By Emirates will introduce Boeing 777s with upgraded cabins to Johannesburg and Cape Town, reaffirming South Africa’s strategic importance as a major gateway in the airline’s African operations.
Emirates’ enhanced Boeing 777 service will operate as follows:
- Johannesburg is set to receive the Emirates Boeing 777 on its daily EK 765/766 from 1 September, followed by EK 761/762 services from 25 September.
- Cape Town will be served with the airline’s latest interiors on its daily EK 770/771 from 20 September.
Marking the first deployment of the retrofitted aircraft to Africa, Emirates will offer travellers more opportunities to experience its latest generation Business Class seats, as well as highly acclaimed Premium Economy product, making it easier than ever to explore and connect to Dubai and beyond in style and comfort.
Commenting on the deployment, Afzal Parambil, Emirates Regional Manager for Southern Africa said, “We are delighted to enhance the Emirates experience in South Africa, with the introduction of the upgraded Boeing 777 to Johannesburg and Cape Town. The entire aircraft has been refreshed from nose-to-tail, setting new benchmarks for premium in-flight experience with our signature Premium Economy and thoughtfully designed Business Class cabins. We look forward to welcoming travellers from South Africa onboard the retrofitted aircraft soon.”
Elevating the Inflight Experience
The refurbished four-class Emirates Boeing 777 features upgraded interiors with new design elements, including modern colour palettes, specially designed Ghaf Tree motifs, and wood finishes across all cabins.
The highlight is Emirates much-lauded Premium Economy cabin, offering quiet luxury with cream-coloured leather and a wood panel finishing similar to Business Class. Each 19.5-inch seat is designed to provide optimal comfort and support, with 6-way adjustable headrests, a footrest and a generous recline. Each seat has a 13.3 inch screen, in addition to in-seat charging points and a wood-finished side cocktail table.
Emirates’ Boeing 777 Business Class cabin has also been redesigned, with seats set-up in a 1-2-1 arrangement to offer privacy, aisle access and space to work, lounge and indulge in restorative rest.
All refreshed Boeing 777s include 24 of the popular Premium Economy seats, along with 256 Economy Class seats.
Emirates has expanded its Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 fleet refurbishment programme to cover more than 220 aircraft, representing the aviation industry’s most ambitious retrofit undertaking—a US$5 billion investment dedicated to delivering the best products and exceptional customer experiences across its global network. Emirates’ retrofit programme continues to progress at an impressive pace, with an aircraft receiving its nose-to-tail facelift and rolling out into service every three weeks.
Expanding the retrofitted Boeing 777 network
In addition to Johannesburg and Cape Town, Emirates is expanding its network of cities served with the Boeing 777s to:
- From 1 June 2025, all flights operating to/from Lisbon will offer upgraded Boeing 777 cabins which include EK 191/192 and EK 193/194.
- To Dublin, Emirates will debut its latest Business and Premium Economy cabins on EK 161/162, starting 25 June.
- Hong Kong, SAR will become the second Chinese destination to be served with the retrofitted Emirates Boeing 777 on EK 382/383 starting 15 July.
- Customers travelling to the Maldives will enjoy an enhanced onboard experience with refreshed interiors on EK 658/659 from 1 June; as well as EK 656/657 and EK 660/661 from 15 July.
- Emirates’ upgraded Boeing 777 will operate to Kolkata starting 10 August on EK 572/573 with four weekly flights (Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday).
- Colombo is set to receive the Boeing 777 with refreshed interiors from 10 August on its daily EK 650/651 flights. The operation will complement the airline’s newly introduced A350 operations to Sri Lanka’s capital.
Additionally, London Stansted will receive its second daily service with refreshed Boeing 777 interiors on EK 067/068.
By September 2025, the airline aims to serve 44 cities with its fleet of refurbished Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft.
Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, the Emirates App, Emirates Retail stores or via both online and offline travel agents.
For more information on the new Emirates Boeing 777.