how can i upgrade to premium economy on emirates

How to Upgrade to Premium Economy on Emirates​?

To upgrade from Economy to Premium Economy on Emirates, you need to use your Skywards Miles or cash, either online through Manage Your Booking or at the airport, while free or complimentary upgrades are very rare.

Excited to fly to your favorite destination with Emirates, but also worried about the tiny economy seats that may shift your mind to keep an eye on the clock only, as you may not enjoy the flight, but only bear it. Don’t worry, you don’t have to cancel your economy ticket and incur cancellation charges, but you can definitely upgrade to Emirates Premium Economy where you are offered wider seats with more legroom, premium dining, an elevated cabin experience, and more benefits that altogether make your journey savored.

The icing on the cake is that Emirates gives you multiple ways to climb from Economy to this sweet in-between cabin of comfort. Whether you are a Skywards Miles collector or someone who believes in cash deals only, the process of Emirates Premium Economy upgrade relies heavily on two methods, paid cash upgrade and Skywards Miles upgrade. Here you will find the straightforward steps to upgrade to premium economy on Emirates with expert tips, so you can secure a sweet spot in this in-vogue class of service.

How Do I Upgrade My Emirates Flight To Premium Economy?

To make your way from Economy to Premium Economy on Emirates, you have multiple options. Now it depends on you which method you prefer the most or suits you the best. However, the best and most reliable way to upgrade to premium economy on Emirates has to be Skywards Miles, while using the paid cash upgrade method also has its own benefits. Here we have unlocked both methods with a few important rules. You must first assess both options and then decide which is best.

Learn more: How Can I Upgrade to First Class on Emirates?

1. Emirates Premium Economy Upgrade With Skywards Miles

As we have been stressing on using Skywards miles to secure an upgrade seat in the Premium Economy cabin of Emirates Airlines, you must be curious to walk through it, but before you try to jump, you must take care of these things:

  • You must be a member of Emirates Airlines Skywards program and have collected plenty of miles so you don’t fall short of the required number of miles at the time of bearing the Emirates cost to upgrade to premium economy.
  • Without an issued ticket for your Economy cabin, you can’t upgrade to Premium Economy. So make sure you have not only a reservation but also a ticketed booking.
  • Your eligibility to get an upgrade to Emirates’ premium economy using your miles also depends on the fare you purchased initially, as you can move to the coveted premium economy cabin only if you initially purchased the Economy Flex or Economy Flex Plus fare, while the Economy Special and Saver fares are usually not allowed for an upgrade.
  • The most important thing for any Emirates upgrade, including to Premium Economy, is that seats must be available in your desired cabin. Otherwise, no power can get you an upgrade.

Follow these steps to upgrade to Emirates Premium Economy with miles:

  1. Start by going to the Emirates website and logging into your Skywards profile.
  2. Turn to the Manage Your Booking option and enter your booking reference and surname.
  3. If a Premium Economy upgrade on Emirates is available, you will see an option to purchase it.
  4. Select Premium Economy upgrade and check the exact number of Skywards miles required for it.
  5. Choose the pay with miles option if your Skywards account has enough miles.
  6. Confirm the payment and receive a newly issued ticket for your Emirates Premium Economy seat.

Aware Tip: Premium Economy upgrades on Emirates are among the most-demanded upgrades; therefore, finding seat availability can be challenging for you. We suggest that you frequently check your booking, as upgrade offers are often given a week before departure, and turn on the notification to get instant alerts from the Emirates website.

2. Emirates Premium Economy Paid Cash Upgrade

When you don’t have staggered Skywards miles to purchase an upgrade to Premium Economy, the cash upgrade seems to be a great alternative. Although the pricing of the Emirates premium economy cash upgrade changes spontaneously, it guarantees your shift from Economy to a more comfortable cabin. Moreover, you can change your plan any time after booking and up to 6 hours before departure, at check-in, and sometimes after boarding the flight. If the Emirates premium economy upgrade cost is a big concern for you, you can check the actual price by checking your booking through Manage Your Booking, where the upgrade price will be available if seats are open.

