Emirates confirms deal for $52 billion widebody aircraft

Emirates has expanded its aircraft fleet with a significant order of 95 widebody planes, marking a substantial investment of $52 billion. The announcement was made during the Dubai Airshow 2023, further solidifying Emirates' position as the world's largest operator of Boeing 777 aircraft. The order includes 55 additional 777-9s and 35 777-8s, bringing the total number of 777X aircraft in Emirates' order book to an impressive 205 units.

In addition to the 777 series, Emirates has updated its previous order for 30 Boeing 787-9s, now committing to a total of 35 Dreamliners. This comprises 15 Boeing 787-10s and 20 Boeing 787-8s, reflecting the airline's strategic planning and fleet expansion. The delivery timeline indicates that the first 777-9 from this order is expected to join Emirates' fleet in 2025. With the additional orders announced, Emirates plans to integrate new 777-9s into its fleet until 2035. Furthermore, Emirates is poised to become one of the inaugural customers for the 777-8 passenger variant, with deliveries scheduled to commence in 2030. These new acquisitions are designed to replace retiring 777 aircraft, ensuring the airline's fleet remains modern and efficient.

To support the newly ordered 777X aircraft, Emirates has confirmed an order for 202 GE9X engines, bringing the total GE9X engine order to an impressive 460 units. This underscores the airline's commitment to advanced technology and efficiency in its operations.

“Emirates is the biggest operator of Boeing 777 aircraft, and today’s order cements that position. We’ve been closely involved in the 777 programs since its start-up until this latest generation of 777X aircraft. The 777 has been central to Emirates’ fleet and network strategy of connecting cities on all continents non-stop to Dubai. We are pleased to extend our relationship with Boeing and look forward to the first 777-9 joining our fleet in 2025,” said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airlines and Group. “These additional aircraft will enable Emirates to connect even more cities, supporting the Dubai economic agenda D33 set out by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to add 400 cities to Dubai’s foreign trade map over the next decade. By the early 2030s, we expect the Emirates fleet to be around 350-strong, connecting Dubai to even more cities around the world.”

Emirates' strategic move to expand its fleet comes on the heels of the airline's remarkable financial performance. The Emirates Group recently reported its best-ever six-month financial result, achieving a net profit of $2.7 billion for the 2023-24 half-year. This figure is within reach of the $3 billion annual profit reported for the full year of 2022-2023, which was also the airline's best-ever annual performance. Emirates' robust financial standing and continuous fleet expansion demonstrate its resilience and commitment to excellence in the aviation industry.