Key Points:

• Emirates offers last-seat availability for day-of-departure upgrades, making it one of the easiest programs to secure premium cabin seats even when space seems limited.
• Most Emirates tickets including award tickets are upgradable with Skywards miles, though you'll pay different rates depending on your fare type (Special fares are not upgradable).
• In some cases, booking a lower cabin award and immediately upgrading costs fewer miles and less in taxes than booking the premium cabin directly.

Emirates has built a reputation for exceptional premium cabins, from the A380 first class with onboard showers to the newest A350 business class. If you're eyeing an upgrade to these coveted seats, Emirates Skywards offers one of the most traveler-friendly upgrade programs in the industry.

Here's what makes Emirates upgrades special: you can upgrade most ticket types (even award tickets), the airline offers generous last-seat availability on departure day, and occasionally you'll find better value upgrading than booking premium cabins outright.

Understanding Emirates Fare Types and Upgrade Eligibility

Emirates organizes tickets into four fare concepts that apply to both cash and award tickets: Special, Saver, Flex, and Flex Plus. Your upgrade options depend entirely on which fare you've booked, similar to how different hotel loyalty programs tier their redemption options.

Special Fares: Not upgradable under any circumstances. These are Emirates' cheapest cash fares and don't exist in the award space.

Saver Fares: Upgradable only on departure day at the airport or onboard the aircraft. You can't confirm these upgrades in advance, but don't count them out. Emirates' generous day-of-departure policy (more on this below) means Saver ticket holders often succeed.

Flex and Flex Plus Fares: Upgradable anytime from booking through departure, including onboard. These fares give you the most flexibility to confirm upgrades in advance when space is available.

One critical requirement: your ticket must be issued on Emirates ticket stock. If you booked through a partner airline like Qantas or Air Canada on their ticket stock, you can't upgrade with Skywards miles even if you're flying Emirates metal.

You can upgrade up to one cabin class with a single upgrade. The exception is economy passengers, who can skip premium economy entirely and upgrade directly to business class. However, you cannot upgrade from economy directly to first class.

What You Need to Know About Emirates First Class Upgrades

Emirates recently restricted first class award bookings to Skywards elite members (Silver, Gold, or Platinum status). This doesn't apply to upgrades though. Non-elite members can still upgrade to first class using miles, making upgrades the only path to experiencing Emirates' flagship product for most travelers.

There's one age restriction worth noting: children 8 and under cannot travel in Emirates first class on award tickets or upgrades. They can only access first class on paid tickets.

How Many Miles Does an Emirates Upgrade Cost?

Upgrade costs vary significantly based on your route, cabin, and ticket type. Emirates provides a mileage calculator where you can search specific routes to see exact upgrade requirements.

For example, upgrading from business class to first class on a Flex Plus ticket from Newark to Athens requires 39,000 Skywards miles one-way. Meanwhile, a longer route from New York JFK to Dubai might require around 70,000 miles for the same business-to-first upgrade.

The good news: Emirates charges only the miles for upgrades with no additional carrier-imposed surcharges. However, government taxes like the UK Air Passenger Duty may apply if they differ between cabins.

If you're looking at a high-mileage upgrade, consider the Skywards+ paid subscription program. Members receive up to a 20% rebate on upgrade costs, which can make the annual fee worthwhile for a single premium cabin upgrade.

Getting Your Skywards Miles for Upgrades

Only Skywards miles work for Emirates upgrades. You cannot use partner airline miles from programs like Air Canada Aeroplan or Qantas Frequent Flyer for upgrades, though you can use those programs to book outright awards on Emirates.

The easiest way to accumulate Skywards miles is through credit card point transfers. As of early 2026, Bilt Rewards remains the only major U.S. program transferring to Emirates at 1:1. The Bilt Mastercard earns 3x points on dining and 2x on travel, making it particularly valuable since those points transfer to Emirates without devaluation.

Other transfer partners have devalued:

• American Express Membership Rewards: 1:0.8 (4 Amex points = 3 Skywards miles). Cards like The Platinum Card from American Express and the American Express Gold Card earn Membership Rewards points.
• Capital One Miles: 1:0.75 (as of January 13, 2026). The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a premium option for earning these miles.
• Citi ThankYou Rewards: 1:0.8 for premium cards like the Citi Premier Card, 1:0.56 for non-premium cards
• Marriott Bonvoy: 3:1 with our complete guide to Marriott transfer partners

Chase Ultimate Rewards dropped Emirates as a transfer partner in October 2025.

Finding and Confirming Upgrade Space in Advance

Emirates applies capacity controls to advance upgrades, meaning confirmable upgrade space matches what would be available if you were booking an award ticket in that cabin.

When searching flights while logged into your Skywards account, look for "Miles upgrade available" displayed under specific flights. Click this text to see which cabins have confirmable space.

The search results also show the exact number of miles required for each cabin upgrade, along with any fare restrictions.

If confirmable space isn't available, you can join a waitlist that remains active until 48 hours before departure. If your upgrade doesn't clear by then, the waitlist automatically cancels. Don't worry though, this is where Emirates' day-of-departure policy shines.

The Emirates Day-of-Departure Upgrade Strategy

Here's what sets Emirates apart: last-seat availability for day-of-departure upgrades. If a seat remains unsold in the cabin you're targeting when you arrive at the airport, you can typically upgrade to it with miles. No capacity controls, no complex inventory buckets. Just available seats and your Skywards miles.

