Emirates confirms $52bn widebody aircraft order

Emirates has placed an order for 95 additional widebody aircraft in a deal worth $52bn, taking its total order book to 295 aircraft.

Announced at the Dubai Airshow 2023 on Monday, Emirates which is already the world’s largest operator of Boeing 777 aircraft, has signed firm orders for 55 additional 777-9s and 35 777-8s. It takes the airline’s 777X order book to a total of 205 units.

The carrier has also updated its previous order of 30 Boeing 787-9s, increasing its commitment to a total of 35 Dreamliners comprising 15 Boeing 787-10s and 20 Boeing 787-8s.

From its previous order of 115 units, the first 777-9 is expected to join Emirates’ fleet in 2025. Today’s additional orders mean Emirates will induct new 777-9s to its fleet until 2035.

Emirates is also set to be one of the launch customers of the 777-8 passenger variant, with deliveries expected to begin in 2030.

The new 777-9s and 777-8s will replace its retiring 777 aircraft.

Meanwhile the carrier has also confirmed an order of 202 GE9X engines to support the additional 777X aircraft ordered today, taking its total GE9X engine order to 460 units.

“Emirates is the biggest operator of Boeing 777 aircraft, and today’s order cements that position. We’ve been closely involved in the 777 program 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 airline 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.”

The Emirates Group recently announced its best-ever six-month financial result. It reported a 2023-24 half-year net profit of $2.7bn, within striking distance of the $3bn annual profit it reported for the full year of 2022-2023 which was also its best-ever annual performance.

Read: Emirates Group reports record $2.7bn half-year profit

This article originally appeared on Business Traveller Middle East