UAE: Emirates expands premium economy services to India and key Middle East destinations

Emirates is expanding its Premium Economy service to four key cities in the Middle East and West Asia, with a fresh wave of next-generation aircraft deployments. As part of its massive retrofit programme, the airline is rolling out updated A350s, A380s, and Boeing 777s featuring refreshed interiors and its highly rated Premium Economy cabins. The move is aimed at meeting rising demand for elevated travel experiences and ensuring fleet consistency across global routes.

Strategic aircraft deployments begin October 2025
From October 26, 2025, Emirates will introduce new aircraft configurations on several high-traffic routes:

• Amman (EK903/904):
  Emirates will operate both daily flights to and from Amman using a four-class Airbus A380 featuring refreshed interiors, including the Premium Economy cabin. The upgrade ensures passengers experience Emirates’ latest onboard products on every Amman flight.
• Mumbai (EK504/505):
  A retrofitted Boeing 777 will begin service on this route from October 26, 2025. With 22 weekly flights to India’s commercial capital, passengers will now have more chances to fly in Emirates’ updated cabins.
  
  
  
• Muscat (EK862/863):
  From October 30, 2025, the Airbus A350 will be deployed on this route every Thursday and Saturday, completing the rollout of the A350 experience across all nine weekly flights to the Omani capital.
• Bahrain (EK833/834):
  Starting December 4, 2025, an additional retrofitted Boeing 777 will be introduced every Thursday. With this, all flights to Bahrain will be operated exclusively with Emirates aircraft fitted with Premium Economy and the updated Business Class cabin.

Premium economy offering scales rapidly
These new aircraft assignments are part of Emirates' wider effort to broaden its Premium Economy footprint, both in reach and frequency. The airline now operates over 635 weekly flights equipped with Premium Economy cabins.

• By the 2025 winter season, Emirates will fly to 68 cities with aircraft featuring Premium Economy.
• Out of those, 36 destinations will be served exclusively by aircraft configured with this cabin.
• By the end of 2025, Emirates projects it will offer over 2 million Premium Economy seats annually, a jump from 1.8 million currently available across its network.

One of aviation's largest retrofit projects
The expanded Premium Economy offering is being enabled through one of the most ambitious aircraft upgrade programmes in aviation history. Emirates is upgrading its fleet at an impressive pace:

• 67 aircraft have already been refurbished.
• Retrofitting is taking place at a rate of one aircraft every three weeks.
• The target is to retrofit a total of 219 aircraft, which includes:
  
  
  • 110 Airbus A380s
  • 109 Boeing 777s

In addition to the retrofit initiative, Emirates is currently operating nine Airbus A350s, serving 15 destinations worldwide, bringing the new onboard experience to a growing number of passengers.

Booking options
Travelers interested in experiencing Emirates’ refreshed aircraft and Premium Economy service can book tickets via:

• emirates.com
• The Emirates App
• Emirates Retail stores
• Online and offline travel agents

FAQs
Q. What is Emirates’ Premium Economy and how is it different?

Premium Economy offers a more spacious and comfortable experience compared to Economy Class. It features wider seats, increased legroom, enhanced dining, and a quieter cabin environment.

Q. When will the new aircraft be deployed on these routes?

• Amman: from 26 October 2025
• Mumbai: from 26 October 2025
• Muscat: from 30 October 2025 (Thursdays and Saturdays)
• Bahrain: from 4 December 2025 (Thursdays)

Q. How many aircraft is Emirates planning to retrofit?

The airline aims to upgrade 219 aircraft—comprising 110 A380s and 109 Boeing 777s—as part of its ongoing fleet enhancement programme.

Q. How can I check if my flight includes Premium Economy?

Flight details, including aircraft configuration and available cabin classes, are available during the booking process on emirates.com, the Emirates App, or through your travel agent.