One of Emirates’ most recognisable business and first class features – its onboard lounge – is getting a glow-up. A feature on every Emirates flagship A380, the redesigned lounge forms part of the next major phase of a broader fleet retrofit that covers 111 aircraft across the airline’s superjumbos and B777s.
Along with the upgraded lounge, Emirates will roll out next-generation seating and refreshed layouts, due to be gradually introduced from August 2026. The plan brings the carrier’s A380s and B777s closer in line with its newest aircraft, aiming for consistent experiences across its global network.
At the pointy end of the plane, business class will receive Emirates’ newest Safran-designed seats, already flying on the A350. These offer increased privacy, customisable lighting, wireless charging on the cocktail table and enhanced storage.
Elsewhere, premium economy retains its leather seating but shifts to an advanced mechanical recline system from Recaro. Passengers also gain a leg and footrest, an adjustable headrest, in-seat charging and a 13.3-inch entertainment screen.
Meanwhile, economy class will feature lighter Safran Z400 seats, an eight-way headrest and new convenience features aimed at long-haul travellers.
Entertainment and connectivity form another major component of the overhaul.
Emirates has selected Panasonic’s Astrova platform for both aircraft types, enabling 4K OLED displays, spatial audio, Bluetooth pairing and enhanced device charging in all cabins. The system also supports personalised content suggestions, integrated with Emirates Skywards, plus a new 3D moving map experience.
Additionally, wi-fi capability will be transitioned to Starlink across the refreshed fleet, with Installations rolling out in tandem with the cabin work to maintain a consistent delivery schedule. The new Starlink service will see Emirates introduce the world’s first Starlink-equipped Airbus A380.
“Emirates’ retrofit programme is about continuously elevating standards across our entire fleet,” Emirates President Sir Tim Clark said.
“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.”
Emirates first announced its retrofit program in 2021 and has since expanded it to 219 aircraft. Seventy-six aircraft have already completed refurbishment, with two more entering service each month.
It’s been a big week for the airline. At the 2025 Dubai Airshow, the carrier also announced an order for 65 extra B777-9 planes worth US$38 billion – taking the airline’s total orderbook with Boeing to 315 widebody jets – and an additional A350-900 aircraft, valued at US$3.4 billion – boosting the carrier’s A350-900 fleet to a total of 73 units when all deliveries are completed.
“Each of our aircraft on order has been carefully factored into Emirates’ expansion plan, which is aligned to Dubai’s growth plans,” Emirates Airline and Group Chair and CEO HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said.
KARRYON UNPACKS: For Aussie travellers, and the agents guiding them, this next wave of upgrades means Emirates is doubling down on consistency. With so many Australians flying long-haul with the airline, having matching products across A380s, 777s and new A350s removes guesswork.
