Upgrade ops DBX GLA
 

Hi all, new to here so if this post belongs in the newbiebthread then feel free to move it there- don't know how often the regulars check in there so may as well put it out first off!

Anyways I'm at the tail end of a world tour, been on the road for a year and heading home in August, my Dad's a FF with EQ and SQ but he's a bit clueless when it comes to Skyward etc. so thought I'd get some expert advice (I've been a bit of a lurker on here for aircraft/route reviews in the past)

So I'll be heading from MEL-SIN with SQ or EK, and from BKK-DXB-GLA with EK. Ive just realised the potential of all the Jet and Kingfisher flights I took in India to up my Skyward miles (currently blue) so will probably have around 12000 by the time I get to BKK. The thing is, on my return I'll have been in DXB from 00.30-07.50 and arriving GLA 12.35.. Now with family and friend catch ups and a full weekend ahead, I would really like to do the DXB-GLA leg in a lie-flat.. Given that I won't have the requisite miles for u/g, what are my next options- insofar as buying miles at check in, on board etc. From what I read on here I also gather it's worth asking, is the morning flight to GLA usually a heavy load? With many elite? Chances of opup for blue at DXB?

Truth be told when I comes to it, I'll probably end up paying if that's the last straw, but best to be equipped with the advice of you fine characters first off :)

Also, any hope in trying for a transfer of dad's miles? (unsure if he's even registered with skyward :s)

Thanks and hello :)

Welcome to FT and the EK forum.

Your dad can transfer miles to your account (if he has any) at a cost of US$0.025 per thousand.

You can purchase miles at a cost of US$0.04 per thousand.

In each case there is a maximum per year (25,000) but this doesn't sound like it will affect you currently. You will need either 25,000 or 32,500 miles depending on whether you have a Saver or Flex ticket.

All of this can be done online, as can checking for availability. You should check before you commit to any purchase.

Your best option is if Dad has enough miles in his account he can purchase the upgrade for you without transferring any miles. This is permissible in Skywards rules.

Just to clarify, it's USD 0.025 and 0.04 per mile not for a thousand.

Oops - multiples of 1,000 with a starting point of 2,000. I think that's where the "thousand" got into my head.

I do wish it was the latter though:D:D:D

Thanks for the replies guys- will get on to pops and hope him or his office have registered with Skywards!

Just another quick question, if I was to use miles to u/g, is it that there are only a certain amount of business class seats available for u/g using miles, and are these likely to fill up ahead of time, or not be released until closer to the time?

I'm trying to picture the clientele on a DXB GLA flight and all I can see are Glaswegian package holiday makers- so maybe business wouldnt be too heavily booked (saying that the flight does connect one oil capital to another)

Anyone flown this sector frequently to advise? Not sure my dad would really pay much attention to these things!

Absolutely correct. It is all load and projected load dependent.

I'm not sure about the clientele but will let the GLA regulars comment on that, I believe ft101 is the right person for this.

I've posted this elsewhere on here, but I was told last month by one of the chauffeur drivers that the first few months of the second daily flight was almost fully booked in premium cabins, so apparently not just regular package holiday makers.

Why thanks for your confidence, but not as regular as some I'm sure.

Im from glasgow but now living in Dubai. I do the GLA flight around 10 times a year. you would be surprised. business is nearly ALWAYS full. Also there are plenty of skywards gold and the chances of upgrades onthe GLA flight are normally slim. (out of around 25 GLA flights, I ahve been upgraded 3 times. Compare this with BKK or SIN flights from DXB and i get upgraded around 1 in 3 or 4) My last glasgow flight there were around 20 skywards gold.

They have now started first class on both flights so that may mean many booked in business get upgraded to first and so on but this time of year, the flights tend to quieten a bit so i wouldnt hold out much hope of an upgrade.

its 32,500 miles one way to upgrade from Economy to Business class with a FLEX ticket and 42,500 for the same with a saver.

Only 25,000 and 32,500 miles respectively. An area where those flying from up here get a good deal.

apologies, the 42,500 was for an upgrade I did recently on my companies ticket from DXB to BKK. 25k and 32.5k is correct

02 Apr 2012

Emirates

Dubai to Far East Business Saver OWU

Flight

-42,500