Emirates deployed its first retrofitted Boeing 777 in Africa beginning with Cape Town and Johannesbourg, South Africa routes this month to signpost a milestone in the airline’s ongoing fleet upgrade programme. The newly upgraded aircraft features a premium economy cabin, per this Simple Flying report.
With this debut, the two South African cities have become the first destinations on the continent to welcome Emirates’ retrofitted Boeing 777s with premium economy class. Emirates’ refreshed 777s feature four-class cabins, with new design elements and an upgraded business class.
First deployment in Africa
South Africa is the first African country to receive Emirates’ premium economy and refreshed business class cabins, reaffirming the country’s strategic importance as one of the continent’s major gateways. Following the introduction of its upgraded Boeing 777 in Africa in September 2025, Emirates hosted a guided tour to showcase the fully refreshed widebody aircraft.
Johannesburg welcomed the Emirates Boeing 777 on its daily EK765/766 service on September 1, 2025, with the EK761/762 route to follow on September 25. Cape Town began receiving the upgraded 777 on its daily EK770/771 service September 20, 2025.
According to ch-aviation data, Emirates currently operates 119 Boeing 777-300ERs and ten Boeing 777-200LRs. The retrofit initiative, launched in November 2022, is part of the airline’s $5 billion investment. In total, 219 aircraft, including Airbus A380 superjumbos and Boeing 777s, are slated to receive nose-to-tail upgrades aimed at elevating the onboard experience. Speaking on the deployment of the 777 in Africa, Afzal Parambil, Emirates’ regional manager for Southern Africa, said:
“As we celebrate three decades of service to South Africa, our commitment to bring the latest and greatest to the market is unwavering. Over the years, we have built strong relationships with our customers and are proud to have a very high percentage of repeat passengers, particularly on long-haul travel to destinations in the Far East and Europe.”
What’s inside the upgraded 777s?
The Emirates Boeing 777 retrofit programme includes a new premium economy cabin, refreshed business class, economy, and first class suites. Each aircraft includes 260 economy class seats, 24 premium economy seats, 38 business class seats, and eight first class suites.
The main highlight is Emirates’ premium economy, now available in South Africa for the first time. The airline claims that the cabin offers an experience comparable to business class on many other airlines. Passengers can enjoy spacious leather reclining seats with leg and footrests, adjustable headrests, in-seat charging, a wood-finished side table, and a 13.3-inch TV screen. The seat features large pillows and blankets, and complimentary amenity kits on select flights.
The retrofitted 777s also feature Emirates’ refreshed business class, with flat-bed seats in a 1-2-1 configuration and personal mini-bars. All cabins received interior upgrades with modern color palettes, specially designed Ghaf Tree motifs, and wood finishes.
Other destinations on the radar
Emirates is expanding the deployment of its retrofitted Boeing 777 widebody aircraft featuring upgraded cabins to an increasing list of destinations across its vast international network.
These destinations include Lisbon (LIS), Portugal; Dublin (DUB), Ireland; Madrid (MAD), Spain; Hong Kong (HKG); the Maldives (MLE); Kolkata (CCU), India; Colombo (CMB), Sri Lanka; Johannesburg (JNB), Cape Town (CPT), South Africa; and London Stansted, the United Kingdom (STN, second-daily service with the retrofitted 777).
It is worth noting that the carrier aims to serve 44 cities with its fleet of refurbished Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft by September 2025. When the project is finished, the Emirati airline will have added 8,512 new premium economy seats, refreshed 2,034 first-class suites, upgraded 12,720 business class seats with new layouts, and redesigned 68,364 economy class seats on both Boeing 777s and Airbus A380 double-deckers.
