Premium travel has grown steadily in recent years. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) recorded a 4.5% increase in business and first-class passengers in 2025, taking the global total to 109.7 million. These passengers accounted for 5.5% of international travelers, but premium travel had a larger share in the Middle East at 9.5%. Airlines have responded to the growth by investing more in their premium cabins.

In 2022, Emirates launched a multibillion-dollar retrofit program that covers 219 aircraft, including 110 Airbus A380s and 109 Boeing 777s. Under the program, the airline is adding Premium Economy to more aircraft and refreshing the Business Class cabin on its 777s. So far, Emirates has completed around 100 aircraft, including 47 A380s and 53 777s. Around 20 more aircraft are scheduled for upgrades by the end of December 2026. Several of the refurbished 777s are already flying on multiple routes, including services to the United States.

Emirates Operated 2-3-2 Business Class On Its 777s For Years

Credit: Emirates

For well over a decade, Emirates operated business class on many of its 777s in a 2-3-2 configuration. That meant seven seats across each row, including three seats in the middle of the cabin. That meant a passenger could pay a business class fare and still find themselves between two other people, while a window-seat passenger could be stuck in their seat if the person next to them was asleep.

In fact, the seating arrangement was not the only issue. On most of the older 777s, the UAE flag carrier also used angled-flat seats rather than fully lie-flat beds. They reclined to a deep angle and had a leg rest that extended the seat to around 69 inches (175 centimeters). That was less of an issue on a shorter flight, but it became harder to ignore on a long overnight service. Emirates did eventually introduce fully flat seats on some 2-3-2 777s.

Later, in 2018, the carrier also introduced a 2-2-2 business class cabin on some of its Boeing 777-200LRs. Those aircraft received wider seats that converted into fully flat beds. For most of the older 777 fleet, however, the seven-abreast arrangement remained the defining feature of Emirates Business Class.

Emirates Replaced Its 777 2-3-2 Business Class With 1-2-1

Credit: Emirates

That said, in 2024, the Gulf carrier began refurbishing its 777s as part of its wider cabin upgrade program. One major change was a new business class cabin, replacing the old 2-3-2 layout with a staggered 1-2-1 configuration.

The new layout gives every passenger direct aisle access. The refurbished 777s have 38 business class seats, based on Safran Seats’ S-Lounge platform. Each seat is 20.7 inches wide and has up to 44 inches of pitch. It can also be converted into a fully flat bed measuring around 79 inches (201 centimeters).

The seats also have a 23-inch HD screen connected to Emirates’ ICE entertainment system, along with a personal minibar and a large table. There is storage for personal items and electronic devices, as well as charging outlets at each seat.

Emirates’ 777 Refurbishment Also Introduced Premium Economy

Credit: Emirates

Furthermore, the new business class cabin is not the only change for passengers on Emirates’ refurbished 777s. The airline has also added a brand-new premium economy cabin. Notably, Emirates is currently the only airline in the region to offer premium economy. Before the carrier introduced the cabin, passengers who wanted more space and a more premium experience had to move up to business class and pay considerably more for the extra comfort. The 777s feature 24 Recaro PL3530 seats arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration.

The seats are 19.5 inches wide and offer up to 40 inches of pitch, while the seatback reclines by eight inches. Each seat has an adjustable headrest, calf rest, and footrest, plus a retractable bi-folding table. Passengers also get a 13.3-inch HD touchscreen, USB-A and USB-C ports, and a universal AC power outlet. In terms of space, the seats offer more width and legroom than the premium economy products used by the major US and British transatlantic carriers, including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

Overall, visually, the cabin looks closer to business class than regular economy. It uses cream-colored leather seats and polished wood finishes, along with a small cocktail table built into the armrest. You can also see Ghaf Tree motifs throughout the cabin, similar to some of the details used in Emirates’ business class cabins. However, there are still clear differences. The seats do not convert into lie-flat beds, and there is less storage.

