Emirates Airlines has achieved a significant milestone in its extensive retrofit program, completing the refurbishment of 100 aircraft, marking it as the largest initiative of its kind undertaken by any airline worldwide. The program, which commenced in November 2022, has seen comprehensive upgrades to 47 Airbus A380s and 53 Boeing 777s at the Emirates Engineering facilities in Dubai. By December 2026, the airline anticipates that around 20 more aircraft will be retrofitted, bringing the total well past the halfway mark of its ambitious US$5 billion investment aimed at enhancing the customer experience.
Over a span of 44 months, the Emirates Engineering team has mobilized more than 400 engineers and technicians, dedicating a remarkable 4.4 million man-hours to revitalize 100 aircraft, thereby delivering a sophisticated overhaul of their cabin interiors.
As part of the refurbishment, every aircraft received a new Premium Economy Cabin, with a total of over 3,800 new Premium Economy seats installed. This initiative is designed to broaden the availability of this highly sought-after product across the Emirates network, providing more opportunities for customers to enjoy these acclaimed cabin features.
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Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, remarked, “Our ongoing commitment to providing top-tier products across all cabin classes is evident in our achievement of completing full cabin retrofits on 100 wide-body aircraft within 44 months. Supported by a US$5 billion investment, this guarantees that our customers can ‘fly better’ with enhanced luxury, comfort, and meticulous attention to detail throughout all cabins. Executing such a large-scale and complex project entirely in-house required exceptional planning, execution, craftsmanship, and technical expertise right here in Dubai. Our team has set new standards in retrofitting the two largest passenger aircraft in commercial aviation, ensuring that every aircraft returns to service on schedule and in pristine condition.”
Since the program’s inception in November 2022, Emirates Engineering has retrofitted an average of 28 aircraft annually. Each retrofit involves a complete disassembly of the aircraft interiors, followed by an extensive refresh utilizing over 4,000 parts for A380s and more than 2,500 parts for Boeing 777s before meticulously reassembling everything.
The Emirates Engineering team has also devised innovative strategies to manage the considerable scale of this project. This includes the use of modified catering trucks to transport large components within the hangars, as well as the development of zonal work progress tracking and specialized inventory management systems. Additionally, they have designed and constructed unique equipment to facilitate the movement of components and ensure thorough access to all areas of the aircraft during the retrofitting process. To execute this ambitious project, Emirates Engineering has collaborated with over 100 suppliers.
The retrofit program was initially announced in November 2021, covering 105 aircraft from the airline’s fleet. The first retrofit took place in November 2022 with an Airbus A380. By May 2024, responding to robust customer demand, the initiative was expanded to 191 aircraft and is expected to reach 219 by the end of the year. In August 2024, the first Boeing 777 retrofitted in Dubai entered service.
Recently, in May 2026, the Emirates Engineering team completed a significant two to three class retrofit of an A380, involving critical structural modifications and the introduction of the Premium Economy Cabin on the aircraft’s upper deck for the first time. Starting in October 2026, the retrofit program will progress to its next phase, which includes the installation of 4K OLED HDR10+ display screens on seatbacks and the introduction of the new lightweight Safran Z400 seats, among other enhancements.
In alignment with its sustainability goals, Emirates is upcycling thousands of kilograms of high-quality leather, fabrics, and other materials salvaged from retrofitted aircraft into various limited-edition collector items, including luggage under the ‘Aircrafted by Emirates’ collection. The airline has also provided over 4,000 backpacks made from repurposed Economy Class seat fabric to children in 11 countries.
