Fifth Freedom routes are a unique feature of the airline industry, giving North American travelers the opportunity to experience premium aircraft and service, often at a fraction of the cost. United States to Europe Have you ever found yourself on a flight operated by an Asian or Middle Eastern airline? If so, there’s a good chance you’ve stumbled upon a Fifth Freedom flight.
Technically, fifth freedom flights are operated by an airline between two countries, neither of which is the airline’s base. These routes are usually part of a service connecting those markets with the airline’s home country. For example, Emirates operates an Airbus A380 between Christchurch International Airport (CHC) in New Zealand and Sydney Airport (SYD) in Australia, with the same flight continuing from SYD to Dubai International Airport (DXB).
There are many reasons why airlines choose to do this. Range (Dubai to Sydney already takes 14 hours), attracting traffic in new markets and improving aircraft utilization are a few possible reasons.
There are many fifth freedom routes operating around the world, but here are some of them: Best for North American travelers Consider, and how Book using points and miles.
Fly Emirates from New York to Milan and Athens, Greece
Emirates First Class is one of the most desirable experiences you can imagine. Luckily, you don’t have to go to Dubai to experience it.
Emirates operates two fifth freedom routes from the New York area to Europe, from New York City John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) and from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Athens International Airport (ATH) in Greece. The Milan flight is operated by an Airbus A380 with an onboard bar and showers, while the Athens flight is operated by a Boeing 777. Both flights continue to Dubai after a stop in Europe.
related: Reviews of Emirates A380 Airbus Business Class from New York to Milan
Emirates also offers service from DXB to Mexico City International Airport (MEX). Given the distance of this flight and the altitude of MEX, the flight stops at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) both ways, which means another fifth freedom route. This is Emirates’ only North American fifth freedom route without a first class cabin – the Boeing 777-200LR used to operate this route is parked in business class.
Another exciting new addition to the Emirates route network is New Fifth Freedom Jump Fly from Miami International Airport (MIA) to El Dorado International Airport (BOG) in Bogota, Colombia, on a Boeing 777. The aircraft offers First Class, making this route a great way to try the legendary Emirates experience on a short haul flight.
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You can check out our guide for a comprehensive guide The best way to book Emirates rewardsBut generally speaking, there are two currencies you’ll want to focus on: Emirates’ own Skywards program and Air Canada Aeroplan. Both of them are American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles and Marriott Bonvoy.
To give you an idea of the pricing, here are the exchange rates for Emirates flights from JFK to MXP:
| program | economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emirates Skywards | 17,500 miles plus $54 | 87,000 miles plus $106 | 102,000 miles plus $106 |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 40,000 points plus $52 | 100,000 points plus $52 | Not available when searching |
Flying from the US to Europe or Asia with Singapore Airlines
Before Singapore Airlines reintroduced the world’s longest flight from Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) to EWR, the airline had a good reason to have a large number of North American fifth freedom routes. With the exception of the Airbus A350-900ULR, most aircraft cannot reach most US cities from Singapore without refueling. Although the airline has made some adjustments to its trans-Pacific routes over the years, Singapore Airlines operates the following fifth freedom routes from the United States:
- Boeing 777-300ER from New York JFK to Frankfurt (FRA)
- Airbus A350 flight from Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to Manchester Airport (MAN) in the UK
- Fly from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT) on a Boeing 777-300ER
If you want to fly Economy Class, you can book flights with Star Alliance partners, including United Mileage Plus If you want to fly early, Singapore Airlines doesn’t offer premium cabin awards to its partners, so you’ll have to go through Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer program.
related: Best Sites to Search for Star Alliance Award Tickets
Luckily, these miles are easy to earn, as KrisFlyer is a partner in all five major transferable points currencies: Chasing the Ultimate RewardAmerican Express Membership Rewards, Citibank Appreciation RewardsCapital One and Marriott Bonvoy.
The costs for a one-way Saver Award are as follows:
| route | economy | Premium Economy Class | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States to Europe | 25,000 miles | 52,000 miles | 81,000 miles | 97,000 miles |
| United States to Tokyo | 38,500 miles | 73,000 miles | 103,500 miles | 120,500 miles |
Remember, booking through Krisflyer allows you to waitlist your award if your desired flight and/or class of service is not available at the time of booking.
Fly to Paris from Los Angeles or Seattle with Air Tahiti Nui
This fifth freedom option connects French Polynesia and France and involves flying on an Air Tahiti Nui Boeing 787 Dreamliner from Los Angeles International Airport or Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG).
according to American Airlines Partner Award ChartIf you want to fly to Paris with Air Tahiti Nui, mileage rates start at 30,000 miles for Economy Class, 40,000 miles for Premium Economy Class, and 57,500 miles for Business Class.
Flying to Togo from Newark or Washington, D.C. with Ethiopian Airlines
Unfortunately, Ethiopian Airlines no longer flies between LAX and Dublin (DUB), but it still offers fifth freedom flights from EWR and Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, DC to Lomé-Tokoine International Airport (LFW) in Togo.
As a Star Alliance airline, you can book flights to West Africa using points and miles. If you book through Aeroplan, it only costs 40,000 points in economy class and 70,000 points in business class, which is a good option for a flight of nearly 10 hours.
How to earn points and miles to book fifth freedom flights
It’s easy to earn points and miles and transfer them to the above programs to book fifth freedom flights. Amex, Capital One and Chase points can all be transferred 1:1 to Air Canada Aeroplan and Singapore KrisFlyer.
Here are some of the best credit cards currently offering generous welcome bonuses:
related: Credit Card Transfer Partners: A Guide to Transferring Points and Miles to Airlines and Hotels
in conclusion
Fifth freedom routes don’t just appeal to aviation fans. Under the right circumstances, they can offer unique value to North American travelers. Foreign airlines operating these routes can offer a better flying experience than their U.S. counterparts, even in economy class.
If you fly from New York to Frankfurt, why would you once When you squeeze into an old United or Delta Boeing 767 Singapore Airlines operates the spacious and bright Airbus A380 On the same route?
Don’t limit yourself when planning your next trip. Consider redeeming your hard-earned points and miles on these off-the-beaten-path routes.
