Emirates is set to embark on the next phase of its extensive fleet retrofit, with 60 A380s and 51 Boeing 777s scheduled to receive the airline’s latest cabin enhancements. From August 2026, passengers will begin to experience a range of new onboard features, including a next-generation immersive entertainment system and improved Starlink-powered Wi-Fi, as part of wider modernisation efforts.
Emirates Engineering, working alongside partners Airbus, Safran, Recaro, Panasonic, Starlink, and UUDS, will introduce updated seating designs and a refreshed onboard lounge across the 60 A380s. These aircraft, along with the 51 Boeing 777s, will feature Panasonic’s advanced Astrova in-flight entertainment system, ensuring a consistently elevated passenger experience throughout the upcoming retrofit phase.
The airline continues to play a key role in driving innovation with its suppliers, maintaining close collaboration with aircraft manufacturers and product partners to enhance comfort, privacy, and the overall travel experience. Its commitment to product excellence is reflected in ongoing investment and active engagement with partners on the latest cabin furnishings, entertainment technologies, and cutting-edge onboard systems.
Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline, said: “Emirates’ retrofit programme is about continuously elevating standards across our entire fleet. Working with our long-standing partners, we’re taking this commitment a step further with the aim of delivering product consistency at scale, in tandem with next-generation innovations in seating, entertainment, and connectivity being brought into service with our newly delivered fleet. Our customers expect an excellent experience every time they fly Emirates, and this investment ensures we deliver on that promise in the years to come, wherever they travel with us.”
Business Class on both the A380 and Boeing 777 will be upgraded with Emirates’ latest generation of seating, inspired by the premium leather S Lounge seats from Safran already in use on the airline’s A350 aircraft. The refreshed cabins will offer enhanced privacy and refined detailing, including wireless charging incorporated into the side cocktail table, customisable lighting, 4K ice entertainment, well-designed storage, minibar features, and multiple charging options such as USB-C and wireless ports.
Premium Economy, Emirates’ newest cabin class, will be fitted with Recaro’s advanced seating technology and a mechanical recline system. The spacious leather seats will continue to provide generous comfort, with features such as integrated leg and footrests, adjustable headrests, in-seat charging, a side cocktail table, and a 13.3-inch entertainment screen, offering travellers an appealing blend of value and luxury.
Economy Class passengers will enjoy improved comfort with the introduction of Safran’s lightweight Z400 seats, specifically designed for long-haul travel. These seats offer an adjustable eight-way headrest for superior support, alongside a range of practical technological enhancements.
State-of-the-art entertainment and connectivity
Emirates has selected Panasonic Avionics to upgrade its IFE products on the A380 and Boeing 777s with the cutting-edge Astrova inflight entertainment platform, representing the airline’s commitment to delivering next-generation experiences.
Emirates customers will enjoy breathtaking visual clarity on 4K OLED HDR10+ displays that rival premium home cinema systems, with vivid colours, infinite contrast, and perfect blacks that bring every frame to life. Spatial Audio immerses customers in rich, multi-dimensional sound, whether using Emirates’ premium headsets or their own wireless devices via Bluetooth. Powerful 67W USB-C charging at every seat ensures all devices stay charged throughout the journey. The system’s modular design enables independent upgrades to display, power delivery, and connectivity as the technology evolves.
The platform also integrates Panasonic’s Arc 3D 4K Moving Map, delivering an immersive flight-tracking experience. Seamlessly integrated with Emirates’ Skywards programme, the platform’s intelligent recommendation engine learns individual preferences to suggest personalised content throughout the flight. Behind the scenes, real-time engagement insights allow Emirates to continuously refine its entertainment library, ensuring the selection always reflects what customers want to watch, hear, and explore.
Emirates is enhancing the travel experience further with fleet-wide Starlink connectivity, installed concurrently with the cabin retrofit programme across both A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft. The coordinated rollout strategy, integrating connectivity installations within the existing retrofit schedule, accelerates delivery of the complete Emirates experience across its global network.
Delivering experience consistency with every journey
The retrofit programme builds on Emirates’ track record of continuous investment in its products and services. First announced in 2021 with 120 aircraft slated for full refurbishment, the airline expanded its retrofit programme to 191 aircraft in May 2024 before further scaling it to 219 aircraft later that year, a testament to its commitment to deliver exceptional experiences across its fleet.
To date, 76 aircraft have undergone refurbishment, with each A380 requiring approximately 22 days and each Boeing 777 taking 18 days to retrofit. The programme maintains a steady cadence, with two freshly refurbished aircraft emerging each month ready to elevate the experience on routes worldwide.
