Emirates Auctions Rare Skywards Platinum Memberships for Charity

Here's something you don't see every day: Emirates is auctioning off seven rare Skywards Platinum memberships, with benefits valid for up to 20 years. And before you ask – yes, this is completely legitimate, and all proceeds go directly to the Emirates Airline Foundation.

The auction runs from 17 December 2025 through 17 January 2026, giving you a month to decide whether securing two decades of top-tier airline status is worth opening your wallet for a good cause.

Emirates is offering seven 'special' membership numbers – essentially vanity numbers that come with Platinum tier status attached. The membership numbers up for grabs are:

Some lovely palindromes and repeated digits there. The validity period of your Platinum status depends on how much you bid – the higher your winning bid, the longer your status lasts (up to that 20-year maximum).

Platinum is the highest tier in the Emirates Skywards programme, normally requiring 150,000 Tier Miles plus at least one qualifying First or Business Class flight. That's a serious amount of flying – we're talking roughly 25 return flights from London to Dubai in Business Class, or significantly more in Economy.

The benefits are genuinely excellent:

The auction is fully digital and open to participants worldwide through the Emirates Auction platform. Registration is free – here's what you need to do:

Winners will be notified within 24 hours of the auction closing, with payment accepted via bank transfer or cheque.

This is genuinely a charitable auction – 100% of the proceeds go to the Emirates Airline Foundation, which supports 14 NGOs across 9 countries. Their work includes housing initiatives, education, healthcare, and vocational training for vulnerable children.

Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, noted: "Every bid represents more than a Skywards Platinum membership; it's a contribution that creates pathways to lift children and their families out of poverty and create sustainable impact."

Let's be realistic here – this is a charity auction, which means bids will likely reach eye-watering levels. We're not talking about picking up Platinum status for a few hundred quid.

But consider the maths: if you won 20 years of Platinum status and value the lounge access, bonus miles, and upgrade opportunities at even £2,000-3,000 per year (conservative for frequent Emirates flyers), that's £40,000-60,000 in perceived value. For serious Emirates loyalists who fly Business or First regularly, the benefits genuinely stack up.

The real appeal, though, is the combination of a unique, memorable membership number, status that doesn't require qualification flights, supporting a legitimate charitable cause, and – let's be honest – bragging rights.

For most of us points and miles enthusiasts, this is firmly in the 'interesting to watch' category rather than 'must bid' territory. But if you're a high-net-worth individual who frequently flies Emirates and wants to support children's charities while securing guaranteed status for potentially two decades? This is genuinely a unique opportunity.

If this auction is out of reach (no judgement – same here), there are other paths to Emirates Skywards status worth considering:

Status Match: Emirates occasionally runs status match promotions – we've covered these previously.

Flying: The traditional route – earn Tier Miles through Emirates and flydubai flights.

Partner Airlines: Earn Tier Miles on Emirates partner airlines including Qantas, JetBlue, and more.

For those collecting Avios instead, remember that Emirates Skywards points can be transferred from various UK credit cards – though personally I tend to keep my Amex Membership Rewards flexible for British Airways and partner redemptions.

This is a genuinely novel approach to charitable fundraising, and I have to give Emirates credit for the creativity. Whether the final hammer prices justify the outlay will depend entirely on who's bidding and how deep their pockets are.

I'll be watching the auction with interest – and if any of you do decide to bid (and win!), please do drop me a message. I'd love to hear what the winning bids end up being.

The auction closes on 17 January 2026. You can view the available memberships at emiratesauction.com/emirates-skywards.

Happy bidding (or watching from the sidelines like the rest of us)!

Jack