Dubai-based 
Emirates
has announced that it will be introducing its brand new, refurbished Boeing 777
product to the United States as of November 2024. Key highlights of the refreshed aircraft include the introduction of premium economy, improvements to the business-class layout for added comfort, and smaller revisions in economy and first class.
Emirates
- IATA/ICAO Code
-
EK/UAE
- Year Founded
-
1985
- CEO
-
Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
Where in the US?
The table below lists the launch date for the refurbished 777 fleet on each route. More details are listed below.
The carrier has announced plans to launch to the US as of November 1, 2024 with a service to Chicago on flights EK235 and EK236. This aircraft will operate thrice weekly under this flight number, moving to daily as of November 22, 2024.
Boston will also benefit from the refurbished offering as of December 10, 2024, becoming the second destination in the United States to get the overhauled 777s. Aircraft will operate thrice weekly under flight numbers EK237 and EK238 up until December 18, at which point flights will increase to daily.
Photo: Emirates
DFW will see the enhanced 777s three times per week under flight numbers EK221 and EK222 as of January 9, 2025. Daily flights will begin shortly after, on January 15.
SEA will become the fourth destination to receive the 777, with flights launching immediately on all flights under EK229 and EK230 as of January 24, 2025. This is a daily service already, so unlike the other destinations, the refurbished product will be deployed in one go.
A similar story on flights to Newark via Athens. The enhanced 777 fleet will feature as of February 10, operating daily as EK209 and EK210. Finally, flights to Bogotá via Miami (EK213/EK214) will be the last to get the refurbished fleet, deployed as of February 19, operating four weekly. As of March 1, this will rise to daily.
An updated product
The new 777s feature upgrades across all cabins. Most importantly, the airline has introduced premium economy to the widebody jets in a 2-4-2 layout. The aircraft also features a relayered business class, moving from a 2-3-2 configuration to 1-2-1. This gives every passenger direct aisle access. Take a look at the article below for an in-depth, exclusive tour of the new aircraft.
Adnan Kazim, Deputy President, and Chief Commercial Officer at Emirates said:
“With the success and popularity of Premium Economy on routes like New York JFK, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston served by our refurbished A380, we look forward to bringing a new level of comfort and privacy to more cities with refreshed cabins on our Boeing 777s.
The introduction of our refreshed product and ensuring consistent experiences in the sky on more routes is part of our long-standing commitment to the US and adding more premium options in a span of just a few months ensures we offer a competitive, value for money proposition for our customers.”
Photo: Dillon Shah | Simple Flying
An expanded US service
Emirates says in today’s announcement that as additional aircraft are released from refurbishment, its expanded premium economy network will prove beneficial to US customers that will be able to take advantage of the “luxury, comforts and affordability” of the cabin, on destinations beyond Dubai. It notes transit options such as Mumbai, Bangalore, and Singapore.
The airline adds that today’s announcement means premium economy will become available on flights to 12 of the carrier’s 19 gateways in the Americas by February 2025.
“The understated luxury products will also be available to two cities in Latin America, with Bogotá joining São Paulo.
The refreshed aircraft also feature the new Emirates 777 Business Class with seats in a 1-2-1 arrangement, more privacy, fully reclined flat bed in addition to a personal mini-bar amongst other amenities.”
Photo: Dillon Shah | Simple Flying
Finally, Emirates highlighted the benefits of its partnership with United. It says that the expansion of the refurbished 777 network will allow passengers traveling to Chicago, Houston and San Francisco to fly premium economy, “before connecting to its services to hundreds of US domestic points and cities in Canada and Latin America.” Emirates’ codeshare agreement with United began in October 2023. The carrier’s President, Sir Tim Clark, said that the partnership has been “very successful”.
Premium economy proving very popular
Emirates hopes that the four-class layout will be deployed across 48 aircraft by the end of 2024, comprising 777s but also A380s and several Airbus A350s that have yet to be delivered. As we reported earlier this year, Emirates’ first A350 is expected in October.
The airline has already deployed the four-class layout on services to the US through its A380. Flights with the premium economy-configured 777s have yet to begin in the US, of course, but they have already featured on services to Geneva, Brussels, and Tokyo. As of next month, they will also be deployed on flights to Zurich and Riyadh.
Photo: Suparat Chairatprasert | Shutterstock
Speaking about the success of the newly introduced premium economy product at an event in Brussels, Emirates’ Belgium Country Manager Jean-Pierre Martin said:
“At the moment on destination where we fly with that premium economy, results are outstanding. There’s a high demand for that type of product, for different types of passengers that, as we understand meaning leisure passengers, want to travel with more comfort. There’s a big difference between economy class and premium economy.
There are also some corporations who are in cost saving modes but who still do not want to be traveling in economy class. This is another alternative for business travel in this aspect as well.”