Emirates Business Class offers a truly luxurious travel experience. This level of comfort makes it a dream for many travellers. However, booking these seats with miles directly can be costly. In this guide, I reveal a smart strategy. You can upgrade to Emirates Business Class using Skywards miles. Surprisingly, this method can even work with certain award tickets. I will show you how.
If youve been reading my blog then you know that you can book Emirates Business Class for fewer miles using Qantas points. The downside of that trick however is that you still have to pay over $800 in fees one way between North America and Dubai
Emirates Skywards Miles: Your Key to This Upgrade
This upgrade strategy primarily uses Emirates Skywards miles. Skywards is the loyalty program of Emirates. Why focus on Skywards miles? Emirates offers a unique perk. They allow upgrades on certain types of award tickets, not just cash fares. This is rare among airlines. This rare policy offers a great advantage to points & miles enthusiasts.
Earning Skywards Miles Easily
For those in the US, Emirates Skywards miles are fairly easy to accumulate. Skywards is a transfer partner of most major US bank reward programs. These typically allow you to transfer your credit card points to Skywards miles, often at a 1:1 ratio. This means 1,000 bank points can become 1,000 Skywards miles, providing a straightforward way to build your balance.
(Important Note: From time to time, banks may temporarily pause transfers to airline partners for system updates or other reasons. For example, some US banks announced temporary pauses on transfers to Emirates Skywards around late May/June 2025. I always advise checking the current status of transfer partnerships directly with your bank rewards program before planning a transfer.)
Not All Business Class is Equal: Choosing Your Emirates Flight
Before you target an upgrade, I want you to understand this key point. Emirates operates different Business Class seats across its fleet. The inflight experience can vary significantly. Choosing the right aircraft and flight is important. This ensures your upgrade meets your expectations.
The Gold Standard: Emirates A380 Business Class (Onboard Bar & Lounge)
The Airbus A380 offers the iconic Emirates Business Class experience. All A380 Business Class seats have direct aisle access. They convert into comfortable, fully flat beds. The standout feature is the onboard bar and lounge area. This social space is exclusively for Business and First Class passengers. It’s a fantastic place to relax and mingle during your flight. This makes the A380 the most desirable aircraft for many.
Boeing 777 Variations: The Good (Retrofitted) and The Dated (2-3-2 Layout to Avoid)
Emirates uses Boeing 777 aircraft on many routes. Their 777 Business Class cabins vary. Some older, non-retrofitted 777s feature an outdated Business Class. This older layout is in a 2-3-2 configuration. These seats are often angled-flat, not fully flat. They also lack privacy. Middle and some window seats do not offer direct aisle access. You might have to step over a fellow passenger. This is the cabin version you ideally want to avoid.
However, Emirates is actively retrofitting many of its Boeing 777s. These aircraft feature newer Business Class cabins. These updated seats provide direct aisle access for everyone. They are a significant improvement over the older configuration.
The New Emirates A350’s
These are Emirates’s newest jets and feature their latest business class product. This would also be an excellent option to fly however it does not have the on board bar and lounge like those on the A380. There are very few of these jets in their fleet as they are still taking delivery.
Quick Tip: How I Check Aircraft Type
I always try to check the aircraft type before booking or planning an upgrade. You can usually see this information during the flight search process on the Emirates website. Look closely at the flight details. Seat maps, often available online, can also reveal the cabin layout. This research helps you target an A380 or a retrofitted 777 for the best experience.
How Many Skywards Miles Will You Need?
Understanding the miles needed is key. Emirates has an online tool. It is called the “Miles Calculator.” This tool helps you estimate upgrade costs. You can find it on the Emirates Skywards website. I recommend using this link: https://www.emirates.com/skywards/miles-calculator/
The miles needed vary. Factors include your route. Your original ticket’s fare type is also crucial. My guide focuses on flights between North America and Dubai. I will detail specific mileage costs later. This calculator is your best friend for exact figures. It helps plan your specific upgrade.
