Originally Posted by
LouisW
If you log in with your Skywards account on Emirates website, then enter your companions booking reference to pull up manage my booking, you can set an auto-upgrade, and it will take the points from your account not your companions.
This is also beneficial in that you should get charged less miles than if you were to upgrade at the airport.
Thanks a lot, I didn't know that was possible. I went ahead and setup an auto-upgrade for my partner's flights, using my miles. Not banking on them to clear though, hence my original question about doing it at check-in or onboard