Emirates, Starwood in partnership

This partnership unites two like-minded companies with complementary global footprints.

Dubai — Emirates airline and Starwood Hotels and Resorts on Monday signed a partnership that will provide benefits to their elite members across the sky and around the globe.

No matter if you sleep on the ground or in the air at 35,000 feet, it will be rewarded after the new partnership agreement between one of the two top players of their own industries.

“Your World Your Rewards”, launching on November 19, will allow Skywards silver, gold and platinum members to earn one mile per dollar on top of Starpoints for stays at Starwood hotels globally while Starwood Preferred Guest, or SPG, elite members will earn one Starpoint per dollar in addition to Skywards Miles on Emirates flights.

“We are looking at frequent travelers to give them more reasons to fly with emirates and enjoy SPG benefits,” Thierry Antinori, executive vice-president and chief commercial officer of Emirates, told reporters at the launch of new partnership in Dubai.

“This partnership unites two like-minded companies with complementary global footprints, putting more rewards on the map and taking our most loyal guests’ travel to new heights,” Antinori added.

“The combination of Emirates’ growing global network, Starwood’s innovative take on hospitality and our top-rated loyalty programmes allow us to recognise our most valuable customers with a heightened level of service and greater rewards wherever they travel — be it to one of our more than 140 destinations or at any of Starwood’s 1,200 hotels,” he explained.

At the launch, Frits van Paasschen, president and chief executive officer of Starwood, said it would look to develop mutual “emotional” benefits, whether it is through SPG experiences or Emirates’ access to sporting events through its numerable sponsorships.

“About 52 per cent of our occupancy comes from SPG members. We believe in simplicity. SPG is the first hotel porgramme that don’t have any black out days. So it’s so simple,” he told reporters. “We are living in a new ‘Golden Age of Travel’ with more people from more places travelling than ever before.” abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com