Emirates today announced changes to its Skywards My Family program that allow miles to be pooled.
The current program will pause in January 2027, and all pooled miles will be transferred to the Family Head’s individual accounts. The new pooling program is not scheduled to go live until late 2027, with a gap of close to a year.
You can access Emirates here.
Here’s information that Emirates has released: A new My Family experience is coming
A new My Family experience is coming by the end of 2027, with more rewarding ways for families to earn and share Skywards Miles and enjoy rewards together.
You will have greater control over your individual Skywards Miles and a wider range of rewards to enjoy together.
While we prepare for the enhanced experience, the current My Family will be paused from January 2027:
My Family Account Management activities will be temporarily unavailable Skywards Miles pooling and spending from My Family accounts will be temporarily unavailable Any Skywards Miles remaining in My Family accounts will be transferred to the Family Head’s individual Emirates Skywards account Any Skywards Miles you earn from January 2027 will remain in your individual Emirates Skywards account What changes or updates are scheduled for the My Family programme from January 2027?
We’re expanding My Family to offer more ways for families to earn and share Skywards Miles and enjoy rewards together.
While we make enhancements, some features will be temporarily unavailable from January 2027:
Creating or and closing My Family accounts Changes to existing My Family accounts, including adding or removing family members Skywards Miles pooling and spending from My Family account
During this period, any Skywards Miles currently in My Family accounts will be transferred to the Family Head’s individual Emirates Skywards account and will remain valid for up to two years for use on travel and lifestyle rewards for all family members. Any Skywards Miles earned will continue to be credited to members’ individual Emirates Skywards accounts. Once transferred, the Miles will remain available for use as per the applicable Emirates Skywards programme rules. Skywards Miles transferred will be reflected in the respective Family Head’s account within 7 to 14 days. The Family Head can continue to spend these Miles on travel and lifestyle rewards for all family members.
Key Points:
No new account creations or closures: Members will not be able to open a new My Family account or close existing ones.
No member management: Adding or removing family members will be temporarily disabled.
No pooling or family spending: Miles pooling and spending directly from My Family accounts will be halted.
New earnings stay individual: Any Skywards Miles earned from January 2027 onward will credit solely to the member’s individual Emirates Skywards account.
Existing Pooled Miles:
Posting timeframe: Transferred miles will take 7 to 14 days to show up in the Family Head’s account. During this brief window, those miles will be inaccessible.
Validity: Transferred miles will remain valid for up to two years and follow standard Skywards programme rules.
Redemptions: Once credited, the Family Head can redeem these miles for travel and lifestyle awards on behalf of any family member.
Existing bookings: Any flight redemptions made via My Family prior to the pause remain fully valid. Changes must be handled through the Emirates Contact Centre.
New Program:
Individual custody: Members will retain 100% of their earned miles in their own individual accounts.
Pooling at checkout: Members will only combine miles dynamically when making an eligible family redemption.
Automatic rollover: Active My Family accounts and their linked members will automatically migrate to the new platform without requiring re-enrolment.
Conclusion
It is clear Emirates wants to revamp Family Pooling, but why does it take close to a year to move to the new program?
Emirates apparently wants these members to be more engaged with the program, as the miles will stay in individual Skywards accounts until they are “pooled” or used proportionally from various accounts.
Frequently asked questions:
What happens to my existing My Family bookings?
Any existing My Family booking will remain valid and you can continue to travel as planned. You can speak to our representatives at the Emirates Contact Centre if you need to make changes to an existing booking.
What happens to my current My Family account?
We’ll automatically transfer your account along with the associated family members to the new My Family programme, so you won’t need to do a thing.
Will I need to re-enrol in the new My Family programme?
No. If you have an active My Family account, it will be automatically transferred to the new My Family programme, so you won’t have to enrol again.
What will happen to the Skywards Miles currently held in My Family accounts?
In January 2027, the Skywards Miles in your My Family account will be transferred to the Family Head’s individual Emirates Skywards account.
Once transferred, the Miles will remain available for use as per the applicable Emirates Skywards programme rules. Skywards Miles transferred will be reflected in the respective Family Head’s account within 7 to 14 days. The Family Head can continue to spend these Miles on travel and lifestyle rewards for all family members.
Will my Skywards Miles be protected during the transition?
Yes. All Skywards Miles pooled within your My Family account will be securely transferred to the Family Head’s individual Emirates Skywards account. Once transferred, the Miles will remain available for use as per the applicable Emirates Skywards programme rules. Skywards Miles transferred will be reflected in the Family Head’s account within 7 to 14 days of the transfer.
What happens if I am a Family Head and have created a My Family account without linking any Family Members?
In January 2027, all Skywards Miles will be transferred to your individual Emirates Skywards account. You will then need to create a new My Family account and link eligible family members once the programme relaunches.
When will the transferred Skywards Miles to the Family Head’s individual Emirates Skywards account expire?
In January 2027, the Skywards Miles in your My Family account will be transferred to the Family Head’s individual Emirates Skywards account. Once transferred, the Miles will remain available for use as per the applicable Emirates Skywards programme rules. Skywards Miles transferred will be reflected in the respective Family Head’s account within 7 to 14 days. The Family Head can continue to spend these Miles on travel and lifestyle rewards for all family members.
Can members leave the My Family programme?
Yes. If members do not wish their existing My Family account to transition to the new programme, they may leave or close their My Family account, or make any required changes, before the My Family account is paused in January 2027.
If you are a Family Member, any Skywards Miles already contributed to the My Family account will remain in the account and can continue to be used by the Family Head and the remaining Family Members until January 2027.
If you are the Family Head, closing the My Family account before January 2027 will result in the account being closed and any remaining Skywards Miles in the My Family account being forfeited.
Once the My Family account is paused in January 2027, requests to leave, close, or make changes to the account will not be possible and will need to wait until the new My Family programme is relaunched.
Can I access my Skywards Miles during the transition?
No. During the transition period, you will not be able to access the Skywards Miles being transferred. The Miles transferred to the Family Head’s individual Emirates Skywards account will take up to 14 days to be reflected in the account.
How will Skywards Miles be managed in the new My Family programme?
In the new My Family, you’ll keep your Skywards Miles in your individual Emirates Skywards account. You’ll only need to pool your Miles together when making an eligible My Family redemptions.
Is there anything I need to do before the transition takes place?
We encourage you to make the most of any Skywards Miles in your My Family account and make any necessary changes before January 2027.
When will My Family account move to the new programme?
The new My Family programme will go live by the end of 2027. We will keep you informed and provide updates closer to the launch.
What are the key benefits of the new My Family programme?
The new My Family programme offers members a wider range of rewards to enjoy as a family and greater control over their Skywards Miles. Changes include the ability to keep Skywards Miles in individual accounts to be pooled together only when redeeming My Family rewards.