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GitHub Copilot premium requests explained

What a Copilot premium request is, which features spend them, how they differ from AI credits, and where to see the remaining count.

By UsageAtlas on

Quick answer

A premium request is a unit GitHub used to meter Copilot features that cost more than a standard completion, such as advanced model calls and agent actions. Newer plans express the same idea in AI credits. If your account still shows premium requests, check the usage section of Copilot settings for the remaining count and reset date.

What spends a premium request

  • Requests to premium models rather than the default model.
  • Agent and chat actions that call a model multiple times.
  • Features GitHub prices above a standard inline completion.
  • Some integrations that relay model calls through Copilot.

Inline completions on the default model are usually not metered this way. The distinction is model and feature, not keystroke.

How it relates to AI credits

Premium requestsAI credits
UnitOne requestA currency amount
Model pricingRequest multiplierToken-based rate
GranularityCoarseFiner
StatusLegacy on newer plansCurrent model

The migration matters because a request count and a credit balance are not interchangeable. Do not convert one to the other with a single multiplier.

Check what you have left

  1. Open GitHub Settings, then Copilot.
  2. Find the usage or billing section.
  3. Read the unit shown: requests or credits.
  4. Note the reset date, which follows the billing cycle.

UsageAtlas shows the reported figure in one place with your other AI tools.

What makes a request premium

A premium request is a model call that uses a premium model or a feature metered at a higher rate. Inline completions are cheap and usually not counted; chat with a premium model and agent runs are where the allowance goes.

  • Model choice decides whether a request is premium.
  • Agent mode makes many premium calls per task.
  • Different models consume different multiples.
  • The allowance resets on your billing cycle.

If your allowance disappears fast, read the model split before blaming volume. The overage guide covers what happens past the limit.

Questions, answered

Are premium requests still used?

Some accounts and plans still show them, while newer plans use AI credits. Check the unit label in your own settings.

Does a chat message cost one premium request?

Not always. An agent turn can make several model calls, and premium models can carry a multiplier.

Do premium requests roll over?

Generally no. Unused allowance usually expires at the end of the billing period.

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