Here are the steps to purchase a cash upgrade to Premium Economy on Emirates:

  1. Open Manage Your Booking on the Emirates website.
  2. Look for the upgrade banner or option. If an upgrade is available, you can see it.
  3. Select Premium Economy as your preferred cabin class after upgrade.
  4. Check the Emirates cost to upgrade to premium economy.
  5. Choose the cash payment option and complete it to confirm your seat.

Read more: How Do I Upgrade to Business Class on Emirates?

Experts’ Tips To Make Your Emirates Premium Economy Upgrade Experience Better

Your experience of upgrading to premium economy on Emirates can drastically vary from good to bad or bad to good due to a few minor mistakes. If you don’t want an experience that’s best forgotten, then follow these experts’ tips to make your Emirates Premium Economy Upgrade experience better:

  • Make sure your booked Emirates flight is either Airbus A380 or Boeing 777 because the more comfortable cabin, premium economy, is currently available on these aircraft. If you booked any other flight, you won’t get an option to move to Premium Economy.
  • If you want to upgrade to Emirates Premium Economy for extra baggage, you will not get any benefit, as the baggage allowance remains the same in both economy and premium economy.
  • You should avoid full Emirates flights, especially during holidays, because you will hardly find the premium economy seat availability for an upgrade.

Final Words

You can make the Emirates Premium Economy upgrade process quite easier and more affordable as well, whether you intend to use Skywards miles that you collected by remaining a stalwart to Emirates, or cash, by following the right method at the right time, as Emirates often starts offering premium economy upgrades closer to the departure date or within a week before the flight. So follow our experts’ tips to maximize your chances for grabbing a more comfortable premium economy seat on Emirates or get in touch with an agent specializing in Emirates upgrades at +1 (800) 419-9920.

You may also be interested in:
1. How to Upgrade to Mint on JetBlue?
2. How Can I Upgrade to Premium Select on Delta?
3. How Can You Upgrade to Premium Plus on United Airlines?
4. How Do I Upgrade to Premium Class on Alaska Airlines?

FAQ’s

How many Emirates miles to upgrade to premium economy?

The minimum number of miles you may require to upgrade to Emirates' premium economy is 7000 miles for a one-way flight, but this value can go higher than 31000 miles depending on the route, fare type, availability, and time.

Can you upgrade to premium economy on Emirates?

Yes, you can upgrade to premium economy on Emirates if seats are available and you initially purchased an upgrade-eligible fare on Emirates.

How much to upgrade to premium economy on Emirates?

To upgrade to Emirates' premium economy, you can expect a fee anywhere from $800 to $1500 because it is not fixed and depends on various factors like original fare, route, demand, and availability. The actual Emirates Premium Economy upgrade price check you can do through Manage Your Booking.

Can you upgrade from economy to premium economy on Emirates?

Yes, you can upgrade to premium economy from economy on Emirates with cash or using miles, but you must have initially purchased an eligible fare, and seats in the premium economy cabin are open for upgrade.

Is it worth upgrading to premium economy on Emirates?

The worth of upgrading to Emirates’ premium economy is decided based on your specific motive of moving from economy to premium economy. If you prefer extra comfort and premium dining, then definitely yes, it is worth it, but if you want extra baggage or you are on a tight budget, then it is not.

Can I change my economy ticket to premium economy on Emirates?

Yes, you can upgrade your economy ticket to premium economy on Emirates by paying with cash or using miles.

About the author

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Amjad

Amjad is a senior content writer at AwareTravels. He has an ambition to write travel blogs with the craft of engaging storytelling and useful tips and insights to help the audience. Amjad's writing inspires readers to plan memorable journeys and choose the right destination for their trips while securing the best travel deals.

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