upgrading at the airport
 

if i'm gold, am i able to upgrade at the check in gate in dxb airport if there's seats open in biz? expertflyer is showing no D seats free for upgrade however there's a total of 11 seats open in business. do i ask for an upgrade with my miles at the check in or upstairs in the lounge?

My personal strategy is to unobtrusively ask whenever I can. I usually ask them over the phone if they can notate the PNR, then ask at check-in if anything can be done regarding that note, followed by a quick request to the lounge attendant, and finally leave the lounge a bit early to ask the gate agents. I've seen the most success when the check-in staff comes over to the gate area to assist with boarding, as they usually recognize the familiar face and call me over to let me know, good or bad. Call it excessive, but it can't hurt to try, can it? It's not like I'm bothering them to give me a free-upgrade... I'm "helping" them reduce their outstanding miles bank balance! :P

Why would they refuse an upgrade with miles in these circumstances? I know it happens but is it just because "computer says no"?

don't know, maybe to save on having to provide a driver on both ends.

but i got a seat in biz, so it all worked out, so i can sleep on the long flight now.

9f sure beats 43c

But the service would not be offered in these circumstances anyway (48 hour notice required).

I've been pushing Emirates customer service on this for a while, I finally got an agent who told me that once all 'I' upgrades are gone, it is impossible to add any more miles upgrades. They can only offer spare business seats first for cash upgrade, and possibly (and much less likely) as a free upgrade.

It would seem that indeed "computer says no".

it could depend on where you are. I have been trying to burn miles for a few months. If i cannot upgrade online or over the phone i upgrade at the check in desk. I have had a comp upgrade, and used miles on 4 occasions, only once has F been full.

I have done one at the check in desk (confirmed in th elounge J-F) and once on board Y-J

Unless you are very sure it is not full in J - I would wait till on board for the upgrade- you may get a comp up grade- and also see what the J seat is-- I dont think it is worth the miles for old J for a short to medium run.

I have been told by check in agents in both LHR and BOM that I could not use miles to upgrade from J as there was no availabilty in F. I checked in the lounge in BOM if the seat next to me was empty an hour before departure and was given a F class boarding pass there and then - for free! In LHR when we queued in the lounge to board the big bird, my name was called, they apoloigized it was full and I was given 2A - the best seat on the 380 as far as I am concerned. On both flights, miles were never deducted. I just got 2 nice comp upgrades, and they felt more comp than any others i had had before, or had since!