Upgrading using points from Business to First
 

Hi, I am new to Emirates.

If I have bought a business class ticket using $$ and then wanted to upgrade to First using points. Am I able to upgrade if no award seats are available to upgrade but $$ are available?

Thanks

Hi,

Unfortunately not, there has to be award availability.

Thank you.
If an award seat is available, can I upgrade as soon as I book my business class flight?

Cash upgrade is purely the fare difference and depends solely on there being seats for sale in F. Miles Upgrades are at EK's discretion and not always readily available

Yes - and even if there's no award availability now, it *may* become available later.

As usual, I'd recommend a subscription to ExpertFlyer and set an alert to watch for award availability.

Which fare class for award availability?
 

Can someone advise what fare class to search for in Expert Flyer for award availability in Business and First?

D for Business and Z for First. Though they don't appear in the regular Availability search, better use the award finder which automatically searches for those classes

All - didn't find a wiki regarding mileage upgrades, but did come across this thread.

1. Newbie. Blue status.
2. JFKMXP J ticket, waitlisted for F using miles transferred in from AMEX. Flight in a couple of weeks.
3. EF alerts set up for Z.

My question relates to the upgrade process. If I do not clear in advance of OLCI window, does the upgrade list go away? Can one be added back to a list at the airport? Do they fill the cabin with mileage upgrades if there's space (like most U.S. airlines), or allow seats to go out empty despite mileage standby's (like CX/SQ)?

Given how rarely I fly EK, I'm simply looking to better understand the process. Thanks in advance - Jamie

If there is no Z availability, then you won't automatically get upgraded. They will allow the flight to go with empty seats.

However... if there are seats, you can upgrade at the airport using points. Just ask at check in. Even if there are seats at this point, they still may say no - as they may fill them before departure. So, you'd then need to ask again in the lounge, and finally at the gate.

I believe [MENTION=592613]m3red[/MENTION] has had this a couple of times. He's only be able to upgrade at the gate, so missed out on the F lounge at DXB.

Very helpful. So it sounds like it may occur on the battlefield at JFK. I'm planning to use OLCI and actually flying in on Delta (same terminal), so probably won't be visiting check-in. I'll try at the lounge and again at the gate. At least it doesn't matter on the ground at JFK since the lounge commingles the classes, if I recall. Please correct me if wrong.

Many thanks - Jamie

But, although sometimes on the EK website, there's no "availability" on F, I ask at the airport at check-in, and almost always have gotten the upgrade (for miles)

Yes, at the airport/check-in it no longer depends on Z availability but is on the basis of space being available

​​​​​​At the gate...based on the space that is available?

It can be done in the lounge :)

An EK telephone agent told me last week that a Saver Business Ticket can only be upgraded to First (using points) at the airport, not before. True or False?

Question on 1st Class Points upgrade
 

Just booked a points business reservation for three of us MLE-DXB-LAX. One person on one reservation and two on another. I see an immediate upgrade on the single reservation for the MLE-DXB leg to 1st for 24K Miles. What are the chances 1 or 2 more open up? More likely to happen in under 30 days? 72 hours? Day of flight?

Thanks
TD

False (unless something has changed very recently).

I didn't book the ticket - based on this call - I booked EY instead :eek:...be interested to confirm 100% if thats the case or there has been a change!

Indeed.. I did it as recently as December.

I assume they got confused with Economy Savers - these can now only be upgraded at the airport.

Not "now". Been that way for ages

Eh? These can be upgraded from when check in opens at t - 48 hours.

https://www.emirates.com/english/hel...ed-on-emirates

Yes, sorry. You are correct.

Thanks for confirming - that'll teach me not to believe everything EK's phone agents tell me. On the other hand I am quite looking forward to an easy drive to AUH (versus the drive to DXB) & to trying EY's long-haul service after a 2-3 years away from them @:-)

Boeing 777-300ER - How many seats for points upgrade?
 

Is there any sort of “normal” when it comes to EK releasing business to first points upgrades?

I have two reservations for our family of 3 more than 30 days out. We booked business class on points. Immediately the single person reservation shows an offer to upgrade to first for 24K Points. The other reservation for 2 has no upgrade offer

if I take the single upgrade offer now, what if the likelihood more seats will become available before the day of the flight? Any idea how many?

Thanks for any info.

TD

If you booked on points, then I don't believe you can further upgrade using points. Unless this is some special "offer" - in which case, I wouldn't necessarily expect the offer will extend to the other booking.

1A & 2A Blocked out
 

I've flown to BKK from London 3 times this year and each time both 1A and 2A were blocked out. On two of the three occasions the seats were empty.
It's annoying as I prefer 2A and end up sitting in 2K. Is there a reason why they do this? Are they reserving seats for crew perhaps or am I just unlucky ?

1A might be crew rest, 2A might be for UMs. Are you still unable to request a switch at check-in or the lounge?

I thought as much. Yes next time I will ask.