Emirates to phase out A380 planes by 2040

Emirates is expecting to phase out its jumbo A380 planes by 2040, Emirates ‘ chief operations officer Adel Al Redha has said. Speaking to The National during Arabian Travel Market 2026, the Emirates deputy president said that due to the expense and maintenance requirements, the Dubai-based airline plans to ground all of its 116 A380s in the next decade and a half. “There will be a phase-out because we can only operate the aircraft up to a certain limit because it becomes very difficult to maintain it, very expensive to operate it,” he told The National. But to counteract the end of the A380 services, the airline has ordered a number of Boeing 777X to join its roster, with the first planes expected to join the fleet in 2027. Although with 400 – 425 seats, its capacity doesn’t compare to the A380, which, as the world’s largest passenger aircraft, has capacity for 484 to 615 passengers across two full decks. Reflecting on its Emirates A380 services, Al Redha said, “We’re sad not to have this aircraft operate with us forever.” Emirates has more than 25 years of history with the Airbus A380, becoming the first airline to sign up for the Airbus A380, ordering seven with options for five more at the Farnborough Air Show in 2000. In 2008, Emirates received its very first A380 and launched its inaugural commercial A380 flight on August 1 that year, flying from Dubai to New York. In 2013, the airline opened Concourse A, the world’s first purpose-built A380 facility at DXB, complete with Business and First Class lounges offering direct boarding to the upper deck. Over the years, Emirates has evolved its superjumbo service with private suites and shower spas in First Class, to lie-flat seats and a dedicated bar and lounge in Business Class, to extra room and custom lighting in Economy.