Emirates is accelerating the global rollout of its premium economy cabin, with Italy now joining a fast-growing list of markets including the Czech Republic, Jordan, Switzerland, Vietnam and several key long-haul destinations. The Dubai-based carrier is using a mix of newly delivered aircraft and heavily retrofitted A380s and Boeing 777s to push its four-cabin product into more cities this year, as demand for “affordable comfort” continues to surge on competitive intercontinental routes.
Italy Becomes a Focus Market as Milan Gains Premium Economy
Emirates is turning up the heat in Italy by adding premium economy to its Milan operation, positioning the country alongside early adopters of the cabin such as the United Kingdom, United States and Australia. According to the airline’s latest deployment plan, Milan will be served by a three-class retrofitted Boeing 777 from May 10, bringing the new cabin to one of Europe’s busiest premium and business travel corridors between Italy, the Gulf and onward to Asia and Australasia.
The move is strategically timed. Italy is a core European market for Emirates’ long-haul network, with strong flows of both corporate travelers and high-spending leisure passengers to Dubai, the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia and Australia. By inserting premium economy on Milan flights, Emirates aims to capture travelers who want more space and elevated service but are unwilling or unable to pay for business class, particularly on overnight eastbound sectors and daylight returns to Europe.
The Italian rollout also strengthens Emirates’ position against European and Gulf rivals that have long marketed premium economy across the continent. Carriers such as Lufthansa, Air France, British Airways and more recently Etihad already target Italian travelers with a dedicated “middle cabin.” Emirates is now matching and, in some respects, outshining these competitors with a hard product and service concept that industry reviewers frequently describe as closer to business class than to traditional economy.
From Prague to Amman and Zurich: A Wider European and Middle East Push
Alongside Italy, the United Arab Emirates flag carrier is extending its latest cabin experience to a cluster of new destinations this year, anchored by a significant upgrade to its two-class A380s and retrofitted 777 fleet. A high-density A380 reconfigured into three classes, featuring 76 business seats, 56 premium economy seats and 437 economy seats, will debut first on the Dubai to Amman route in Jordan between April 14 and May 31 before moving on to Prague from June 1.
This rotation is designed to seed demand and showcase the product across a mix of regional and medium-haul markets. In Amman, Emirates already caters to a sizable premium customer base in the Levant, while Prague offers strong inbound tourism and growing business links to the Gulf and Asia. By cycling the same aircraft between these cities, the airline maximizes fleet utilization while allowing passengers in both Jordan and the Czech Republic to sample the upgraded A380 layout within a short timeframe.
Switzerland is another beneficiary. Zurich is set to receive a four-class A380 with premium economy, with Emirates planning more than 1,500 weekly premium economy seats on the route under its latest schedule. For Swiss travelers heading to Dubai and beyond, that means a consistent product experience aligned with what is already offered on flagship services to cities such as London, New York and Sydney. The move underscores the airline’s confidence in Europe’s resilience in the premium leisure and visiting-friends-and-relatives segments despite economic headwinds.
Vietnam and India Join the Next Wave of Premium Economy Markets
Beyond Europe and the Middle East, Emirates is positioning premium economy as a key lever for growth in fast-rising Asian markets. Vietnam is among the countries being woven into the rollout as the airline adds the cabin on selected services operated by its latest-generation widebodies. With Vietnam’s outbound tourism and business travel rebounding, especially to Europe and North America via Dubai, the new cabin allows Emirates to price a step-up experience for long-haul Vietnamese passengers who are increasingly willing to pay more for comfort but remain value conscious.
India is also in focus as part of what observers describe as one of the industry’s largest retrofit initiatives. Emirates is progressively deploying retrofitted A380s and 777s, as well as new A350s, across Indian gateways and adjacent Middle East destinations. The carrier has already scheduled its enhanced premium economy product on multiple weekly flights to and from Mumbai via a refurbished Boeing 777, with similar enhancements flagged for other Indian cities and regional hubs such as Muscat and Bahrain.
The strategy taps into a structural shift in travel demand across Asia. Middle-class and affluent travelers in Vietnam, India and the wider region are increasingly choosing to trade up from basic economy on long flights, particularly when traveling with family or on high-stakes business trips. Premium economy, positioned between a packed economy cabin and the much costlier business class, is emerging as the sweet spot that Emirates hopes will secure loyalty from these aspirational travelers.
Inside the Cabin: What Emirates Premium Economy Actually Offers
At the heart of the rollout is a carefully crafted cabin that Emirates has invested heavily in to differentiate from traditional premium economy products. On the A380, premium economy is located at the front of the main deck in a dedicated cabin, with 56 seats arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration. The seats measure up to 19.5 inches in width and offer a pitch of up to 40 inches, with around 8 inches of recline into a cradle-like position.
The design language mirrors elements of Emirates’ business class, with cream-colored leather upholstery, detailed stitching, woodgrain dining tables and separate side cocktail tables. Each seat is equipped with a large 13.3-inch high-definition screen linked to the airline’s ice entertainment system, alongside USB-A and USB-C charging points and shared AC power outlets. Leg rests, foot rests and six-way adjustable headrests are standard, aiming to deliver a noticeably more relaxed posture than in economy without encroaching into lie-flat territory.
On the retrofitted Boeing 777s being rolled out to markets such as Milan, Mumbai and key Middle East cities, premium economy is installed in its own small cabin between business and economy. Although the exact seat pitch is slightly different from the A380, the design, materials and overall feel closely match, creating a consistent product across both fleets. The 777 retrofits also come as part of a broader cabin refresh that introduces new business-class layouts and updated economy seating, underscoring the scale of Emirates’ multi-billion-dollar investment.
