• 05 Nov, 2025
  • Travel tips

Emirates offers passengers the opportunity to upgrade seats, enhancing their flying experience with more comfort, high-end services, and generous amenities provided by the airline's elite cabins. The primary advantage of upgrading a seat includes additional space, a more personalized touch, priority services, and lounge access to have a relaxing experience even before boarding their flights. However, some general conditions must be complied with for upgrading an Emirates seat, and the procedure must be followed to request a seat upgrade. Therefore, these vital topics will be covered in the subsequent sections, providing the required guidance for the passengers. Hence, review the upcoming sections attentively and assist yourself with upgrading your Emirates seats. 

Emirate Seat Upgrade Policy

If passengers intend to upgrade their pre-existing seats in an Emirates flight to a higher class, they can request it conveniently through the airline. However, the airline follows a seat upgrade policy, according to which seat upgrade requests are fulfilled. Before proceeding, passengers must appropriately understand the airline's seat upgrade policy. Follow the pointers below, where the Emirates seat upgrade policy has been simplified:

  • As per the policy, passengers can request a seat upgrade by paying in cash or Skyward Miles, setting an automatic upgrade, or setting a fare alert. 
  • Passengers can upgrade their existing flight ticket seats to Emirates business or first class cabins by paying the cost through their preferred payment channel. 
  • Seat upgrades can only be made to the next higher class available; however, an economy to premium economy upgrade is impossible. 
  • Seats can be upgraded from 90 days before the scheduled departure to up to 72 hours before the flight's scheduled departure. 
  • If the passenger has a group reservation, an upgrade or auto upgrade will not be possible as the airlines don't allow it. 
  • When the airline selects an auto upgrade option, it will not be fulfilled if there are insufficient miles at the time of upgrade. 
  • The number of miles and the amount are determined based on the segments of your journey instead of varying by destination. 

How can you upgrade your Emirates Seats?

Travelers may consider distinct approaches when requesting an upgrade from Emirates Airlines. These methods ensure that passengers can make their desired modifications conveniently in different ways. The subsequent sections will discuss each technique to provide an Emirates seat upgrade. Thus, follow the informative pointers below:

Through Website

Emirates' intuitive and easy-to-comprehend website ensures passengers have no hassles when requesting an upgrade through the airline's official website. Passengers can either pay using cash or through Miles to upgrade a seat or consider setting up an autoupgrade. Follow the procedure explained properly through the step-by-step guide below: 

  • Begin by browsing 'www.emirates.com' to access Emirates' official website. 
  • From the top menu, click 'Manage' then select 'Upgrade your flight.' 
  • Enter your booking details in their designated sections, then click 'Retrieve Booking.' 
  • Select the method you want to upgrade your seat with, and follow the instructions displayed. 
  • Pay the difference through your preferred payment channels. 
  • The airline will notify you through email or SMS to confirm the upgrade. 

Through Calling

Passengers can also directly contact the airline's customer service team to request a seat upgrade for their pre-existing booking. Emirates offers round-the-clock customer service, enabling passengers to resolve their queries and request an upgrade to their seats. To reach out to Emirates customer services by phone, passengers must dial '+18007773999', connect to the representatives, and request a modification to their flight ticket. For hearing-impaired individuals, they may text Emirates' text type number '+18883201576.' 

At the Airport

At the Airport, Emirates representatives are present to offer necessary guidance and assistance to the passengers, helping them at every point of their journey. If passengers have arrived at the airport and intend to travel in an upgraded class, they must head to the Emirates' airport counter. At the counter, they can ask the representatives to upgrade their seats to the upper class, for which representatives will charge you a fee. After paying the cost, a new ticket will be handed to you, allowing you to travel in the elite cabins. 

How much would you be charged for requesting a Seat Upgrade from Emirates? 

The cost for upgrading your Emirates seat may vary depending on several conditions and criteria, including the destination and origin, fare type, upgrade class, availability, and request time, so there are no static charges for the costs offered. The most suitable way to find the price of upgrading your seats with Emirates is to use the Manage Booking or Upgrading your flight feature on the website. This lets you see the miles you must pay to upgrade your seats, keeping you prepared with the amount you must pay to access elite cabins. 

How can you speak to an Emirates Representative to request a Seat Upgrade? 

To speak to an Emirates representative, call their dedicated phone number and ask to upgrade your seat to an elite class. This way, passengers can appropriately converse with the representative and understand the complexities properly. To ensure a better understanding of the process, go through the pointers below and request an upgrade conveniently: 

  • Dial '+18007773999' to reach out to Emirates agents. 
  • Press the keys as per the given directions. 
  • Wait in the holding queue for the agent to connect.
  • Once connected, begin asking your questions. 

