Dec 29, 2019, 9:55 am
Last edit by: Saltire74
Please post your 2020, 2021 & 2022 Operational Upgrade Experiences in this thread for EK & FZ.
Around the middle of 2016, Emirates modified their Operational Upgrade Policy favouring type of ticket over status holders, giving non status passengers on Flex and Flex Plus tickets an advantage over (for example) Silver members on a Saver ticket.
As of Sep. 2019 Upgrading Ranking: (See this thread https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/emir...cedure-11.html and this post https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/31526987-post217.html
IO
Any Plat ranked by fare type (Flex Plus etc) (Some exceptions reported in this post https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/31526987-post217.html)
Flex Plus ranked by status
Flex ranked by status
Saver ranked by status
So status does still provide priority within the fare type, and IO/Plats are usually ahead of everyone although some anomalies have been reported.
Link to the 2019 thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/emir...st-here-9.html
Please use the following format for ease of reading and of course, discussion is still welcome.
Example:
Upgrade given: J - F
Upgrade location: Check in desk 5min before flight closure
Route: DXB - LHR
Flight number: EK1
Type of ticket: Saver
Date of travel: 12 December 2019
Tier status: Plat
Tier miles to date: 388k
Skywards miles balance: 402k
Number of pax on the same PNR (Including OP): 1
Safe & Happy Travels and May The Upgrade Gods Look Favourably Upon You.
Saltire74
EK Forum Co-Moderator
Around the middle of 2016, Emirates modified their Operational Upgrade Policy favouring type of ticket over status holders, giving non status passengers on Flex and Flex Plus tickets an advantage over (for example) Silver members on a Saver ticket.
As of Sep. 2019 Upgrading Ranking: (See this thread https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/emir...cedure-11.html and this post https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/31526987-post217.html
IO
Any Plat ranked by fare type (Flex Plus etc) (Some exceptions reported in this post https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/31526987-post217.html)
Flex Plus ranked by status
Flex ranked by status
Saver ranked by status
So status does still provide priority within the fare type, and IO/Plats are usually ahead of everyone although some anomalies have been reported.
Link to the 2019 thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/emir...st-here-9.html
Please use the following format for ease of reading and of course, discussion is still welcome.
Example:
Upgrade given: J - F
Upgrade location: Check in desk 5min before flight closure
Route: DXB - LHR
Flight number: EK1
Type of ticket: Saver
Date of travel: 12 December 2019
Tier status: Plat
Tier miles to date: 388k
Skywards miles balance: 402k
Number of pax on the same PNR (Including OP): 1
Safe & Happy Travels and May The Upgrade Gods Look Favourably Upon You.
Saltire74
EK Forum Co-Moderator
Your Operational Upgrade Experiences 2020 /2021 & 2022 - Please Post Here
Jan 24, 2021, 10:17 pm
#62
Moderator, Emirates
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Where My Heart Is
Programs: BAEC Silver, FB Platinum, KQ Asante Gold, Shebamiles Blue, Emirates Blue
Posts: 3,386
Moderator Note:
The topic of this thread is Operational Upgrades. Keep to the topic please. A number of off-topic posts for bickering, personal attacks and one-upmanship have been removed.
Saltire74
Co-moderator
The topic of this thread is Operational Upgrades. Keep to the topic please. A number of off-topic posts for bickering, personal attacks and one-upmanship have been removed.
Saltire74
Co-moderator
Jan 20, 2022, 7:27 am
#63
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: AA MM, AA EXP; OW Emerald, EK silver
Posts: 928
2 upgrades given:
JFK to DXB J to F EK 202
given three days after booking (one month before departure) Was notified on line the upgrade was available but had to call to confirm it, for some reason couldn't do it on line.
DXB to NBO J to F EK 721
available at the time of booking and managed on line.
JFK to DXB J to F EK 202
given three days after booking (one month before departure) Was notified on line the upgrade was available but had to call to confirm it, for some reason couldn't do it on line.
DXB to NBO J to F EK 721
available at the time of booking and managed on line.
Jan 20, 2022, 8:56 am
#64
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Manchester/London
Programs: Skywards Plat, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 1,226
2 upgrades given:
JFK to DXB J to F EK 202
given three days after booking (one month before departure) Was notified on line the upgrade was available but had to call to confirm it, for some reason couldn't do it on line.
