Summary: Emirates will roll out premium economy cabins and retrofit aircraft across multiple global routes in 2026, targeting 99 destinations by year-end and introducing new three- and four-class configurations on key services.

Emirates premium economy is set to reach a broad set of international destinations in 2026 as the carrier accelerates a fleet refurbishment programme. The move adds premium economy cabins on routes spanning North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, with retrofitted Boeing 777s and A380s scheduled to enter service across dozens of city pairs beginning March 2026.

Planned roll-out and headline targets

The airline says these changes form part of a wider strategy to enhance passenger comfort and offer a mid-tier cabin between business and economy. Emirates aims to offer premium economy on 99 destinations by the end of 2026, driven by a programme of aircraft retrofits and selected aircraft type changes on busy routes.

Routes receiving premium economy and upgrades

  • Basra, Iraq — EK945/946: Retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER from May 1, 2026; five weekly services.
  • Dublin, Ireland — Dubai–Dublin: Retrofitted Boeing 777-200LR with a three-class layout from October 25, 2026, across all 21 weekly flights.
  • Entebbe, Uganda — Dubai–Entebbe: A350-operated service from March 29, 2026 with upgraded amenities.
  • Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam — EK392/393: Retrofitted Boeing 777-200LR from May 1, 2026; daily double flights will deliver more than 600 premium economy seats per day.
  • Hong Kong — EK382/383: Boeing 777-300ER replaced by an A380 from October 1, 2026, with premium economy added to the route from December 1, 2026.
  • Mauritius — EK709/710: Retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER in three-class configuration from March 29, 2026.
  • Milan, Italy — EK101/102: Three-class retrofitted Boeing 777-200LR from May 10, 2026.
  • New York, United States — EK201/202: Retrofitted four-class A380 from April 1, 2026 (initially on select days), becoming daily from June 1, 2026.
  • Zurich, Switzerland — EK085/086: Four-class A380 with premium economy during 2026, providing over 1,500 premium economy seats per week.
Emirates A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft showing upgraded cabin interiors and premium economy seats
Emirates will deploy retrofitted Boeing 777s and A380s with premium economy cabins on multiple global services in 2026.

Fleet changes and retrofit programme

Emirates is converting several aircraft types to introduce a three-class cabin mix. The carrier is retrofitting two-class, high-density A380s into three-class layouts and converting 777 variants for premium economy. The programme includes short-term aircraft type swaps on specific routes as well as permanent reconfigurations on selected airframes.

  • Two-class A380s will be converted to three-class between April 14 and May 31, 2026 on some services including Dubai–Amman.
  • By mid-April 2026, all 15 of Emirates' two-class A380s will be refitted to include business, premium economy and economy classes.
  • Selected Boeing 777-200LR and 777-300ER airframes will be retrofitted to carry premium economy on long-haul and regional routes.

Strategic drivers behind the changes

The expansion responds to growing demand for a mid-tier product that balances comfort and value on long-haul journeys. Introducing premium economy on more routes also gives Emirates flexibility to offer differentiated pricing and seating mixes as traffic recovers and customer preferences evolve.

What this means for travelers

For passengers, the upgrades translate into more cabin options between economy and business, better seat comfort on long sectors, and new choices for families and price-sensitive business travellers. Travelers should check aircraft types and cabin configurations when booking, since upgrades will be introduced progressively and some services will change types on particular dates.

So what? The rollout means more accessible premium travel on many long-haul routes, but passengers need to confirm which aircraft will operate each flight on their travel dates to understand seat availability, amenities and fares.

Tip: If premium economy is important for your trip, book flights on or after the announced upgrade dates and verify the operating aircraft to ensure the new cabin is available.