Things to Consider Before Upgrading Your Emirates Seat

If you consider some clever things, passengers can have a more manageable experience upgrading seats with Emirates. Knowing some things would remove the hassles and ease the procedure, helping passengers facilitate the process and enjoy the upgraded seats. Below is the list of things you must remember before upgrading your seats to an elite class:

  • Adherence to Policy: Emirates' seat upgrade policy contains flexible rules and guidelines describing the basic conditions passengers must meet to have a convenient seat upgrade experience. Hence, a proper explanation in compliance with these guidelines is required. 
  • Knowing the Cost: Knowing how much you'll have to pay to upgrade a seat is mandatory and ultimately relieves you. In the case of Emirates, there is no fixed cost, but you can use the 'manage booking' or 'upgrade your flight' option to find the overall cost for upgrading your seats based on your preferences. 
  • Perks & Benefits: To enjoy all the perks and benefits of your upgraded seats, you must be aware of them. These may include complimentary beverages and snacks, priority services, an internet connection, and more. You can review the facilities through the airline's website and upgrade to your preferred classes. 
  • Eligibility: Your eligibility to upgrade your seats may vary depending on various criteria. The seat upgrades in Emirates flights are eligible for certain fare types that can be upgraded to an elite cabin. There is also a time limitation for requesting a seat upgrade, which is from 90 days to 72 hours before the scheduled departure time of your flight. 
  • Availability: Seat Upgrades also depend on the availability of seats in the class you wish to upgrade to. If seats are not available in the elite cabins, upgrades will not be permitted. Hence, you may consider contacting the airline or checking through Manage Booking to see whether you are eligible for a seat upgrade.
  • Register for the Skywards Program: If you are an Emirates Skywards program member, you can request a seat upgrade more conveniently. This is because, depending on your tier level, the upgrades are offered at no fee or charge, or even if charges are applied, the airline gives more priority to the loyalty program members. 
  • Use Miles or Credits: Airlines sometimes offer credits for refunds, which can later be used to enjoy upgrades at cheaper prices. Additionally, if you have enough accumulated miles, you can upgrade your seats using them with no additional cash to be included, making the procedure for upgrading more manageable for passengers. 
  • Requesting Early: Although the seat upgrade request window remains open until 72 hours before the scheduled departure of the flight, the earlier you request, the better your chances of getting your preferred seats in Emirates' elite cabins. 

How can you upgrade a seat on Emirates with AVTickets?

Those who have relied on AVTickets to make reservations with Emirates must have a more convenient and manageable experience in upgrading seats. Our industrious customer support team offers guidance at every step of your journey, helping you make your desired amendments easily. Freely contact our customer support team through the channels mentioned below and request an upgrade:

  • Calling: Our agents are always available to offer the best possible guidance and assistance; our team works 24/7 to provide the best advice. You have to dial '+1-888-520-9972' and ask our representatives to request a seat upgrade. However, consider informing us at least four to five days before your flight's scheduled departure. 
  • Emailing: As an alternative resort, you may email us at 'care@avtickets.com and inform us about the modifications you desire to make. Just compose an email explaining the request you would like to fulfill and your travel details. Once we receive your email, we will contact you shortly after to assist you with further procedures. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Q. Till when can I request a seat upgrade from Emirates?

Emirates allows its passengers to upgrade their seats through the website, by phone, or at the airport. This can be done between 90 days and 72 hours before the flight's scheduled departure time through any suitable method. 

Q. What will the price of the Emirates Seat Upgrade be?

There are no static or fixed prices for passengers, as the applied charges may vary depending on various factors such as fare type, fare rule, request time, eligibility, availability, and more. 

Q. Can we cancel the upgraded Emirates Flight ticket?

Passengers can cancel or change their upgraded flight tickets with no hassles. However, whether a refund is available may depend on the fare conditions of the original flight ticket. 

Q. How early can we request an upgrade for Emirates?

The seat upgrade request can be made up to 90 days before the scheduled departure of the flight or 72 hours before the scheduled departure. Remember, the earlier the request, the higher the probability of getting your preferred upgrade seat. 

Q. Can we directly contact the Emirates agents to request a seat upgrade?

Emirates allows passengers to contact them directly and request a seat upgrade. These passengers can consider calling them at any moment of the day, and appeal to upgrade their seats to the elite cabins. 

Q. Through what ways can I upgrade the seats on Emirates?

Emirates offers several ways to upgrade through the website, such as by calling representatives or visiting the airport directly. Passengers can request a seat upgrade through all these methods. 

Q. Can I request a seat upgrade for a Group Reservation?

Unfortunately, Emirates doesn't permit a whole group reservation to be upgraded to the elite cabins. For this, passengers may have to contact Emirates representatives and ask them to cancel the entire booking and then make a reservation for the group again.