Also, if booked as part of a package, the tour operator sometimes has reasonable upgrades to business as part of the deal.

I had some friends who went to Maldives for their honeymoon on EK - no upgrade. I'd bet there would be a heck of a lot of honeymooners on the filght anyway, so how to choose?

If you think it's a once-in-a-lifetime thing, then fork out. You're spending lots anyway, what's another grand or two