DUBAI- Emirates (EK) has significantly increased award ticket surcharges on its fifth-freedom routes, including flights between New York (JFK) and Milan (MXP) and Miami (MIA) to Bogotá (BOG), making previously accessible redemptions substantially more expensive.
Travelers redeeming Emirates Skywards miles now face surcharges of over $430 one-way in business class between JFK and MXP, while fees for Miami to Bogotá flights have nearly doubled across all cabins.
Photo: Clément AlloingEmirates Fifth-Freedom Surcharges
Emirates’ (EK) fifth-freedom routes, flights operated between two non-UAE cities, have long been a favorite for savvy travelers aiming to experience Emirates’ premium cabins without transiting through Dubai (DXB).
Popular routes like New York (JFK) to Milan (MXP), Newark (EWR) to Athens (ATH), and Miami (MIA) to Bogotá (BOG) provided an affordable sweet spot using points, especially in business and first class.
However, Emirates has quietly and sharply raised the surcharges on these flights. For example, a one-way business class award between JFK and MXP now includes $433.50 in taxes and fees.
The return flight from MXP to JFK adds another $476.11, bringing the round-trip surcharge to $909.61, a nearly 9x increase from what used to be under $100 one-way.
The price hike isn’t exclusive to Europe-bound routes. The MIA–BOG flight, previously one of the most affordable Emirates business class redemptions, now carries a $268 surcharge in both business and first class, nearly double the previous rate.
Photo: EmiratesDevaluation
Notably, this increase affects all classes, not just premium. Economy class awards, which used to run under $140 round-trip between JFK and Europe, now approach that price even for one-way tickets.
First-class redemptions booked via partner programs like Qantas (QF) have also become much more expensive due to mirrored fee increases.
Reported by Upgraded Points, these fee hikes are likely part of a broader overhaul of the Emirates Skywards loyalty program.
Emirates has already limited first-class award availability to elite Skywards members and recently altered transfer ratios from US credit card partners such as Citi, changes that suggest a tightening of redemption value across the board.
Photo: Siddh Dhuri | MumbaiPlanesAlternative Travel Options
Award travelers who relied on these fifth-freedom flights for outsized value should now reassess their redemption strategies.
With surcharges climbing, routes once considered a bargain no longer provide the same value, especially when paired with Emirates’ already high mileage requirements.
Travelers may find more value booking Emirates awards on long-haul flights from US gateways to Dubai (DXB), where the higher fees might feel more proportionate to the longer flight duration and superior service.
Alternatively, consider partner airlines for transatlantic or Latin American travel, where points and miles can stretch further with lower cash costs.
Photo- EmiratesEmirates Loyalty Program
The sudden nature of these changes reinforces a consistent truth in award travel i.e., loyalty programs can devalue with little or no notice.
Emirates Skywards has seen multiple changes in 2025 that diminish redemption value for non-elite members and increase the real cost of flying on miles.
While Emirates’ fifth-freedom routes remain available, they are no longer the budget-friendly gems as they were before.
With rising surcharges and tightened award space, Skywards members will need to carefully evaluate whether these redemptions are still worth it.
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The post Emirates Fifth-Freedom Award Flights Now Come With Higher Fees appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
