How to Get an Upgrade on Emirates Flights

Have you booked your seats on Emirates? The airline provides quite a few options to make an easy upgrade on your Emirates flight. Thus, you can enjoy a more comfortable inflight experience, and a range of amenities make for an enjoyable flight trip. 

The following article covers all the methods to getting an upgrade on Emirates, including how to avail of Emirates Economy to Premium Upgrade, last-minute upgrades, & much more.  

How to Get an Upgrade on Emirates Flights

With Emirates, you get three cabin classes: Economy, Business, & First Class option to upgrade from. Thus, you can enjoy a more luxurious cabin class experience, enjoyable seats, & much more. 

The following are the two main ways to upgrade Emirates: either through miles or direct cash payment. 

Upgrade with Miles on Emirates Business Class

If you belong to the Emirates Skywards members, you have the option to upgrade flights online using miles if you are upgrading for a qualifying fare class. Note that specific “special tickets” are not upgradeable. However, all other fare classes are. 

Costs Involved with Miles

Now, to figure out how many miles are required when you confirm an upgrade depends upon which type of fare you have booked and also the route. To give a rough estimate, if you are flying from New York to Dubai, the number of miles required would be somewhere between 70,000 miles and 133,000 miles, depending upon the sub-fare types. 

You can check for the exact miles required by going to the miles calculator page on the website. Also, another benefit of checking from the website is that you will also get to know whether your tickets are for upgrade or not; as stated before, not all tickets are upgradeable. 

Does Emirates Offer Free Upgrades?

No, the airline does not offer free upgrades. Not even to its Skywards elite members.  

Emirates Business Class Upgrades Using Cash

This is a more direct and swift option if the budget is not your concern. Also, you may want to use this option if you don’t have enough miles to be eligible for an upgrade.

However, do take note that booking through direct cash payment is more dynamic, unlike upgrading with Skywards miles, which uses a predictable pricing system. It greatly varies with routes. To give an example to illustrate that, when you upgrade from economy to premium economy, you might be charged $1,000 one way if you upgrade from economy to business class. It might vary if you are looking at different times and routes. 

So, it is recommended to check at the time of booking, even if you have checked before, to get the exact fares. 

Emirates Last Minute Upgrade

This will be of particular help to you if you like to save some bucks on your flight bookings. When the options for award and miles upgrades are no longer applicable because of the slots taken, the flight will not show any availability for an upgrade. In that case, once at the airport, you can ask for any last-minute upgrade for a reasonable price or with miles. 

There’s also the option of upgrading the seats when you are on the flight. However, it is recommended that you do so at the check-in counter if you have time because you will get to enjoy more benefits when you are available from there.  

Terms & Conditions for Emirates Seat Upgrade

Below are the important policies that you should be aware of to ensure a successful upgrade. 

• The upgrade should be applicable only to one class above. For instance, you cannot upgrade from economy to first class. 
• To avail of miles upgrades, you must have booked through Emirates. So, the option of partner award booking is not eligible in the case of mileage upgrades. 
• A mileage bonus will not be provided on upgrades purchased or upgrades to a higher cabin. 
• On last-minute upgrades done within 48 hours prior to departure, airlines may not provide you with an upgraded meal.

Conclusion

Having learnt all the ways, as stated above, to make an upgrade on Emirates, you can choose whichever best suits you as per your convenience. You have to upgrade with miles, which are preferred by most travellers, where you can save on your flight budget. The other option is to purchase the upgrade directly, which can be opted if you need it urgently or if the previous option is not available. 

So, now a more comfortable, relaxed & joyful flight awaits you on Emirates!