DXB to NBO J to F EK 721
available at the time of booking and managed on line.
JFK to DXB J to F EK 202
given three days after booking (one month before departure) Was notified on line the upgrade was available but had to call to confirm it, for some reason couldn't do it on line.
DXB to NBO J to F EK 721
available at the time of booking and managed on line.
Jan 20, 2022, 1:21 pm
#65
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: AA MM, AA EXP; OW Emerald, EK silver
Posts: 928
Feb 16, 2022, 7:25 am
#67
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Manchester/London
Programs: Skywards Plat, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 1,226
The only thing I can add is that for Plats at least, you can book a premium economy seat due to status regardless of economy fare booking. I have 4 flights coming up in March but I am not expecting any J-F Op ups. At best Ex UK flight loads might be high but probably not oversold.
Feb 16, 2022, 7:57 am
#68
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MAN DXB ✈️
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 6,831
The only thing I can add is that for Plats at least, you can book a premium economy seat due to status regardless of economy fare booking. I have 4 flights coming up in March but I am not expecting any J-F Op ups. At best Ex UK flight loads might be high but probably not oversold.
Feb 17, 2022, 1:02 pm
#69
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 5,454
Feb 21, 2022, 11:03 pm
#70
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: Skywards Platinum
Posts: 490
Looking to fly to Nairobi end March - i have EK miles due to expire March 31st ...... Can I book business and upgrade in the airport from J to F? How do i go about this??? with the miles, i mean..... Thanks so much .......
Last edited by safari_7; Feb 21, 2022 at 11:09 pm Reason: Correction of the question
Feb 22, 2022, 1:43 am
#71
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 4,273
a) your J ticket is not a 'special' fare, but /saver' or above AND
b) There is availability
You can upgrade, although I am not sure that at the airport you can upgrade anything but the leg you are about to fly (I have once asked that and they said no, but that could have been an availability issue)
'Availability' means that award seats (Z bucket) are available for both legs (assuming you fly a 2 leg itinerary).
You can certainly upgrade for a single leg at the airport (check in or lounge) if there are either award seats available for that leg OR, after the flight has closed, if there is any free seat available, I have done that several times.
The latter can even been done on board, just ask the FA who will send the purser to you with a tablet to do the transaction.
Feb 23, 2022, 3:31 am
#73
formerly mattking2000
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: DXB
Programs: BA|AC|AZ|SPG|H|FPC
Posts: 1,187
Do we talk about EK's ugly stepsister here (which I'm sadly about to hit gold on ... segments...)?
Upgrade given: Y - J
Upgrade location: Gate beep
Route: DXB - TBS
Flight number: FZ 8503
Type of ticket: Lite
Date of travel: 15 Oct 2021
Tier status: Silver
Tier miles to date: 21k
Skywards miles balance: 80k
Number of pax on the same PNR (Including OP): 1
Upgrade given: Y - J
Upgrade location: Gate beep
Route: DXB - TBS
Flight number: FZ 8503
Type of ticket: Lite
Date of travel: 15 Oct 2021
Tier status: Silver
Tier miles to date: 21k
Skywards miles balance: 80k
Number of pax on the same PNR (Including OP): 1
Feb 23, 2022, 9:25 am
#74
Moderator, Emirates
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Where My Heart Is
Programs: BAEC Silver, FB Platinum, KQ Asante Gold, Shebamiles Blue, Emirates Blue
Posts: 3,386
Thread title changed to include OpUps for 2022 and congratulations to BA Humbug for the first OpUp report in over a year.
Mar 3, 2022, 3:36 am
#75
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Dubai, Budapest, Colombo, London
Programs: EK Platinum, EY Silver
Posts: 139
Wife got her first op-up ever, she's Gold due to my Plat. Flight was full in all classes.
Upgrade given: Y - J
Upgrade location: Gate
Route: DXB - BUD
Flight number: EK 111
Type of ticket: Flex
Date of travel: 25 Feb 2022
Tier status: Gold
Tier miles to date: 15k
Skywards miles balance: 39k
Number of pax on the same PNR (Including OP): 1
Upgrade given: Y - J
Upgrade location: Gate
Route: DXB - BUD
Flight number: EK 111
Type of ticket: Flex
Date of travel: 25 Feb 2022
Tier status: Gold
Tier miles to date: 15k
Skywards miles balance: 39k
Number of pax on the same PNR (Including OP): 1