Major Milestone in Emirates’ USD 5 Billion Retrofit Program: 100 Aircraft Fully Refurbished

Having completely refurbished 100 wide-body aircraft over the past 44 months, Emirates continues to enhance the passenger experience through its comprehensive USD 5 billion modernization program. The initiative introduces Premium Economy cabins, next-generation seating, and upgraded interiors, delivering greater comfort and a more refined travel experience across the fleet.

Since the program began in November 2022, Emirates has fully refurbished 47 Airbus A380s and 53 Boeing 777s at the Emirates Engineering hangars in Dubai. The airline plans to retrofit approximately 20 additional aircraft by the end of December 2026. By year-end, more than half of the airline’s 219-aircraft transformation program will have been completed.

Over the past 44 months, Emirates Engineering teams have invested more than 4.4 million man-hours in the project, with over 400 engineers and technicians working to completely redesign the aircraft interiors. Every refurbished aircraft has also been fitted with Emirates’ highly acclaimed Premium Economy cabin. To date, more than 3,800 Premium Economy seats have been added to the fleet, enabling the airline to expand this popular cabin class to additional destinations across its network.

Commenting on the milestone, Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, said:

“We remain firmly committed to offering the world’s finest products across every cabin class. Completing the refurbishment of 100 wide-body aircraft in just 44 months is a remarkable achievement. Our USD 5 billion investment allows us to provide customers with greater comfort, enhanced luxury, and a thoughtfully designed travel experience in every cabin. Delivering a project of this scale and complexity entirely in-house also demonstrates the outstanding planning, engineering, and technical expertise of our teams in Dubai.”

A Benchmark in Aircraft Engineering

Since November 2022, Emirates Engineering has completed an average of 28 aircraft refurbishments each year. Every aircraft undergoes a complete cabin strip-out and rebuild, with more than 4,000 new components installed on each Airbus A380 and over 2,500 new parts fitted to every Boeing 777.

To support this large-scale operation, Emirates developed a range of innovative engineering solutions, including specially modified vehicles for transporting oversized aircraft components within its hangars, advanced storage systems for replacement parts, and custom-built maintenance equipment. More than 100 suppliers from around the world have collaborated on the successful execution of the program.

The Program Continues to Expand

Originally announced in November 2021 as a 105-aircraft retrofit program, Emirates expanded the initiative to 191 aircraft following strong customer demand, before increasing its scope once again to 219 aircraft by the end of 2024.

The first refurbished Boeing 777 entered commercial service from Dubai in August 2024, while May 2026 marked the completion of the first Airbus A380 featuring a newly installed Premium Economy cabin on its upper deck.

Beginning in October 2026, Emirates will enter the next phase of the program by introducing state-of-the-art 4K OLED HDR10+ seatback entertainment screens, lightweight Safran Z400 seats, and a range of additional cabin enhancements across the fleet.

Sustainability at the Heart of the Program

Sustainability is an integral part of Emirates’ retrofit initiative. High-quality leather, fabrics, and other materials removed from refurbished aircraft are being repurposed through the Aircrafted by Emirates collection, transforming them into limited-edition travel accessories.

In addition, more than 4,000 backpacks made from recycled Economy Class seat fabrics have been donated to children across 11 countries, extending the positive impact of the program well beyond aviation.