This applies to all upgradable fare types:

• Flex Plus passengers can upgrade in advance or at the airport
• Flex passengers can upgrade in advance or at the airport
• Saver passengers can only upgrade at the airport (not in advance)

The strategy is simple: arrive at the airport early and request your upgrade at check-in. Most flights have several premium cabin seats still available at this point, especially on popular routes with high business and first class capacity.

This policy is particularly valuable for business-to-first upgrades. Since Emirates now restricts first class awards to elite members, day-of-departure upgrades represent the most accessible path to experiencing Emirates' A380 first class with its famous shower suites.

Smart Upgrade Math: When Upgrading Beats Direct Booking

Sometimes the numbers work in unexpected ways. Let me show you a real example that demonstrates when upgrading actually costs less than booking the premium cabin directly, similar to how understanding Marriott Bonvoy's transfer partners can unlock hidden value.

Scenario: New York JFK to Dubai, one-way

Option 1 - Direct Business Class Award:

• Cost: 138,000 Skywards miles + $835.40 in taxes/fees

Option 2 - Economy Award + Upgrade:

• Economy Flex Plus award: 50,000 miles + $203.40
• Upgrade to business class: 70,200 miles
• Total: 120,200 miles + $203.40

By choosing Option 2, you save 17,800 miles and over $600 in taxes and fees. The only limitation is you couldn't then upgrade again to first class, but for travelers focused on business class, this represents significant savings.

This quirk in Emirates' pricing doesn't exist on every route, but it's worth checking the calculator when you're planning a redemption. The math occasionally favors the upgrade path, especially on longer routes with high fuel surcharges.

Practical Tips for Successful Emirates Upgrades

Book Refundable Fares When Possible: If you're banking on a day-of-departure upgrade clearing, make sure you're comfortable in your original cabin if the upgrade doesn't materialize. That said, Emirates' last-seat availability makes upgrades quite reliable if you arrive early.

Check Multiple Dates: Upgrade availability can vary dramatically by departure date. If you have flexibility, search several dates to find the best upgrade inventory.

Don't Request Too Early for Saver Fares: If you're on a Saver ticket, you can only upgrade at the airport anyway. Save yourself the stress of watching waitlists and just head to the airport early on departure day.

Consider the 48-Hour Rule: For Flex and Flex Plus tickets, if your advance upgrade doesn't clear 48 hours before departure, your waitlist cancels. But you can still request the upgrade again at the airport with last-seat availability.

Transfer Points Strategically: Given the recent devaluations from most transfer partners, only move points to Skywards when you have a specific redemption in mind. The program has shown a pattern of increasing costs and restrictions. If you're using Chase Ultimate Rewards, consider transferring to United MileagePlus or Air Canada Aeroplan instead for better long-term value.

Should You Upgrade Emirates Flights with Miles?

The value calculation depends on your situation. For maximum points efficiency, booking the cabin you want outright usually costs fewer miles than buying a lower cabin and upgrading. But life isn't always about maximum efficiency.

Upgrades make sense when:

• You want Emirates first class but lack elite status for award bookings
• Your company or someone else paid for your ticket and you want more comfort
• The upgrade math works out better than direct booking (like the JFK-Dubai example)
• You're on a Saver ticket and want to take advantage of last-seat availability
• You booked conservatively and found you have miles to spare

Upgrades may not be worth it when:

• You're booking entirely with miles and can find award space in your target cabin
• The upgrade costs nearly as many miles as a direct premium cabin award
• You're traveling with young children who can't access first class via upgrades
• You need the flexibility to upgrade again (you can only upgrade one cabin level)

Comparing Emirates Upgrades to Other Programs

Most airlines restrict upgrades through complex inventory management and waitlist prioritization by elite status. Emirates takes a different approach that favors everyone, regardless of status.

United, American, and Delta all use revenue-based upgrade pricing and heavily prioritize elite members. Their day-of-departure upgrade availability is typically limited, with upgrades processed in strict elite status order.

Emirates processes day-of-departure upgrades on a first-come, first-served basis with last-seat availability. Show up early at the airport, and you have excellent odds of clearing the upgrade regardless of your Skywards status level.

This makes Emirates one of the few programs where non-elite members have genuine upgrade opportunities, especially in first class where many airlines don't offer mileage upgrades at all.

Making the Most of Your Emirates Upgrade

Emirates upgrades represent one of the program's best-kept secrets. The combination of upgradable award tickets, last-seat availability, and occasional pricing inefficiencies creates real opportunities to experience world-class premium cabins at reasonable mileage costs.

The key is understanding which ticket type you're booking, knowing when you can request upgrades, and arriving at the airport early enough to take advantage of same-day availability. For many travelers, this strategy provides the most realistic path to Emirates first class.

Start by checking the mileage calculator for your specific route, compare the upgrade cost against direct premium cabin awards, and consider your transfer partner options carefully given the recent wave of devaluations. The Bilt Mastercard remains your best bet for 1:1 transfers, while cards earning American Express Membership Rewards now transfer at a reduced 1:0.8 ratio.

With some planning and the right ticket, you could be showering at 40,000 feet sooner than you think.

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