Emirates Expands Fleet with 65 Boeing 777X Aircraft at Dubai Airshow 2025

On the opening day of the Dubai Airshow 2025, Emirates made a major follow-on order for 65 Boeing 777-9 aircraft, which is worth approximately US$38 billion based on list prices.

This agreement solidifies Emirates’ status as the leading operator of the Boeing 777 globally and positions it as the largest customer for the GE9X engine.

With this new order, Emirates’ backlog for the 777X grows to 270 aircraft, bringing its total Boeing order to 315 widebody planes. This includes 10 777 freighters and 35 787s, and its GE9X engine orders have now increased to 540 engines with the addition of 130 units.

Emirates Supports Boeing’s 777-10 Feasibility Study

The recent agreement grants Emirates the option to convert part of its order to the 777-8 or the proposed 777-10. Currently, Boeing is examining the feasibility of the extended 777-10, which would provide more seating capacity for airports facing slot constraints.

“Emirates has been clear about our interest in larger capacity aircraft that are more economical, especially given the anticipated growth in air traffic and increasing limitations at airports,” said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group. “We are fully in support of Boeing’s feasibility study to develop the 777-10 and have the option to convert our latest order to either the 777-10 or 777-8.”

Emirates anticipates that its first 777-9 will be delivered in the second quarter of 2027. With this expanded order, the timeline for Boeing aircraft deliveries to Emirates is now expected to extend into the late 2030s.

Boeing 777X Delays

The Boeing 777-9 is set to be the largest twin-engine aircraft in the world, intended to replace the older 777-300ER fleets with improved seating capacity and fuel efficiency.

However, Boeing has faced multiple delays in the 777X’s entry into service. By October 2025, deliveries had been postponed to 2027, incurring potential costs of up to US$4 billion. In the same month, Boeing announced a US$4.9 billion charge in its Q3 2025 earnings, resulting from these delays.

Emirates President Tim Clark has reiterated that the airline still expects to receive its first 777-9s in 2027, pointing out that the airline could have had dozens of these planes operational had the original delivery schedule been met in 2020.

Fleet Outlook

Currently, Emirates operates a fleet of 269 aircraft, which includes 116 Airbus A380s. Its future deliveries now encompass a total of 367 aircraft from both Boeing and Airbus, comprising 270 777-9s, 10 777 freighters, 35 787s, and 52 Airbus A350-900s.

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