular column where Finder's expert writers answer your questions. All rates and fees are correct at time of publication and we only give general advice. Got a question for Points Finder? Hit us up on Facebook.
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