Emirates purchased a total of 29 Airbus A380 airframes during the 2025-26 financial year, transitioning the leased superjumbos to full ownership. These aircraft were already flying for the carrier and were due to be returned to their leasing company owners. Emirates is the world’s largest A380 operator with more than 90 examples in service and dozens more parked, and has committed to flying the double-decker until at least 2040.

As per its full-year report, the Dubai-based carrier cemented its position as the world’s most profitable airline, achieving its highest-ever yearly profit of $6.2 billion (AED 22.8 billion) before tax. This was despite the 2026 Iran Crisis severely impacting operations at the tail end of the reporting period.

Emirates Buys 29 A380s In 12 Months

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The airline revealed in its report that it bought out 29 A380s and five Boeing 777s at the end of their leases, using its strong financial position to make these fleet acquisitions. The move allows Emirates to avoid the costly overhead of monthly leasing payments, while also securing the long-term life cycle of each airframe.

Although it did not reveal the total cost of these A380 acquisitions, the carrier said it invested a total of $4.9 billion (AED 17.9 billion) in “new aircraft, facilities, equipment, and the latest technologies” over FY2025-26. In a June 2025 deal reported by Simple Flying, Emirates spent around $180 million on four A380 airframes, working out at around $45 million per asset.

With A380 production coming to an end in 2021, A380 parts are becoming increasingly scarce, with many of Emirates’ grounded A380s destined to serve as spares for its other active aircraft. According to ch-aviation, more than 30 A380 aircraft have been scrapped worldwide, representing over 12% of all A380s ever built.

The airline is also embarking on a huge, multi-billion-dollar fleet-wide retrofit program to equip its planes with its newest cabins, including premium economy. According to Emirates, it has completed a total of 91 planes out of 215 selected for its retrofit program. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the Chair and CEO of Emirates, commented:

“The Emirates Group enters 2026-27 with very strong cash reserves, which enable us to progress with our plans to strengthen our business without knee-jerk cost control measures. Our aircraft deliveries and retrofit programme will continue apace, as well as our planned investments in new facilities and equipment.”

The World’s Most Profitable Airline

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With the outbreak of hostilities between the US and Iran beginning in late February, Emirates ended the recent financial year facing major uncertainty. It has endured several drone and rocket attacks on its Dubai International Airport (DXB) hub, along with significant operational cuts and rerouting costs, not to mention the rising cost of jet fuel.

Prior to this, the first 11 months of the year were very strong, with the carrier noting it was “surpassing” its targets month after month. The Emirates Group’s full-year revenue stood at a record $41 billion (AED 150.5 billion), driven by “sustained demand” across both passenger and cargo segments. This is the second year in a row that Emirates has posted the highest profits in the airline industry, managing a 3% year-on-year increase in profit after tax.

Emirates has now restored 96% of its network and is gradually returning to full capacity. While its total operating costs rose by 2%, the airline’s fuel bill was slightly lower than the previous year. Emirates states it is well-hedged for fuel until 2028-29, adding that its diverse business streams give it further protection from market shocks.

Fleet Growth Continues

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Emirates took delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 in November 2024 and now has a total of 19 A350s in its fleet. 15 of these aircraft arrived in the last year, and now serve over 20 destinations across the carrier’s network. It also announced huge deals at the 2025 Dubai Airshow worth over $41 billion, scaling up its Boeing 777X order with another 65 aircraft, as well as a commitment for eight more A350-900s.

Its order book now stands at over 360 aircraft: this includes a staggering 270 777Xs (nearly half of all 777X passenger variant orders), 54 A350s, and 35 Boeing 787s. The Emirates Group’s workforce also grew by an impressive 8% to over 130,000 global employees, while its national UAE workforce surpassed 4,000 for the first time.

With the 777X scheduled to enter service next year, Emirates remains committed to its iconic A380 superjumbo as the backbone of its high-capacity strategy. President Sir Tim Clark recently confirmed the airline’s plans to keep the double-decker flying until 2041, and it is targeting up to 110 operational A380s in 2026.