Emirates has completed the retrofit and refurbishment of 100 widebody aircraft in 44 months, as part of a $5 billion fleet upgrade program that began in November 2022.
The work covered 47 Airbus A380 and 53 Boeing 777 aircraft in the hangars of Emirates Engineering in Dubai, and the airline plans to complete the retrofit of around 20 more aircraft by the end of December 2026, according to a post on the Emirates website.
More than 400 engineers and technicians took part in the program, with a total of 4.4 million working hours, covering cabin refurbishment and the installation of more than 3,800 new Premium Economy seats.
Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates, said the $5 billion investment in the program aims to develop the products offered in all cabins and improve the travel experience, adding that carrying out the project in Dubai required precise planning and specialized engineering and technical capabilities.
28 aircraft retrofitted a year
The Emirates Engineering team has retrofitted an average of 28 aircraft a year since the project began, with the work including dismantling interior parts and refurbishing and reinstalling the cabins.
The team used more than 4,000 parts to retrofit each A380 and more than 2,500 parts for each Boeing 777, in cooperation with more than 100 suppliers.
Emirates Engineering also developed systems to track work stages and store and retrieve spare parts, as well as specialized equipment to move components and access various parts of the aircraft cabins.
Program expanded to 219 aircraft
Emirates first announced its fleet retrofit program in November 2021. It initially covered 105 aircraft, before being expanded to 191 aircraft and then to 219 aircraft as demand for the new products and fittings grew.
The first Airbus A380 underwent the retrofit in November 2022, while the first retrofitted Boeing 777 entered commercial service in August 2024.
In May 2026, the airline completed the retrofit of an A380 and its conversion from a two-class to a three-class aircraft, adding a Premium Economy cabin to the upper deck for the first time.
The next phase of the program is set to begin in October 2026 and will include the installation of 4K HDR10+ OLED personal screens, as well as new Safran Z400 seats.
Reusing cabin materials
Emirates recycled materials removed from the retrofitted aircraft, including leather and fabrics, and used them to produce limited-edition items, including travel bags in the "Made by Emirates" collection.
The airline also distributed more than 4,000 backpacks made from reused Economy Class seat fabrics to children in 10 countries.
To view the post on the Emirates website, click here.
