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Emirates First Class: How Belgians Book It with Membership Rewards

Updated: 1 June 2026

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€8,400. That was the price I saw when I first looked up an Emirates First Class return Brussels-Dubai. Blink a few times, read it again, and then close the tab. Like most people, honestly. Booking Emirates First Class with Membership Rewards points from Belgium sounds like something for people who live in a different universe. But the maths is surprisingly sober once you break it down.

That is exactly what I do in this article. No vague promises about "free luxury flights", but concrete steps: how many points you need, how the transfer from Membership Rewards to Emirates Skywards works, which routes are available from Belgium, and, not unimportantly, when it is not worth the effort.

How does the transfer from Membership Rewards to Emirates Skywards work?

The core of the story is simple. Amex Membership Rewards points, which you earn with the Amex Platinum card in Belgium, are transferable to Emirates Skywards. The ratio is 1:1. One Membership Rewards point becomes one Skywards mile. No strange conversion factors, no hidden costs for the transfer itself.

You arrange the transfer through your Membership Rewards account on the Amex website or app. You select Emirates Skywards as a partner, enter your Skywards membership number, choose the number of points, and confirm. Typically it takes 1 to 3 business days for the miles to appear in your Skywards account. Sometimes faster, sometimes exactly three days. I have done it twice and both times the miles were there after two business days.

Important: the transfer is irreversible. Once you have sent points to Skywards, you cannot transfer them back to Membership Rewards. So only transfer when you know which flight you want and you have checked availability. More on that availability later, because that is where the real challenge lies.

How many Membership Rewards points do you need for Emirates First Class from Brussels?

Emirates uses its own award chart for Skywards miles, and prices vary by route and cabin class. For the direct flight Brussels (BRU) to Dubai (DXB) in First Class, you are looking at approximately 85,000 to 97,500 Skywards miles for a one-way trip. Return, you are therefore between 170,000 and 195,000 miles, depending on the fare that Emirates makes available at that moment.

On top of that you still pay taxes and surcharges. With Emirates awards these are generally not extreme, but expect €200 to €400 return. That is a fraction of the cash price, but it is not zero. Some blogs conveniently forget that detail, so there you have it.

With the welcome bonus of 250,000 Membership Rewards points (via the TravelLux.be referral link, the maximum bonus) you have enough for a return trip and still have 55,000 to 80,000 points left over. You can save those for a future booking, use them with another transfer partner, or redeem them for other things. Note: that welcome bonus is a one-time offer, and you need to spend a minimum amount in the first three months (typically €4,000 to €6,000) to receive the full bonus.

Emirates First Class from Brussels Airport: which routes and which aircraft?

Emirates flies daily non-stop from Brussels Airport to Dubai International. That in itself is already remarkable for a Belgian airport: a daily direct connection to one of the major Gulf hubs. But not every flight has First Class on board. Emirates regularly switches aircraft types on this route, and it makes a big difference whether there is a Boeing 777-300ER with the newest Game Changer suite, or an older type configuration.

Always check on emirates.com which aircraft is flying on your date. The newer 777 with the private suites (with sliding door, minibar, and a window you can dim) is a completely different experience from the older open suites. Both are First Class, but the newer version is what most people dream of when they talk about Emirates First Class.

From Dubai you can also fly onward with a Skywards award to destinations such as Bangkok, Sydney, or other cities in the Emirates network. That costs extra miles, but the possibility exists. If you are heading to Thailand or Australia anyway, which I personally do regularly, Dubai as a stopover is a logical option. In my case I looked at the route BRU-DXB-BKK and for First Class on the full route you end up at around 130,000 to 150,000 miles per direction. Not cheap in miles, but the cash price for that same itinerary in First Class is truly absurd.

The booking process step by step: from Amex points to a confirmed First Class ticket

Let me lay out the entire process, from start to finish. It is not complicated, but there are a few pitfalls you need to be aware of.

Step 1: Check award availability on emirates.com. Log in to your Skywards account, go to "Book with miles", and search for your desired route and dates. If First Class is not available on your date, try other dates. Emirates only shows available award seats, so no availability means: not bookable with miles at that moment.

Step 2: Note the exact number of miles. The price can vary by date. Note what you need and add a small margin, because Emirates sometimes charges a slightly different fare when you check back a day later.

