Booking First Class with Skywards Miles
 

Anyone know why it's not possible to book a first class ticket with Skywards but there is availability if I choose cash?

What is the best way to do this?

Thanks!

Just because there is availability for a paid ticket, does not mean there is availability for a mileage award ticket.
Award seats come from a separate fare bucket, known as Z class (First class mileage awards and upgrade space). Z class is the same fare bucket that F mileage upgrade inventory comes from.
You can search for Z availability on expertflyer.com

S.R has explained things with admirable clarity.

As a more general point, worth adding perhaps that Emirates are not the most generous airline where F class availability using miles is concerned (whether outright award or upgrade), and as such there are many routes / dates where you will struggle to find a seat.

Let alone the YQ they charge!

some how buy a bi ticket and upgrade to first in emirates is better then direct use the miles book a first class. it depends on where you fly out.

or you can use C+P, it should be the same amount when you use mile for book a ticket

You still need award availability to be able to upgrade though.

yup, as well upgrade and redeem are in the same bucket. but the different will be redeem miles on first ticket you can't get any miles and tire on that flight and chauffeur drive, sure just for the chauffeur drive you need to paid a bit more, but in some city you will still get the advance if you book J class and upgrade to F. so the best way will be book the normal fist and use C+P to paid. don't worry, if you use the point limited to paid the ticket, the website will show the balance almost the same as you redeem the ticket. but you can get all the service that is really tricky

I understand the way that many airlines operate the upgrades but what I have never really understood is why they they do not have some sort of waiting list where if there is space available on your flight you can get the option of using the miles to upgrade on check in

Emirates do. You can upgrade at the airport or on board if there is space available.

@ DYKWIA - onboard only if the necessary EK status is held, AFAIK ..... for sake of clarity (?)

Ah yes, Silver and above.

You have to be mindful that some airport/on board upgrades do not always have F catering available. Ex TUN there is nearly always F upgrades available with miles but you have to eat J food. Each to their own if you think this is a big deal or not.

F food is pretty much the same as J anyway. Just plated different, and maybe some extra options. But the booze...

slightly different ie you get a bigger piece of fish but pretty much the same but presented nicer. They clearly don’t cater ex tun then else you can always get a meal until the flight catering is done.

DYKWIA is right, no one upgrades for the food...

with online check in this could be 24 hours before hand - Basically I am not saying they should all be released that early but the point is that they could depending on load I am guessing if you have enough miles you may also have the status I can understand that they may release first to high status but if the seat is empty why not a last minute upgrade for the non status

is food a big deal ? I had to make a last minute booking on Thai in business back to the UK after Emirates canceled my flights and I was really hacked off that I was not able to book the Chefs meals or what ever they were called as the choice was superb