First Look: Emirates Unveils First 777-300 With New Business Class and Premium Economy

Just over a month after announcing a next-generation business class product was debuting soon, Emirates flew its first (of 81) refreshed 777 from Dubai to Geneva today.

This aircraft underwent a 37-day “nose-to-tail interior facelift” that will feel instantly recognizable to anyone who has flown on the updated Airbus A380.

The new business class features a 1-2-1 configuration with more privacy and comfort, and Premium Economy is also making its debut on the 777.

Let’s take a look inside.

Emirates’ 777 Retrofit

In July, Emirates announced that it would finally be improving its dated business class product…but with few details.

Although the A380 first class and 777 Game Changer are excellent, the dropoff to business class is sharp with angled (not lie-flat) seats in a 2-3-2 layout.

Well, that is changing, as Emirates is refurbishing 81 of its Boeing 777s to make them more comfortable for guests across all cabins.

In addition to a next generation business class in a 1-2-1 configuration, Emirates will also install its new Premium Economy product on the 777 for the first time.

“Emirates continues to carry out our commitment to deliver an unmatchable onboard experience with the introduction of our latest Boeing 777 with new signature interiors, raising the industry benchmark when it comes to premium travel. Our latest Business Class cabin offers customers a sense of exclusivity and privacy, complemented by our best-in-class suite of onboard products. The addition of our popular Premium Economy cabin, rated one of the best in the industry, injects modern sophistication to the flying experience and is carefully designed for more comfort.  With more Boeing 777s and A380s refreshed to sport our latest generation onboard products, customers can consistently have the very best experiences in the sky across both aircraft types.”

Sir Tim Clark, President, Emirates

The first refurbished 777s will fly to Geneva, Tokyo Haneda, and Brussels and will also include a small bar for customers to grab mid-flight snacks and refreshments.

First Look

The first Emirates 777-300ER with the new business class (and premium economy only found on the A380) took off from Dubai (DXB) to Geneva (GVA) on Wednesday, August 7 — 1 week ahead of schedule, to the surprise of many passengers onboard.

The first thing passengers will notice is the new seating configuration. Now, business class has a much more comfortable 1-2-1 layout, all with lie-flat seats and direct aisle access.

These seats were “inspired” by the A380 business class seats, which appear to be almost identical, except for a few details.

Seats are 20.7″ wide, lie flat to 78.6″ and feature the new color scheme with lighter wood and “soft leather cream seats accented with champagne trim.”

The cabin features 38 business class seats, with a smaller cabin of 10 seats up front separated by the lavatories and the new “bar” area.

Seats have a 23″ HD IFE screen as well as a minibar, table, touchscreen controller (which controls the window blinds), and plenty of charging options.

Some people may be let down if they were hoping for a full bar experience like on the A380. The “bar” on the 777 is a shelf between the 2 cabins.

Guests can grab some snacks mid-flight, but with the bar being immediately behind row 4, it could become intrusive to whoever is sitting (or trying to sleep) there.

The refurbished 777s also feature Emirates’ new Premium Economy product, which has already been installed on retrofitted A380s.

Final Thoughts

Emirates has finally started to update its business class product on the 777, which is a big improvement from the previous design.

Now, passengers who are lucky enough to experience the next generation product can look forward to true, lie-flat seats in a 1-2-1 layout. No more angled middle seats!

That being said, as nice as the product is, it is essentially the same seat that was introduced on the A380 in January of 2023. And compared to the stunning first class and the business class of competitors (with doors), this refresh may leave some people a bit disappointed…especially if they thought they were getting a real bar onboard!