And is this on the app as well? I can't find the feature. The app is very nice and so
I hardly ever go on the website.

It doesn't appear on my IPad app yet it DOES show on my android phone app. Weird.

I saw this on the website interface only. i noticed they charge more miles for the upgrade than usual. When i booked my business saver KWI/DXB/LHR/DXB/KWI it said 43500 for upgrade to first. When i looked on the website i was offered 11200 the usual from KWI to DXB on Saver however DXB/LHR was 39000!

are you saying they charge more for auto upgrade than a normal upgrade?

If so I need to cancel every auto upgrade I have!

I think it's a case of comparing apples and pears. The post doesn't state clearly enough what sectors are quotes at that cost so we can't really draw a conclusion.

It sounds perhaps as if the individual leg miles are quoted on the website when you see the auto upgrade requirements, as opposed to the reduced rate for two legs.

Would they actually charge the higher amount in practice?

I would imagine the auto upgrade works in a per leg basis. Also as both legs might not be upgraded simultaneously as inventory may not open up at the same time exactly. I'd hope that they refund the difference if one calls.

Following up on this, does anyone have a direct experience of what happens in this situation?

I can currently upgrade the shorter of two return segments on a booking - it's the longer one that I want to auto-upgrade. I could upgrade the shorter segment and keep my fingers crossed for the longer one, but the shorter segment alone is a waste of miles.

If no one else has experience of this, I'll report back if/when it happens for me.

Have the return from MRU next week on auto upgrade and waitlisted - will let you know.

Customer service rep says both auto upgrades have to be done in a single transaction in order for the lower mileage requirement to apply. If sectors are upgraded at different times even if minutes apart then higher mileage (sum of miles required per sector would apply)

To me, this means that auto upgrade only worthwhile if upgrading only one sector.

I'm considering cancelling the auto-upgrade for both sectors but I wonder what would be the best way to improve my chances of upgrading the both sectors. I'm Gold if that helps any.

Keep the auto upgrade and call in to have them cancel and reupgrade on lower mileage. Or at least upgrade one sector then cancel 2nd auto upgrade and when it becomes available call in to upgrade for difference in miles

Reviving this thread as I'm interested to know if anyone has had first hand experience of the auto-upgrade feature.

One would assume (gotta love that word!) that the auto-upgrade would deduct points per the fare type / route flown. Therefore, the traveller would reap the benefits of a full-points upgrade - i.e. CD pick-up / drop-off + lounge access.

This differs of course to the emails offering reduced points upgrades with reduced benefits.

Anyone?

I would also be interested to know whether they will refund the difference. I have booked a LHR-NAI return in J and have managed to upgrade the DXB-NAI and NAI-DXB sectors (probably the most important as this route is 777). There is currently no availability for upgrades on the DXB-LHR sectors and I have an auto-upgrade request in (won't be too fed up to be in J on the 380 if it comes to that though).

Further observation that doesn't seem to have been mentioned upthread - auto-upgrade is not applicable on ex-UK sectors, where a little explanation appears to say that 'auto upgrade is not available for taxable sectors'. Is the UK the only place for EK where upgrades also have a cash cost for tax?

It's never worked for me this - currently on this for a flight from LGW in 2 weeks - empty in F and very quiet in J.

The theme is EK don't want people to use miles anymore....