Booking Emirates Business Class directly with miles is an option. However, it can be very expensive. From the US East Coast, a Business Class Flex Plus award might cost 138,000 Skywards miles. It also includes high fees, around $800 USD or more. West Coast routes cost even more miles. My upgrade strategy aims for a more efficient use of your miles.
Understanding Emirates Economy Award Tickets & Upgrade Rules (North America – Dubai Focus)
Emirates offers different types of award tickets in Economy Class. These have varying rules for upgrades. For my strategy of upgrading an award ticket to Business Class, the “Flex Plus” award ticket is key.
Key Award Ticket Types: Saver vs. Flex Plus
When you book an Economy Class flight using Skywards miles, you’ll typically see two main award types:
- Saver Award: These cost fewer miles. However, they have more restrictions. Upgrade options are very limited.
- Flex Plus Award: These cost more miles than Saver awards. However, they offer more flexibility. Crucially, Flex Plus awards are eligible for upgrades to Business Class using more miles, if space is available. This is the ticket type my strategy focuses on.
(Note: Emirates also has “Special” and “Flex” cash fare categories with their own upgrade rules. However, for upgrading an award ticket itself, “Flex Plus” is the one to target).
Saver Award Tickets & Upgrades
Economy “Saver” award tickets are the cheapest way to book an Economy seat with miles. However, they come with significant upgrade limitations. You can usually only upgrade a Saver award ticket at the time of check-in or at the gate. This depends entirely on last-minute Business Class seat availability. It also costs a very large number of miles. For these reasons, I do not recommend relying on upgrading a “Saver” award ticket if your goal is a confirmed Business Class seat in advance.
Flex Plus Award Tickets: The Foundation of This Strategy
The Flex Plus Economy award ticket is the foundation for this upgrade trick. These tickets offer the best eligibility for upgrading to Business Class using miles. For flights between North America and Dubai, a one-way Flex Plus Economy award ticket typically costs:
- From US East Coast (e.g., JFK): ~50,000 Skywards miles + taxes/fees (approx. $202 USD).
- From US West Coast (e.g., LAX): ~57,500 Skywards miles + taxes/fees (approx. $202 USD).
Booking this specific type of award ticket is your first step. Next, I’ll explain how to identify upgrade availability and calculate the additional miles needed.
Upgrading Your Flex Plus Economy Award
My recommended strategy focuses on a specific Emirates perk. This is the ability to upgrade an eligible Economy Class award ticket to Business Class using more Skywards miles. Here’s how I approach it for North America to Dubai routes.
Step 1: Book Your Flex Plus Economy Award Ticket
First, you need to secure an underlying ticket. This must be an Economy Flex Plus award ticket. I search for this on the Emirates website (emirates.com). I make sure to select “Book with Miles” and choose the “Flex Plus” option.
As I mentioned earlier, these typically cost:
- From US East Coast (e.g., JFK) to Dubai (DXB): ~50,000 Skywards miles + taxes/fees (approx. $202 USD).
- From US West Coast (e.g., LAX) to Dubai (DXB): ~57,500 Skywards miles + taxes/fees (approx. $202 USD).
Booking this specific award type is the essential first step. It gives you the foundation to apply for the mileage upgrade.
Step 2: Identify Business Class Upgrade Availability (Crucial!)
Before you upgrade, or even as you book your Economy Flex Plus award, you must confirm Business Class upgrade space exists. This is critical. Do not assume upgrade seats will be available.
Method A: During Your Flex Plus Award Booking on Emirates.com Emirates often makes this easy. When you are selecting your flights during the initial booking process for your Flex Plus Economy award, the system may show an indicator. Look for a small icon or text like “Miles upgrade available” or an “Eligible for upgrade” button next to your chosen flights. If you see this, it means upgrade space to Business Class is likely available at that moment. This is the best-case scenario. You can book your Economy award knowing an upgrade is possible.
