Airlines have spent decades teaching us to care deeply about coloured cards, tier points and lounge access. Now, at last, one of them has found a way to put that obsession to work.

Emirates is auctioning a handful of rare Skywards Platinum memberships, complete with benefits that can run for up to 20 years, and directing every dollar raised to children’s charities around the world. It is status with a purpose and, for once, the sums involved may justify the fuss.

The online auction, run in partnership with Emirates Auction, opened on 17 December 2025 and closes on 17 January 2026, with bidders invited from anywhere in the world. The prize is not ownership, exactly; airlines never give that away, but something close enough to make seasoned frequent flyers sit up straight.

Seven Numbers, A Lot of Meaning

Up for grabs are seven specially selected Skywards membership numbers, each attached to Platinum-tier status, Emirates’ highest frequent flyer level. They include:

• 2111111111

• 6000000005

• 6999999996

• 7000000000

• 7000000070

• 7070000000

• 7777777770

If they look like personalised number plates, that’s no accident. In a loyalty culture, symmetry and scarcity matter. Emirates knows its audience.

What makes this different is where the money goes. One hundred per cent of proceeds will be directed to the Emirates Airline Foundation, funding the work of 14 non-government organisations across nine countries. These groups focus on housing, education, nutrition, healthcare and vocational training for vulnerable children, the unglamorous, essential work that never fits neatly into a press release headline.

Not Just Another CSR Gesture

Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline and Chairman of the Emirates Airline Foundation, described the auction as a practical way of widening the Foundation’s support base without pretending charity is cost-free.

“This unique auction is an innovative funding approach to connect us with new supporters globally, as we look to scale up the Emirates Airline Foundation’s impact,” he said.

“All donations help us continue funding and empowering our local NGO partners who have the deep community roots and firsthand knowledge to ensure resources reach children in the most effective manner. 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.”

The language matters. This is not framed as corporate benevolence. It is pitched as leverage, using something the airline already values to fund something that genuinely needs support.

What Platinum Actually Gets You

For those unfamiliar with Skywards hierarchies, Platinum status is not easily earned. Normally, it requires 150,000 Tier Miles and at least one qualifying flight in First or Business Class.

In return, members receive the full suite of Emirates privileges: Priority First Class check-in, complimentary Home Check-in in Dubai, white-glove baggage delivery, and access to the airline’s First and Business Class lounges worldwide, often with guest access.

There is also a 100 per cent Skywards Miles bonus on Emirates and flydubai flights, Tier Miles rollover, discounted upgrades and occasional complimentary upgrades, the kind of benefits that smooth long-haul travel into something approaching civilised.

Winning bidders can also extend Gold status to a spouse, partner or friend, a detail that frequent flyers tend to value more than they admit publicly.

How the Auction Works

The process is entirely digital. Registration is free via the Emirates Auction website or mobile app, with UAE Pass integration available for residents. A refundable security deposit activates bidding privileges, and bids can be placed throughout the auction period.

Full details and live listings are available at: https://www.emiratesauction.com/emirates-skywards.

Winning bidders will be notified within 24 hours of the auction closing, and payment will be accepted via bank transfer or cheque. The length of Platinum status up to 20 years will be determined by the final bid amount, quietly rewarding those willing to dig deeper.

Charity With Oversight

The Emirates Airline Foundation operates under the regulation of Dubai’s Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD). The Community Development Authority of Dubai licenses it, a point worth noting in an era when corporate philanthropy often raises more questions than answers.

His Excellency Abdulla Matar Al Mannaei, Chairman and Managing Director of Emirates Auction, said the collaboration reflected a broader commitment to humanitarian work, positioning the auction house as a strategic partner in charitable initiatives with lasting impact.

There is little theatre here. The mechanics are straightforward, the governance transparent, and the outcome measurable.

A Rare Moment of Alignment

The auction coincides with the UAE’s Year of Community 2025, but it avoids the trap of slogan-first philanthropy. Instead, it leans into an older idea that if people are going to chase status anyway, it might as well do some good along the way.

For the successful bidders, the reward will be years of smoother travel, shorter queues and quieter lounges. For thousands of children supported by the Foundation’s partner organisations, the impact will be far less visible and far more critical.

In an industry built on points, perks and priority boarding, this may be one of the few loyalty schemes that genuinely earns its name.

by Bridget Gomez – (c) 2025

Read Time: 6 minutes.

About the Writer.

Bridget has never been one to sit still. Of Portuguese heritage, she first trained as a nurse. She threw herself into work at the Commonwealth Veteran Affairs Repatriation Hospital, tending to old soldiers with stories almost as colourful as her own would become. It was rewarding, steady work — but wanderlust has a louder voice than routine.

So, she swapped starched uniforms for a backpack and set off on a twelve-month gallop around the globe. Along the way, she scribbled in journals, capturing the dust, the laughter, the odd missed train, and the occasional glass of wine too many. Those notebooks soon became a travel blog, her way of reliving and sharing the journeys with anyone willing to read.

Eventually, Bridget stumbled across Global Travel Media and, in her words, “the rest is history.” Now she writes with the same mix of heart and mischief that fuelled her travels.

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