Passengers also don’t get some of the perks that come with a business class ticket, such as lounge access and more premium amenity kits. The in-flight service is closer to economy. That said, premium economy passengers do receive priority boarding after business class passengers. Beyond the 777, Emirates has also added premium economy to its A380s. On the double-decker aircraft, the cabin is located at the front of the main deck and features 56 seats in a 2-4-2 layout.

Where Emirates Is Flying Its Refurbished 777s

Credit: MihailC95 | Shutterstock

Indeed, Emirates has built much of its reputation around its premium cabins, and the 777 refurbishment is a significant part of its wider investment in the onboard experience. In July, the airline completed its 100th aircraft under the $5 billion retrofit program. This included 47 A380s and 53 777s. The airline only started refurbishing its Boeing widebodies in 2024, but it has moved through the process quickly.

Each aircraft takes around 18 to 27 days to complete, and Emirates is currently working through the remaining aircraft at a rate of around 28 per year. The first aircraft to complete the work entered commercial service on a flight to Geneva in 2024. The Dubai-based airline has since added the refurbished aircraft to more routes across its network. In the US, the refurbished 777s have been used on services to Chicago, Boston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Seattle, Miami, and Orlando. The aircraft are also turning up on routes outside the US.

In Europe, these include Brussels, Zurich, London Stansted, Lisbon, Dublin, Madrid and Frankfurt. The airline is also using them on services to Riyadh, Kuwait, Dammam and Beirut, as well as destinations such as Tokyo Haneda, Seoul, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Kolkata and Colombo. The refurbished Boeing widebodies have also been deployed to Johannesburg, Cape Town, São Paulo and Bogotá.

Emirates’ 777X Will Introduce Another New Business Class Product

Credit: Emirates

Looking ahead, Emirates is preparing for another major change to its 777 fleet. The airline currently has 270 Boeing 777X aircraft on order, most of which are the larger 777-9 variant. The first aircraft is expected to join the fleet in the second quarter of 2027. Naturally, this will include updated cabin products. The UAE flag carrier is introducing another new business class seat. It will not use the same Safran S-Lounge seats being installed on the refurbished 777s.

Emirates gave an early look at the new product in a promotional video celebrating its history and its long-time president, Sir Tim Clark. The renderings show a staggered business class seat that appears to be based on Safran’s latest Unity platform. The Gulf carrier has not confirmed the seat supplier or the platform, but the design is clearly different from the S-Lounge product. The main difference is the level of privacy. The renderings show much higher partitions around the seats and a privacy door.

There also appears to be a drinks area built into the shelf, a wireless charging pad, and a touchscreen for controlling the seat. In addition, the same video revealed a new social area for the aircraft, located behind the business class cabin. The space has a two-seat sofa positioned along the length of the aircraft and individual seats opposite it. This is a very similar concept to the social space found on Emirates’ A380, although it is considerably smaller and will not have the staffed bar service.

Emirates Is Continuing To Invest In Its Premium Cabins

Credit: JetKat | Shutterstock

Overall, the new products planned for the 777X will be another step forward for Emirates’ premium offering. Business class and other premium cabins have become an increasingly important part of the airline industry as demand for premium travel continues to grow. Airlines are therefore investing more in their premium cabins and updating their products to remain competitive.

For Emirates, upgrading its 777 fleet was also overdue. The airline had been operating a large number of 777s with a product that dated back many years, including the 2-3-2 configuration that left some passengers without direct aisle access. The refurbishment has allowed the Gulf carrier to bring a newer product to these aircraft while adding premium economy.

The introduction of premium economy is very useful because it gives passengers another option between economy and business class. Before Emirates introduced the cabin, passengers who wanted more space and a more comfortable experience had to either remain in economy or pay considerably more for business class. The new premium class now gives the airline a product for passengers who want something in between. Emirates has pushed to scale up its overall premium economy capacity to 4 million seats.