Emirates is currently in the process of retrofitting 191 of its existing aircraft. While this is primarily being done in order to introduce premium economy on these jets, there are changes coming to other cabins as well. I wanted to go over the details, especially as Emirates is now putting its first reconfigured Boeing 777 into service, and these planes were badly in need of a refresh.
How Emirates will retrofit 191 planes with new cabins
Emirates has plans to retrofit a total of 191 aircraft with new interiors. This includes a total of 110 Airbus A380s and a total of 81 Boeing 777s. As Emirates views it, this will allow the airline to keep flying these planes well into the mid-2030s (which is roughly when Emirates plans to retire its A380s).
Emirates’ fleet currently consists of around 250 jets, so that means that over 75% of the Dubai-based carrier’s fleet will be getting new interiors, which is quite impressive. Emirates started this retrofit project on the Airbus A380 in 2023, and has now started this project on the Boeing 777 as of the middle of 2024.
When all is said and done, Emirates will have installed 1,894 refreshed first class seats, 11,182 upgraded business class seats, 8,104 next generation premium economy seats, and 21,814 economy seats. In addition to that, carpets and stairs will be upgraded, and cabin interior panels will be refreshed with new tones and design motifs, including the ghaf trees that are native to the UAE.
Here’s how Emirates President Tim Clark describes these plans:
“We’re topping up our multi-billion dollar investment in the retrofit programme to introduce cutting-edge cabin products on more of our A380s and Boeing 777s, demonstrating a clear commitment to elevating the customer experience with a best-in-class suite of products across every cabin. The addition of more aircraft fitted with our newest generation seats, updated cabin finishings and a contemporary colour palette also marks a significant step in ensuring more customers can consistently experience our premium products across both aircraft types.”
Emirates Airbus A380 retrofit plans
Emirates is reconfiguring 110 Airbus A380s with new interiors. Emirates has already retrofitted 29 aircraft since starting this project, meaning that 81 more A380s will be getting a refresh. This project takes around 16 days per aircraft, and we don’t have a timeline for when this will be complete.
Emirates’ reconfigured Airbus A380s feature 56 premium economy seats, in a 2-4-2 configuration. These seats are at the very front of the lower deck, replacing economy seats.
These Emirates A380s feature many of the same cabin finishes that you’ll find on Emirates’ six newest A380s that were delivered, which already boast premium economy. These planes have the new design motif, which is a bit less “in your face” than the old Las Vegas in the 1990s decor that Emirates is known for.
Emirates Boeing 777 retrofit plans
Emirates has now started to reconfigure its first of 81 Boeing 777s with new interiors. This takes around two weeks per aircraft, so it remains to be seen when the project will be complete. I’d think it will take just under three years (so that puts us into early 2027), though who knows.
Emirates’ reconfigured Boeing 777-300ERs feature 324-326 seats, comprised of:
- Six to eight first class seats, in a 1-1-1 or 1-2-1 configuration
- 38 business class seats, in a 1-2-1 configuration
- 24 premium economy seats, in a 2-4-2 configuration
- 256 economy seats, in a 3-4-3 configuration
As a point of comparison, currently Emirates’ 777-300ERs have 354 seats, so this represents a capacity reduction of 28-30 seats. Essentially we’re seeing 48 economy seats removed, four business class seats removed (in order to accommodate all-new cabins), and 24 premium economy seats added.
An updated 777 business class is the biggest development
While Emirates is of course known for being a great airline, there’s one major gap in the premium passenger experience. Specifically, the Boeing 777 is the backbone of Emirates’ fleet, yet most 777s have angled business class seats in a 2-3-2 configuration. That’s woefully uncompetitive.
The good news is that Emirates is finally introducing an updated business class product on 777s, featuring fully flat beds and direct aisle access. While many of us had hoped that the airline would introduce an all-new business class product, unfortunately the airline decided to just install a slightly updated version of its A380 business class.
This still represents a massive improvement over Emirates’ old 777 business class, but it’s also not much to get excited about. Now it remains to be seen what business class product Emirates introduces on its Airbus A350s and Boeing 777Xs.
What I find most disappointing is that Emirates doesn’t seem to have plans to install its new 777 first class on more planes, as this is currently only available on nine 777s. It’s sad to think the airline is retrofitting 777s with plans of keeping them around for a decade, but doesn’t plan to introduce a first class product that was first rolled out in 2017.
I’ve gotta say, Emirates is giving Lufthansa a run for its money on this product rollout. Just nine planes having this product after seven years feels more like a gimmick than a good faith product rollout.
Bottom line
Emirates has plans to reconfigure 191 existing jets with new cabins, including 110 Airbus A380s and 81 Boeing 777s. The A380 retrofit project has been underway for well over a year, while the 777 retrofit project has just gotten underway.
This represents over 75% of Emirates’ fleet, so we’re seeing quite some updates. The most significant developments here are that all aircraft are getting premium economy, and on top of that, 777s are getting a new business class, similar to what you’ll find on the A380.
What do you make of Emirates’ fleet retrofit plans?
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