Originally Posted by
jonzboy
I can't fathom out how EK manage miles upgrades. Last year I was desperate to upgrade a J saver flight to F on my DXB/LHR sector. I tried everything. I put myself on auto upgrade, then called EK call centre several times in the week before. At check in I also had no luck. When I arrived at DXB I alerted the lounge staff who said they would try but no promises. Then, at the moment of boarding my boarding pass caused the scanner to bleep and then I knew. Big smiles all round and a new boarding pass, seat 4A. The cabin was, to be honest, full, but that first glass of P2 made all the stress vanish.
Fast forward a few months and I'm booking a flight back out to the far east. Again I opt for J saver and, lo and behold, I am able to upgrade with miles on the LHR to DXB sector six weeks before the flight. EK32 is a good option for an upgrade as it is perfect timing for indulging in the F wine list.
standard operating procedure ex Dxb is to do a waitlist for j to f with miles on busy flights - if you have a mobile BP and refresh you could have had 30mims in the f lounge as the upgrade is done at t-60. Contrast this to an outstation where space available you can use miles at t-3.
upgrade availability is determined on loads and forecasts - the other flight you took on that day was probably quieter hence availability.