Emirates Skywards appears to be taking frequent flyer accounts audits to the extreme. This is something you should be aware of if you're converting points from a transferable point program. Juicy Miles has shared some worrying data points that they had regarding client bookings. I want to summarize them here.
Emirates audits many frequent flyer accounts
Airline frequent flyer programs typically have one-sided terms and conditions:
You must agree to join a program. The airline will own the miles earned and your membership can be terminated at any time.
These terms may seem a bit one-sided but in the vast majority of cases, airlines act in good faith.
Airlines are not uncommon to audit frequent flyer accounts, particularly if they suspect members have purchased, sold or bartered miles. This is a violation almost all programs rules.
This brings us to Emirates Skywards. The carriers data integrity team seems very busy in recent months auditing Emirates Skywards accounts baselessly. The following email is sent to members who have been subject to an audit:
We at Emirates Skywards conduct routine checks on the accounts of our members to verify that the profile information is correct and that the transactions comply with the Emirates Skywards Programme rules. To audit your Emirates Skywards account, Miles cannot be redeemed during this period and Miles not flown within the time frame may not be automatically tracked to your Emirates Skywards Account. Your account will not be accessible on emirates.com. You will lose any Miles that are about to expire. We require the following documents to begin our audit and validate your profile: A clear copy your passport with the signature page; or a valid ID for verification purposes.
We need a signed letter containing your contact information, e.g. Your e-mail address and contact number. In your e-mail reply, you can scan the documents and attach them. We remind you about the policies that govern our routine audit checks. You can also find the full Emirates Skywards Programme Terms & Conditions on our website Emirates Skywards Programme rules. We appreciate your patience throughout the audit.
Emirates appears to be auditing a lot of frequent flyer accounts
What is the real story behind Emirates audits?
Frequent flyer audits can be fair provided there is a valid reason. However, from everything I have seen, Emirates Skywards is way too generous. Do you know of any Skywards mile sellers who need to be audited? I'm sure they are and they should be held responsible.
These audits are mainly targeted at people who open Skywards accounts, then transfer points to a partner (like Chase or Amex), and then book tickets. This could seem suspicious, especially if you are constantly booking tickets and transferring points. But there are numerous reports that people have been caught booking tickets for their companions and themselves using Amex points. Huh? Huh?
One correspondence was shared with me, where the audit began in June. After sharing the requested information, the member was quick to comply and the audit was complete in October four months later.
What is the conclusion? Without explanation, the tickets purchased with miles were cancelled.
After completing our review, we have concluded that your account contains activities that are not in compliance with the Emirates Skywards Programme Rules. We have cancelled the booking reference XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Your account will remain under audit.
There is no other explanation. This person booked a honeymoon for himself and his fianc.
Emirates cancels some tickets without any explanation
My view on the Emirates Skywards audit
Over the years, I've had many people contact me to say that my frequent flyer account was being audited. I tried to help but I soon realized that people almost always left out important details and in most cases there was something wrong. That would only be 20 emails in. I am generally skeptical about people who claim to have their accounts audited and not done any wrong. The airline auditing department is usually very sharp.
However, I am confident that Emirates Skywards has crossed the line in this instance. It is not suspicious to transfer points from a partner, then book a ticket for another person (even though the last names of many people are different than their significant others), without any suspicion. The algorithm Emirates uses to audit Skywards accounts seems broken.
These audits should be completed quickly if Emirates Skywards wishes to conduct them. It is unethical and unprofessional for Emirates Skywards to take over four months to audit accounts, then inform people that their tickets are being canceled without giving an explanation.
Air France-KLMs Flying Blue program audited accounts in 2015. This was similar to 2015 when the program audited members who transferred point and then booked tickets. This is no longer an issue.
Emirates acts out of line
How can you avoid Emirates Skywards audits
These are not necessary, but you can reduce your chances of having your Emirates Skywards account audited with a mileage transfer.
Do not transfer money to Emirates Skywards accounts on the same day.
Skywards account holder should be the same person as the traveler.
There have been many reports about audits, even for those who did not do the above. However, it seems like opening an account, making a quick transfer and then booking a flight in another person's name is the main cause of these audits.
Avoid bookings using new Skywards accounts
Bottom line
Emirates Skywards appears to be aggressively auditing accounts of members who transfer points from programs like Amex or Chase. Although frequent flyer audits are common across programs, the standard for triggering them is higher.
Skywards seems to be auditing people for booking tickets and transferring points. Emirates stops people from accessing their accounts or miles, sometimes for months, then cancels tickets occasionally without explanation.
I will be forwarding this post to Emirates to find out if they have any comments. While I love Emirates and the Skywards program's value, I find account audits too many data points alarming.
Are these Emirates Skywards account audits affecting OMAAT readers?
