Alaska Mileage Plan members can start planning that special award trip on Emirates. The two airlines are earning partners as of March 1, 2012. Mileage Plan members will earn a minimum of 500 miles or 50 percent actual flight miles for discount coach tickets (M, B, U, K, Q, L, T, V, X, H classes of service); 100 percent actual flight miles for full-fare coach (Y, E, R, W classes of service); 125 percent actual flight miles for business class (C, J, I classes of service) and 150 percent actual flight miles for first class (F, A, P classes of service). Flights must be marketed and operated by Emirates to earn the miles. Elite qualifying miles will also be earned.

To celebrate the new partnership, Mileage Plan members can earn double miles on any Emirates flight from March 1 to May 31, 2012.

Emirates offers Alaska Mileage Plan members more than 100 new destinations in 66 countries in which to earn miles including the new nonstop service on Emirates between Seattle and Dubai starting March 1, 2012. Mileage Plan mileage redemption for Emirates flights will be launched late 2012.