Confusion over Emirates My Family account

[DonLee]

Seeking help for using Emirates My Family account. Unlike BA household account, I feel it’s quite complex and not clear.

I plan to book a MAN-DXB cash economy flight for 3 of us then upgrade to business use miles. I have pooled all our Skywards into family account so we could use them together.

On their website it’s clearly says
You can spend the Skywards Miles pooled in your My Family account on Classic Reward flights, Upgrade Rewards prior to flight departure‑excluding instant upgrades (on‑board), Cash+Miles as well as donation of Miles. Skywards members can also redeem Miles on Retail & Lifestyle partners and Skywards Exclusives events.

But their Auto upgrade terms and conditions also state
Auto upgrades are not applicable for redemptions from My Family group account.

[sarajw]

PLEASE SOMEONE HELP!!!!

I HAVE THIS EXACT SAME QUESTION!!!!!!

How do you even use the miles in the family account??? It keeps telling me I have zero miles ( which is my personal balance) but I don’t know how to use the ones in my family account. Beginning to wish I’d never gone for the family account – just thought it would be similar to the BA one which we have used successfully for years!

• This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .

[Carlos]

dont rely on auto upgrades
call them instead

[meta]

I don’t think it works like BA. Any points earned prior to creating the pool don’t count and you have to set the percentage of contribution for each member.

You can dissolve the family account easily online.

• This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .

[Benilyn]

How to redeem with Family Account here: https://www.headforpoints.com/forums/topic/emirates-family-accounts/

Auto upgrades you can not do online from family account, as far as I can see, need to call.

[Benilyn]

Ideally you book the Y cash flights that already have space available for upgrade, so just upgrade immediately after booking. Maybe do it all over the phone.