Dubai airline reaches major milestone after investing 4.4 million man-hours to refurbish 100 A380s and Boeing 777s
Dubai: Emirates has completed the refurbishment of its 100th aircraft under what it describes as the world’s largest known airline retrofit programme, marking a major milestone in its US$5 billion fleet modernisation initiative.
Since the programme began in November 2022, Emirates Engineering has carried out full cabin refurbishments on 47 Airbus A380s and 53 Boeing 777s, transforming aircraft interiors from nose to tail at the airline’s engineering facilities in Dubai.
The airline said around 20 additional aircraft will be upgraded by the end of 2026, taking the programme beyond the halfway mark of its target to retrofit 219 aircraft.
Over a period of 44 months, more than 400 engineers and technicians invested a combined 4.4 million man-hours to complete the upgrades.
Premium Economy rollout accelerates
A key feature of the programme has been the installation of Emirates’ Premium Economy cabin across retrofitted aircraft.
To date, the airline has installed more than 3,800 Premium Economy seats, expanding availability of the product across more destinations within its global network.
‘A significant achievement’
Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, said the milestone reflects the carrier’s commitment to enhancing the customer experience across all cabin classes.
“Our commitment to deliver best-in-class products across every cabin is an ongoing endeavour, and completing full cabin retrofits for 100 wide-body aircraft in 44 months is a significant achievement,” he said.
“Backed by a US$5 billion investment, it ensures our customers fly better, with elevated luxury, comfort and thoughtful detail throughout each cabin.”
He added that delivering a project of this scale entirely in-house required extensive planning, technical expertise and craftsmanship.
Complex engineering project
According to Emirates, engineers completely strip and rebuild each aircraft cabin during the refurbishment process.
An Airbus A380 retrofit requires work on more than 4,000 components, while a Boeing 777 upgrade involves over 2,500 parts.
The airline also developed specialised equipment and operational processes to support the programme, including modified catering trucks for transporting large cabin components and custom-built tools for accessing aircraft interiors.
More than 100 suppliers have contributed to the project.
From 105 to 219 aircraft
Emirates first announced the retrofit programme in November 2021, initially covering 105 aircraft.
The scope was expanded to 191 aircraft in 2024 before increasing further to 219 aircraft later that year, reflecting strong customer demand and the airline’s commitment to fleet enhancements.
The first retrofitted Boeing 777 entered commercial service in August 2024.
Next phase begins in October
The programme’s next phase is scheduled to begin in October 2026, when Emirates starts installing 4K OLED HDR10+ seatback screens and new Safran Z400 lightweight seats, alongside additional cabin enhancements.
Upcycling removed materials
As part of its sustainability efforts, Emirates has repurposed materials removed from retrofitted aircraft.
Thousands of kilograms of leather, fabric and other cabin materials have been transformed into limited-edition products under the “Aircrafted by Emirates” collection.
The airline has also distributed more than 4,000 backpacks made from recycled Economy Class seat fabric to children across 11 countries.