Upgrade sequence on an overbooked flight with Premium
Oct 7, 2025 | 5:05 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2023
Posts: 31
Upgrade sequence on an overbooked flight with Premium
I am quite sure that on an overbooked Economy Class flight with a(n almost) full Business Class, some passengers in Business will be moved to First and then the higher tier from Economy to Business.
On a flight that also offers Premium, I guess in this situation that Premium passengers will go to Business and Economy to Premium. If true, then the chances of ever getting a free upgrade from Economy to Business will soon be history.
On a flight that also offers Premium, I guess in this situation that Premium passengers will go to Business and Economy to Premium. If true, then the chances of ever getting a free upgrade from Economy to Business will soon be history.
Oct 8, 2025 | 7:02 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Dubai
Programs: FB Gold, EK Silver, UA Silver, MB Titanium, ALL Silver, Radisson VIP
Posts: 357
Upgrade priority:
1. IO passengers
2. Platinum passagers (Flex Plus, Flex, Saver, Special)
3. Flex Plus passengers (Gold, Silver)
4. Flex passengers (Gold, Silver)
5. Saver passengers (Gold, Silver)
So it's mainly based on highest priced tickets rather than status to the dismal of many frequent flyers.
Other than that, yes, you are right: Eco > Prem; Prem > Bus; Bus > First.
1. IO passengers
2. Platinum passagers (Flex Plus, Flex, Saver, Special)
3. Flex Plus passengers (Gold, Silver)
4. Flex passengers (Gold, Silver)
5. Saver passengers (Gold, Silver)
So it's mainly based on highest priced tickets rather than status to the dismal of many frequent flyers.
Other than that, yes, you are right: Eco > Prem; Prem > Bus; Bus > First.
Oct 8, 2025 | 7:21 am
#3
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Bangkok
Programs: Skywards
Posts: 201
Upgrade priority:
1. IO passengers
2. Platinum passagers (Flex Plus, Flex, Saver, Special)
3. Flex Plus passengers (Gold, Silver)
4. Flex passengers (Gold, Silver)
5. Saver passengers (Gold, Silver)
So it's mainly based on highest priced tickets rather than status to the dismal of many frequent flyers.
Other than that, yes, you are right: Eco > Prem; Prem > Bus; Bus > First.
1. IO passengers
2. Platinum passagers (Flex Plus, Flex, Saver, Special)
3. Flex Plus passengers (Gold, Silver)
4. Flex passengers (Gold, Silver)
5. Saver passengers (Gold, Silver)
So it's mainly based on highest priced tickets rather than status to the dismal of many frequent flyers.
Other than that, yes, you are right: Eco > Prem; Prem > Bus; Bus > First.
Oct 8, 2025 | 7:41 am
#4
Join Date: May 2020
Location: DXB and JNB
Programs: EK Plat; (Happy) QR Exile
Posts: 939
Are you sure about this? I was upgraded from Economy Flex to First Class twice already this year. The second time, I asked the lounge supervisor who had upgraded me why. He told me I was a grade one gold member. I never knew what that meant, and I still dont even though I posted about this a few months ago..
Youve said it before, but you (and one other person who said something similar but slightly different) appear to be the only people with that experience.
Theres another whole and holding body of evidence that suggests it is as quoted by gorba (staff saying so, and anecdotal evidence over years on this site). Certainly amongst my team at the office (a handful of plats maybe two dozen golds), the iO>plats>flex+>flex>saver rule seems to hold.
Oct 8, 2025 | 9:32 am
#5
Join Date: May 2010
Location: BOM
Programs: EK Plat, HHonors Gold
Posts: 3,001
Oct 8, 2025 | 10:10 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SIN
Posts: 1,100
Are you sure about this? I was upgraded from Economy Flex to First Class twice already this year. The second time, I asked the lounge supervisor who had upgraded me why. He told me I was a grade one gold member. I never knew what that meant, and I still dont even though I posted about this a few months ago..
Oct 8, 2025 | 4:19 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: EK Plat
Posts: 252
Data points:
- Sept: upgraded from Y to PE (overbooked Y)
- June: upgraded from Y to F (Y at 60-70%). I was travelling with a friend who was in paid F and who was designated by EK as a VIP but no status. Separate PNRs but we checked in together and entered the lounge together so possibly someone noticed we were travelling together? I was surprised by the upgrade and the agent in the lounge could not explain it but I only asked in passing.