Method B: Using the Seats.aero Emirates Upgrades Tool Another excellent resource is the Seats.aero “Emirates Upgrades” tool. This relatively new feature specifically helps find confirmed Business Class upgrade inventory from various Economy fare types on Emirates. I use this tool to search for dates and routes that show existing upgrade space. This can guide which Flex Plus Economy award dates I should book. It can also be used to check for upgrade space after I have booked an eligible Economy award ticket.
Always verify. If you don’t see immediate upgrade availability during booking, or via a tool like Seats.aero, you might have to waitlist or hope space opens later. This is more risky.
Step 3: Calculate the Upgrade Cost & Secure Your Business Seat
Once you’ve booked your Flex Plus Economy award and confirmed Business Class upgrade availability, you can proceed. The additional Skywards miles needed to upgrade from a Flex Plus Economy award to Business Class are quite reasonable:
- From US East Coast (e.g., JFK) to Dubai (DXB): ~70,200 Skywards miles.
- From US West Coast (e.g., LAX) to Dubai (DXB): ~81,900 Skywards miles.
Total Mileage Calculation (Example from US East Coast):
- Flex Plus Economy Award: 50,000 miles
- Business Class Upgrade: + 70,200 miles
- Total for Business Class: ~120,200 Skywards miles
Your cash co-pay remains low. It’s primarily the taxes and fees from your initial Economy award ticket (around $202 USD). Any additional tax for the upgrade itself is usually minimal, if any. Compare this to booking a Business Class Flex Plus award directly. That could cost ~138,000 Skywards miles plus $800+ in fees from the East Coast. My upgrade strategy clearly offers better value.
How to Upgrade: Once your Flex Plus Economy award is booked and you’ve confirmed upgrade space, you can usually request the upgrade online. Go to “Manage Your Booking” on the Emirates website. Alternatively, you can call Emirates Skywards to process the mileage upgrade.
Key Considerations for Your Emirates Mileage Upgrade
Upgrading with Skywards miles is a great strategy. However, I want you to keep a few important points in mind. These will help you manage expectations.
- Upgrade Availability is Not Guaranteed: Business Class upgrade seats are limited. Airlines control this inventory tightly. Just because you have an eligible Economy ticket and enough miles does not guarantee an upgrade. Availability can change quickly. I always advise checking often.
- What’s Included with Your Upgraded Award Ticket:
- Lounge Access: Yes, once your upgrade to Business Class is confirmed, you will enjoy access to Emirates’ Business Class lounges.
- Baggage Allowance: You will also receive the increased Business Class baggage allowance.
- Onboard Experience: You get the full Business Class treatment. This includes the better seat, dining, and amenities.
- What’s Typically Not Included:
- Chauffeur-drive Service: Emirates’ complimentary Chauffeur-drive service is a fantastic perk. However, it is usually not included for tickets upgraded with miles (whether from a cash fare or an award ticket). This service is generally reserved for full-fare revenue Business and First Class tickets.
- Earning Miles on the Flight: When you upgrade an award ticket (like our Flex Plus Economy award), you typically do not earn Skywards miles or Tier Miles for the flight itself. This is because the base ticket was paid for with miles. If you were upgrading a cash ticket, you would earn miles based on your original cash fare class.
- Flexibility: If you need to change or cancel your trip after upgrading, the rules can be complex. They may depend on the conditions of your original Economy award ticket and the upgrade terms. Always check these carefully.
Conclusion: A Savvy Route to Emirates Business Class
This unique Emirates Skywards feature is fantastic. Upgrading a Flex Plus Economy award ticket to Business Class is a savvy move. It can make a luxurious journey more attainable. This method often requires fewer miles overall. It also involves a much lower cash co-pay. This is compared to booking a Business Class Flex Plus award directly.
The key is to book the correct Economy award fare (Flex Plus). You must also confirm upgrade availability. Emirates often shows this during the initial booking. Tools like Seats.aero can also help you find this space. Then, you use more Skywards miles for the upgrade.
This strategy does require understanding fare rules. You also need to know how to search for availability. However, the reward is significant. You get to experience Emirates’ renowned Business Class. You do this for a more reasonable mileage outlay. It’s a smart way to elevate your travel!
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