Emirates had placed a significant follow-on order for 65 Boeing 777-9 aircraft, valued at US$38 billion at list prices, on the opening day of Dubai Airshow 2025.
The agreement expands the Dubai carrier’s position as the world’s largest Boeing 777 operator and the biggest customer of the GE9X engine.
The new commitment brings Emirates’ 777X backlog to 270 aircraft and lifts its total Boeing orderbook to 315 widebodies, including 10 777 freighters and 35 787s. Its GE9X order rises to 540 engines with the additional 130 units now signed.
Emirates backs Boeing’s 777-10 feasibility study
The agreement includes options for Emirates to convert part of the order into either the 777-8 or the proposed 777-10. Boeing is currently assessing the feasibility of the stretched 777-10, which would offer greater capacity for slot-constrained operations.
“Emirates has been open about the fact that we are keen for manufacturers to build larger capacity aircraft, which are more efficient to operate especially with projected air traffic growth and increasing constraints at airports,” commented Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group. “We fully support Boeing’s feasibility study to develop the 777-10 and have options to convert our latest 777-9 order to the 777-10 or the 777-8.”
Emirates expects its first Boeing 777-9 to arrive in the second quarter of 2027. With the expanded order book, Boeing aircraft deliveries to the airline are now forecast to extend into the late 2030s.
Boeing 777X delays
The Boeing 777-9 will be the world’s largest twin-engine aircraft, designed to replace earlier 777-300ER fleets with higher seat counts and lower fuel burn.
Boeing has pushed back the 777X’s entry into service multiple times. In October 2025, deliveries were delayed to 2027 with an associated accounting impact of up to US$4 billion. Later that month, Boeing recorded a US$4.9 billion charge in its Q3 2025 results tied to the program’s delays.
Emirates President Tim Clark has stated that the airline still expects to receive its first Boeing 777-9s in 2027, noting that Emirates would already have dozens in service had the original 2020 schedule been met.
Fleet outlook
Emirates currently operates 269 aircraft, including 116 Airbus A380s. Its combined future deliveries now total 367 aircraft across Boeing and Airbus, including 270 777-9s, 10 777 freighters, 35 787s, and 52 Airbus A350-900s.
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