- Sept: upgraded from Y to PE (overbooked Y)
- June: upgraded from Y to F (Y at 60-70%). I was travelling with a friend who was in paid F and who was designated by EK as a VIP but no status. Separate PNRs but we checked in together and entered the lounge together so possibly someone noticed we were travelling together? I was surprised by the upgrade and the agent in the lounge could not explain it but I only asked in passing.
Oct 10, 2025 | 10:15 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2010
Location: BOM
Programs: EK Plat, HHonors Gold
Posts: 3,001
Oct 12, 2025 | 9:15 am
#9
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 4,847
I cant sleep sitting up, which is the main reason I dont find PE appealing: even with an empty seat next to you, you cant use it.
I flew Y for the first time in 6 years a while ago. Although I had three seats to myself on the first leg and even 4 seats on the second (on a A380) and therefore could lie down, I still could not sleep. Just too uncomfortable with all the bumps, plus too much going on around me.
Fortunately I dont fly that much anymore so I can still fly J or F (the latter occasionally).
Oct 16, 2025 | 2:07 am
#10
Join Date: May 2010
Location: BOM
Programs: EK Plat, HHonors Gold
Posts: 3,001
Very poor back support and I just can't seem to find a comfortable sleeping position or a comfortable recline position. The footrest makes it even more awkward.
I am able to manage ultra long haul flights sitting in the Y seats. For some reason I do not find the seat contours/ bumps to be intrusive in the 4 seaters on the A380 and have managed to get some good sleep on the occasions I have had them all to myself. And of course, in the PE seats you do not get any additional benefit when the seat next to you is empty. So paying a premium fare to be in PE just does not cut it for me.
I cant sleep sitting up, which is the main reason I dont find PE appealing: even with an empty seat next to you, you cant use it.
I flew Y for the first time in 6 years a while ago. Although I had three seats to myself on the first leg and even 4 seats on the second (on a A380) and therefore could lie down, I still could not sleep. Just too uncomfortable with all the bumps, plus too much going on around me.
Fortunately I dont fly that much anymore so I can still fly J or F (the latter occasionally).
I flew Y for the first time in 6 years a while ago. Although I had three seats to myself on the first leg and even 4 seats on the second (on a A380) and therefore could lie down, I still could not sleep. Just too uncomfortable with all the bumps, plus too much going on around me.
Fortunately I dont fly that much anymore so I can still fly J or F (the latter occasionally).
Oct 17, 2025 | 1:07 am
#11
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 35
Upgrade priority:
1. IO passengers
2. Platinum passagers (Flex Plus, Flex, Saver, Special)
3. Flex Plus passengers (Gold, Silver)
4. Flex passengers (Gold, Silver)
5. Saver passengers (Gold, Silver)
So it's mainly based on highest priced tickets rather than status to the dismal of many frequent flyers.
Other than that, yes, you are right: Eco > Prem; Prem > Bus; Bus > First.
1. IO passengers
2. Platinum passagers (Flex Plus, Flex, Saver, Special)
3. Flex Plus passengers (Gold, Silver)
4. Flex passengers (Gold, Silver)
5. Saver passengers (Gold, Silver)
So it's mainly based on highest priced tickets rather than status to the dismal of many frequent flyers.
Other than that, yes, you are right: Eco > Prem; Prem > Bus; Bus > First.
On my only overnight EK flight in PE last year, I found the seat far too hard to sleep on, maybe because it was new. Virgin 787 PE seat is the the best IMO. YMMV.
Oct 17, 2025 | 11:51 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2023
Posts: 31
I am quite confident that they will not downgrade passengers easily, so yes, PE must have been full, but more importantly, I think Flex Plus does the trick here. Emirates really seems to reward those that overpay more than those that fly frequently.
When they still offered way more miles on Y Flex or Y Flex Plus, I would often purposely overpay, but not anymore
When they still offered way more miles on Y Flex or Y Flex Plus, I would often purposely overpay, but not anymore
Oct 18, 2025 | 1:44 am
#13
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 4,847
I am quite confident that they will not downgrade passengers easily, so yes, PE must have been full, but more importantly, I think Flex Plus does the trick here. Emirates really seems to reward those that overpay more than those that fly frequently.
When they still offered way more miles on Y Flex or Y Flex Plus, I would often purposely overpay, but not anymore
When they still offered way more miles on Y Flex or Y Flex Plus, I would often purposely overpay, but not anymore
I agree that the miles now attached to Y travel are too insignificant to justify booking in Flex (let alone in Flex+).