DUBAI- Emirates (EK) has completed the cabin retrofit of 100 aircraft, the largest known refurbishment programme undertaken by any airline globally. The work has been carried out entirely in-house at the Emirates Engineering hangars in Dubai (DXB).
The milestone covers 47 Airbus A380s and 53 Boeing 777s refreshed since November 2022. It moves the carrier significantly past the halfway mark of a US$5 billion investment aimed at delivering a consistently elevated experience to customers.
Inside a US$5 Billion Cabin Transformation
Every aircraft in the programme receives a complete nose-to-tail refresh. The scale of the effort is reflected in the resources committed to it: over a period of 44 months, more than 400 engineers and technicians have invested a collective 4.4 million man-hours to transform 100 aircraft and deliver a sophisticated upgrade across all cabin interiors.
By the end of December 2026, around 20 additional aircraft will be upgraded.
A central element of the retrofit is the fitting of a new Premium Economy cabin on every aircraft that passes through the hangars. More than 3,800 new Premium Economy seats have been installed in total, accelerating the rollout of the product to more routes across the Emirates network.
Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline, said:
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. Backed by a US$5 billion investment, it ensures our customers ‘fly better,’ with elevated luxury, comfort, and thoughtful detail throughout each cabin.”
Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline
He added that executing a project of this magnitude and complexity entirely in-house has required unmatched planning, precision, craftsmanship and technical capabilities in Dubai, noting that the team has completely rewritten the rulebook on retrofitting the two largest passenger aircraft in commercial aviation to ensure every aircraft returns to the skies on schedule and in impeccable shape.
ALSO READ: Emirates Cabin Crew Salary in 2026
Engineering the Upgrade
Since the project began in November 2022, the Emirates Engineering team has retrofitted an average of 28 aircraft a year.
For each aircraft, engineers completely take apart the interiors, execute a thorough refresh across all cabins and then reassemble everything with precision. The parts count illustrates the complexity involved, with more than 4,000 parts required for an A380 and over 2,500 parts for a Boeing 777.
The team also developed several innovative solutions to manage the scale of the work. These include:
- Modified catering trucks used inside the hangars to move large parts between the retrofit workshop and the aircraft
- Zonal work progress tracking systems
- Specialised parts storage and retrieval procedures
- Purpose-designed and in-house manufactured equipment for moving components and accessing all areas of the aircraft interior
Emirates Engineering has worked with over 100 suppliers to execute the project.
Emirates Retrofits 100 Aircraft
Emirates first announced the retrofit programme in November 2021, covering 105 aircraft from its fleet. The first aircraft, an Airbus A380, entered the Emirates Engineering hangars in Dubai in November 2022.
Strong customer demand pushed the airline to expand the scope. By May 2024, the initiative was widened to cover 191 aircraft, and then to 219 aircraft by the end of that year. In August 2024, the first Boeing 777 retrofitted in Dubai entered commercial service.
In May 2026, the team completed the two to three class retrofit of an A380. That project involved important structural changes to the aircraft, including the introduction of a Premium Economy cabin on the upper deck for the very first time.
Next Phase Begins in October 2026
Starting October 2026, the retrofit programme will enter its next phase. Emirates will install 4K OLED HDR10+ display screens on aircraft seatbacks, alongside the introduction of the new lightweight Safran Z400 seats and other product modifications.
Upcycling Removed Cabin Materials
Thousands of kilograms of high-grade leather, fabrics and other materials removed from retrofitted aircraft are being upcycled in line with the airline’s sustainability commitment.
These materials are turned into limited-edition collector pieces, including luggage items sold under the ‘Aircrafted by Emirates’ range. The airline has also distributed over 4,000 backpacks made from repurposed Economy Class seat fabric to children across 11 countries.
Bottom Line
The 100-aircraft milestone confirms Emirates as the operator of the most extensive cabin retrofit programme in commercial aviation, delivered without outsourcing the work to third-party facilities.
With around 20 more aircraft due for completion by December 2026 and a total scope of 219 aircraft, the programme still has considerable runway ahead.
The next phase, featuring 4K OLED screens and Safran Z400 seats, indicates the product specification will continue to evolve as the work progresses.
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