Emirates airline to launch premium economy bookings from June

The new cabin class will initially be used on high-traffic A380 routes to London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Sydney and Christchurch

Passengers will be able to book Emirates' premium economy seats from June 1, on flights starting from August 1. Photo: Emirates

Emirates passengers will be able to book seats in the airline’s new premium economy cabin from June 1, on flights starting from August 1.

The new cabin class offers luxurious seats and increased leg room, and will be available on popular A380 routes to London, Paris and Sydney from August 1, and to Christchurch from December.

While the category is currently available on only six A380 aircrafts, the airline is in the process of retrofitting a further 67 A380s and 53 Boeing 777s.

On a four-class Emirates A380, the premium economy cabin is at the front of the main deck, with 56 seats laid out in 2-4-2 configuration. On the Emirates Boeing 777, up to 24 premium economy seats will be installed in a dedicated cabin section between business and economy.

“As with everything we do, Emirates Premium Economy will be exceptional in its class, with minute attention given to every aspect of the customer experience," says Tim Clark, president of Emirates airline. “Customers trading up from economy will be getting excellent value.

“Since we first introduced our premium economy seats in January 2021, the positive response and demand have been tremendous. We currently have six A380s equipped with this cabin class, which limits our initial deployment, but our intention is to offer this experience to many more markets across our network.

“This November, we will begin our retrofit programme to install premium economy on 67 A380s and 53 Boeing 777s. At the end of the programme, Emirates will have 126 aircraft fitted out with premium economy cabins, as well as our latest interiors across other cabins. It is a major investment to ensure our customers continue to have the best experience in the sky.”

The premium economy experience begins on the ground, with a dedicated check-in area at Dubai International airport.

On board, cabins are decorated with a wood panelling that echoes Emirates’s business class cabins.

The cream-coloured leather seats have six-way adjustable headrest for greater comfort and offer a pitch of 101cm (40 inches). They are 50cm (19.5in) wide and recline by 20cm (8in). Calf and foot rests are complemented by easily accessible, in-seat charging points and a side table.

Each seat has its own 34cm (13.3in) screen, one of the largest in its class, offering up to 5,000 channels of music, movies, TV, news and other content. Blankets are crafted from recycled plastic bottles, while complimentary amenity kits come in reusable, sustainable bags.

Dining options in premium economy are also inspired by Emirates’s business class offering. Passengers are welcomed on board with drinks served in glassware, while a selection of meals are served on chinaware, with steel cutlery and a linen napkins.