DUBAI, May 7, 2026, 16:02 (GST)
- Emirates has taken ownership of 29 Airbus A380s and five Boeing 777s as their leases wrapped up, pointing to the Dubai airline’s intent to keep its largest aircraft working hard.
- Emirates Group just reported a record annual pre-tax profit of AED 24.4 billion, about $6.6 billion.
- Singapore Airlines plans to upgrade its A380 and A350 cabins, and Starlink Wi-Fi is set for launch starting early 2027.
In its 2025-26 financial year, Emirates shifted gears, snapping up 29 Airbus A380s and five Boeing 777s as their leases wrapped up—effectively bringing more of its fleet in-house rather than leasing. The world’s largest A380 operator is doubling down on the double-decker, putting more faith in the jet.
The deals stand out, given the A380’s production line has shut down and fresh wide-body slots are scarce. Airbus made it official back in 2019, announcing deliveries would wrap up in 2021 after Emirates trimmed its commitments. That decision effectively left carriers seeking ultra-large jets with slim pickings for new aircraft.
Emirates laid out the extent of its A380 acquisitions in its latest annual report, according to aeroTELEGRAPH, following a string of smaller jet purchases from leasing companies that had come to light in the past year. The airline also added 20 new planes to its fleet during the period—15 Airbus A350s, plus five Boeing 777 freighters.
The Emirates Group posted a 7% jump in profit before tax, reaching AED 24.4 billion for the year ended March 31. Revenue climbed 3%, landing at AED 150.5 billion. For the airline segment, pretax profit hit AED 22.8 billion on AED 130.9 billion in revenue, buoyed by steady demand in both passenger and cargo.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, kept his outlook cautious for the coming year. “We are not sitting on our hands,” he said, pointing to the group’s “very strong cash reserves,” which he said would allow continued investment without resorting to “knee-jerk cost control measures.” Reuters
Emirates pulled in AED 10 billion to finance its aircraft, tapping both local and overseas markets. The carrier leaned on a mix of Japanese operating leases, insurance-backed deals, French tax leases, and export credit-backed loans—spreading its bets across several funding structures instead of sticking to just one. In effect, Emirates pieced together a package of debt and lease-based financing to cover its fleet obligations.
With more A380s in its fleet, Emirates can decide exactly when to upgrade cabins, shape retirement timelines, and hold onto jets as long as it wants. The flip side: that’s a hefty investment locked into a giant plane, which only delivers if the airline can consistently fill those hundreds of seats at strong yields.
By the end of March, the carrier counted 277 aircraft in its fleet, averaging 10.8 years in age. The backlog: 367 aircraft—54 A350s, 270 Boeing 777X jets, 35 Boeing 787s, and eight 777 freighters—on the books for delivery through 2038.
Emirates’ A380 spending goes beyond just adding seats. The airline said it’s wrapped up cabin overhauls on 91 out of 215 jets slated for the $5 billion retrofit, which features new Premium Economy sections. By March 31, 21 aircraft had Starlink onboard, following last November’s announcement of a fleetwide Wi-Fi partnership.
Singapore Airlines—often seen as a bellwether among A380 carriers despite its smaller size—announced this week that it plans to roll out Starlink connectivity across its Airbus A350-900 fleet, both long-haul and ultra-long-range, as well as the A380s. Starlink’s constellation of low Earth orbit satellites flies much closer to the surface than legacy systems, meaning lower latency for passengers using onboard Wi-Fi.
SIA plans to start rolling out the service in the first quarter of 2027, with completion expected by the end of 2029. “Fast connectivity has become an essential part of the travel experience,” said Yeoh Phee Teik, senior vice president for customer experience at the airline. Singapore Airlines
SIA plans to maintain unlimited free Wi-Fi for Suites, First and Business Class travelers, as well as PPS Club and KrisFlyer members flying in Premium Economy or Economy on planes fitted with Starlink, according to Business Travel.
Emirates still faces the threat of regional turmoil and volatile fuel prices derailing its strategy. According to Reuters, the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran has already rattled Middle East air routes, triggered temporary airspace shutdowns, and driven jet fuel costs higher. Gulf airlines, meanwhile, are still in the process of ramping capacity back up after the recent upheaval.
Emirates isn’t approaching the A380 like a stopgap before its next jets arrive. Instead, the airline is committing: purchasing more of the double-decker, upgrading the cabins, and rolling out enhanced connectivity—all as it awaits the next batch of wide-body deliveries.