Inflight service has been upgraded to support the physical product. Premium economy customers receive a culinary offering that includes regionally inspired menus served on china tableware with stainless steel cutlery, along with a broader drinks list that features sparkling wine and selected vintages from the business-class cellar. Longer flights offer amenity kits emphasizing sustainability and comfort, while crew training has been adapted so that premium economy travelers receive a more personalized service than in the main economy cabin.
Fleet Retrofit Program Drives Global Reach
The latest expansion to Italy, the Czech Republic, Jordan, Switzerland and Vietnam is underpinned by Emirates’ extensive retrofit and fleet modernization program. The airline has embarked on a project valued at several billion dollars to refit dozens of existing A380s and Boeing 777-300ERs with premium economy, updated business-class seats and refreshed cabin interiors. According to the most recent figures, more than 20 A380s are already flying with premium economy, with the program targeting a total of 67 A380s and 53 777s by completion.
Each A380 retrofit typically takes just over two weeks, during which the aircraft interior is stripped and reconfigured to accommodate the new cabin. The process involves removing rows of economy seating to free up space for the 2-4-2 premium economy layout at the front of the main deck, while at the same time refreshing materials, wall panels, carpets and lighting throughout the jet. Similar work is under way on the 777-300ERs, where rows of economy seats behind business class are replaced with premium economy in a compact, self-contained cabin.
The first high-density two-class A380 converted into a three-class configuration and assigned to the Dubai to Amman and Dubai to Prague rotations is a notable example of how Emirates is using the program to flex capacity across different markets. By adding premium economy and a full business cabin to a previously two-class aircraft, the airline can pivot more quickly to changing demand patterns and yield opportunities without having to wait for new aircraft deliveries, which have been delayed industry-wide.
This retrofit effort runs in parallel with the introduction of new-generation aircraft such as the Airbus A350, which arrive factory-fitted with premium economy. Together, the two streams of activity are enabling Emirates to rapidly scale the product across a larger portion of its network, compressing what in earlier eras would have been a decade-long rollout into just a few years.
Why Emirates Is Betting Big on the “Middle” Cabin
The increased presence of premium economy on Emirates’ route map to Italy, the Czech Republic, Jordan, Switzerland, Vietnam and beyond reflects a broader shift in how airlines monetize comfort. Traditionally, Emirates relied on a three-class model of first, business and economy. Introducing a fourth cabin represents a major strategic pivot, one that management has framed as a response to changing passenger expectations and willingness to pay.
Post-pandemic travel patterns have revealed a large segment of customers who want more personal space, upgraded meals and better sleep but do not prioritize the full range of business-class benefits such as lie-flat beds or extensive ground services. Premium economy seats are priced accordingly, often at a significant premium to economy but still well below business, making them attractive for both self-funded travelers and corporate buyers with tighter travel policies.
For Emirates, the economics can be compelling. Replacing multiple rows of low-yield economy seats with a smaller number of higher-yield premium economy seats can lift revenue per square meter of cabin space, while also improving customer satisfaction scores that influence loyalty program engagement. Early results on routes such as Dubai to London and Dubai to New York, where the product has been available longer, have shown robust load factors and, according to industry analysts, healthy yields relative to conventional economy.
As the airline brings the cabin to more routes this year, including to Italy and markets across Central Europe, the Middle East and Asia, it is effectively testing how far the premium economy concept can scale before cannibalizing business-class demand. So far, evidence suggests that most customers are trading up from economy rather than down from business, particularly on routes where corporate travel budgets remain constrained and travelers are supplementing employer-provided fares out of pocket.
What Travelers on the New Routes Can Expect This Year
For passengers in Italy, the Czech Republic, Jordan, Switzerland, Vietnam and other newly added markets, the most immediate change will be visible at the booking stage. Emirates’ reservation systems are gradually reflecting a four-cabin layout on more flights, with premium economy displayed as a distinct option and often highlighted through upsell prompts during the booking flow and online check-in. Promotional campaigns are already targeting travelers in Milan, Prague, Amman and Zurich, positioning the cabin as the smart choice for those seeking “business-class style comfort without the business-class fare.”
On board, travelers will notice dedicated boarding lanes, a separate cabin with its own lavatories and a quieter atmosphere due to the lower seat density compared with economy. The added pitch and recline are likely to be most appreciated on overnight sectors between Europe and Dubai, as well as on onward connections to long-haul destinations in Asia, Africa and Australasia. Frequent flyers can also expect earning structures aligned somewhere between economy and business, reinforcing the perception of premium economy as a tangible upgrade with loyalty benefits.
As the A380 serving Amman and Prague rotates and more retrofitted 777s and A350s come into service, some routes may see aircraft and cabin changes across the year. Emirates has signaled that operational requirements can lead to last-minute substitutions, meaning not every flight on a given route will necessarily feature premium economy from day one. However, the overarching trend is clear: more aircraft are entering the fleet with the cabin installed, and more cities, including in Italy and across Central and Eastern Europe, are moving onto the premium economy map.
For TheTraveler.org readers evaluating long-haul options this year, the addition of Italy, the Czech Republic, Jordan, Switzerland, Vietnam and their neighboring markets to Emirates’ premium economy network means a wider choice of mid-tier comfort at increasingly competitive price points. As other global airlines race to upgrade their own cabins, Emirates’ rapid rollout underscores how central this emerging cabin class has become in the battle for the world’s most coveted travelers.