Step 3: Transfer Membership Rewards points to Skywards. Go to your Amex account, choose Membership Rewards, select Emirates Skywards as a partner, and send the points over. Wait until they are in your Skywards account before you book. This takes 1 to 3 business days. Do not book before the miles are there, because availability can disappear in the meantime, and then you are stuck with miles in a Skywards account that you may not be able to use immediately.

Step 4: Book the flight on emirates.com. Once the miles are in your Skywards account, go back to the booking page, select the flight, and pay with miles plus the taxes in euros. Confirmation arrives by email.

Honestly, the process is fairly smooth. The biggest frustration is not in the technicalities, but in the availability. There are weekends during peak season where you simply cannot get a First Class award seat. That is the reality.

When is this not worth it? Honest advice for Belgian travellers

I would not be writing a credible piece if I did not also highlight the other side. There are profiles for which this path makes little sense.

If you rarely fly, say once a year a short holiday within Europe, then the Amex Platinum with its €780 annual fee is an expensive card for a one-time adventure. The welcome bonus of 250,000 points sounds tempting, but if you do not subsequently use the card for lounges, insurance, Fine Hotels + Resorts or daily spending, you are paying €780 in year two for something that barely affects you. For occasional flyers I estimate the realistic annual value of the card at €400 to €700, and that includes the Priority Pass lounge access (value approximately €500/year). So you need to honestly assess whether those other benefits match your travel pattern.

It also becomes difficult if you are not flexible with dates. Emirates does not release First Class award seats at every moment. If you want to fly during the February half-term or Christmas holidays and you cannot shift by a few days, there is a real chance you will not find availability.

And finally: if you are not willing to spend €4,000 to €6,000 on the card in the first three months, you will not receive the full welcome bonus. That is a threshold you need to assess honestly. No problem if you are already running your flight tickets, hotel stays and daily groceries through the card, but it is not something to ignore.

Alternatives and smart combinations: getting more out of your points

Emirates Skywards is not the only transfer partner for Membership Rewards. If you have First Class ambitions but availability at Emirates is not cooperating, there are other routes. For instance, you can transfer points to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, British Airways Executive Club, or Qatar Airways Privilege Club. Each programme has its own sweet spots and pitfalls.

British Airways Avios are interesting for short flights from London, where I am regularly based. Qatar Airways also offers a strong First Class product, and from Brussels you can connect via their hub in Doha. But that is material for a separate article. On TravelLux.be I frequently write about how Membership Rewards points work and which lounges you can use in Belgium.

A strategy I personally use: I keep my Membership Rewards points untransferred for as long as possible. Points at Amex never expire as long as your card is active. Once I have a concrete travel plan and have checked availability, I transfer the exact number I need. That way I maintain maximum flexibility.

With the Booster option (€10/month extra) you earn 4 points per euro instead of 1. That helps build up your balance faster, but it is an additional cost. For people who run a lot of daily spending through Amex and are accepted at their regular shops and supermarkets, it can be worthwhile. In Belgium, Amex acceptance is actually better than many people think, but far from universal. Large chains, online shops and petrol stations: usually fine. Small independent hospitality venues: variable.

The real value: what is a Membership Rewards point worth with Emirates First Class?

This is the calculation that personally convinced me. Let us take a concrete example.

That is the crux of the entire points story: how you use them determines their value. The same 185,000 points can also be used for statement credits (approximately €0.005 per point) or for merchandise (often even less). With First Class you structurally get more out of them. Not necessarily a reason to always fly First, but certainly a reason to look at premium cabins if you have enough points.

According to TravelLux.be the sweet spot for Belgian travellers is: use your welcome bonus for one big redemption in Business or First Class, and then save up for the next one. The welcome bonus of 250,000 points (via the referral link) is enough for a First Class return with some left over. That is an entry opportunity you only get once.

Frequently asked questions about booking Emirates First Class with Membership Rewards

Related on TravelLux.be:

• Membership Rewards points: how does it work?
• Amex Platinum lounge access in Belgium
• Best credit card for travel in Belgium

Transparency: I also receive points if you apply through this link. That is why I stick to one rule: only recommend it if the numbers add up for you. The card is not for everyone. Read the full article and decide for yourself.