Could this be true, my partner flew this week

CAN-DXB-MIL-DXB-BEI-DXB-CAN

and many of flights were overbooked and he did not get any complimentary upgrades, he has been Gold for almost 5 years and has over 200K points, usually he gets upgraded, but this time not even once, any thoughts??

I had the same problem since January. Been a Gold for a long time now. Got upgraded almost every time in the past. Did several flights in the last three months. No UPGRADES!! Is this a policy change to make us buy the higher class? What is the point in getting to Gold if all you get is access to lounge which we rarely use. Any one else have the same issue?

Gold Members are Not always given an upgrade....If a Business Cabin can accomodate 30-40 pax, and out of them 25 have actually purchased the ticket, there can be a possiblity that there were 20 Gold mmbrs already in que before u and they have been gvn the COMP Upgd.....

Just because 70+ pax are GOLD, not everyone is going to get a COMP UPGD, depends if seats in Bcls Cabin are avail or not.

Op-Ups in Ek are not really given as "compliment" to customers but rather as a "neccessity" because booking classes are oversold PLUS the next available cabin spares empty seats. Plus there is a more random selecting among Golds at outstations rather a systematic one..

Maybe the guaranteed seat reservations or the complimentary e-gate facility or the priority baggage delivery or the Gold Desk assistance or the extra baggage allowance. The network wide lounge access would make it worthwhile for a lot of people - it's not Emirates fault you choose to rarely use it.

I Appreciate everyone's comments, at the same time has anyone noticed in the last 3 months a decline in Upgrades? I flew one trip with 4 flights and got Op Upd 3 out of 4, my next trip in Feb, also 4 flights no op ups at all. Emirates has always had a policy of "sell seats until the entire plane is full", is that still the policy or has it been changed, because that's the policy that provides us with upgrades.

Three flights on EK this month, (Well 2.5). Got Oped up on both sectors on one flight it was overbooked.
No Opup on the second one, but it was a two class config (CGK).
EK 372, no opup. The whaleboat was full but that one always carries a billion Golds each time, every time.

this year I have had two Y to J and one J to F -- which based on number of flights is higher percentage than last year.

I find it quite interesting that this some Golds expect the upgrade the majority of the time. Many flights wil lbe overbooked when you check in but with no shows etc (they are quite good in revenue management to work out thenumber of no shows) flights go out right on or woith limited empty in Y or J depending. I am sure there is a thread where someone with inside information informed us of th epercentage of no shows on some routes.

One of Four segments upgraded this year, but the flights were empty. Cant complain.

A) EK is not a charity, but a business. They OpUp ,( like every other airline ), when they need to make room and sell some seats
B) The reason they send those "Upgrade for only $XXX" emails, right before departure, is to entice customers to pay for an upgrade on over booked flights
C) In order to increase your chances, make sure you book on packed flights [ Just switched from EK373 to EK419 because its packed ( according to seatcounter.com )
D) OpUps in reality is the revenue management department doing its job, not a gift from "the business" to "the customer"

Although in all fairness, OpUps with EK are a hit & miss. Been sure that would be opped up at the gate only to discover that there were a billion golds on that plane ( smile and the crew will let you take a peek at the manifest )

On my routes (DXb to Germany) flights have been packed for the last 2-3 months. No upgrades for me anymore (from Y), but most flights were pretty much booked up in the premium classes as well.

I started the year well with 5 out of 5 op-ups out of SIN (to MEL). Missed the last 2-flights but the loads were not full in Y.

Flying out of MEL today back to SIN and first time in 12-months received an op-up to J, but flight is full and loads out of MEL on the 405 are solid for the next 4 days or so.

My op-up history in the past 12-months with EK points to EK's policy of upgrades on the routes I fly, all dependent on load and nothing else.

I just got an op-up from Y-J on MAN - DXB EK020. Flight seems full and when I tried to check in online I was told to "see an agent". First op-up I've had from EK; so pleased to see the status occasionally works!

Got an op-up as a Gold from C to F yesterday DXB-BOM. Asked at checkin if the flight was full and was told yes. At the gate, my BP beeped and I was given a new one for 2F. First time in the 77W private suite - loved it despite the bling and the crew were fantastic.

got a comp
DXB>CGK today