Business Class in retrofitted A380. Photo: Emirates United Arab Emirates carrier Emirates has today, July 14, announced that it has reached a major milestone in the world's largest known commercial aircraft retrofit program, completing the refurbishment of its 100th aircraft as part of a $5 billion fleet modernization initiative.
Also today, the airline announced that its first flight to Accra International Airport was successfully completed over the weekend, marking the next phase of its growth in Ghana and bringing the total weekly services between Dubai and Accra to 12.
Since the refurbishment project began in November 2022, Emirates Engineering has fully refurbished 47 Airbus A380S and 53 Boeing 777s at its Dubai facilities. The airline expects to upgrade around 20 more aircraft by the end of 2026, taking the program well beyond its halfway point.
Premium Economy in retrofitted A380. Photo: EmiratesThe ambitious initiative has required more than 400 engineers and technicians, who have collectively logged 4.4 million work hours over 44 months. Every aircraft receives a complete nose-to-tail cabin transformation, including refreshed First, Business, and Economy Class interiors, as well as the installation of the airline's increasingly popular Premium Economy cabin.
More than 3,800 Premium Economy seats have already been installed across the retrofitted fleet, allowing Emirates to expand the product to additional destinations throughout its global network.
"Our commitment to deliver best-in-class products across every cabin is an ongoing endeavour," said Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline. "Completing full cabin retrofits for 100 wide-body aircraft in 44 months is a significant achievement that reflects the technical expertise and craftsmanship of our engineering teams in Dubai."
The next phase of the program will start in October 2026, when Emirates will introduce 4K OLED HDR10+ seatback entertainment screens and new lightweight Safran Z400 seats on refurbished aircraft.
As part of its sustainability efforts, Emirates will also repurpose materials removed during the upgrades.
Leather, fabrics, and other cabin materials will be transformed into limited-edition Aircrafted by Emirates products, with more than 4,000 backpacks made from recycled seat fabric having already been donated to children in 11 countries.