Emirates is weighing whether to scrap its entire order for 35 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and convert it into additional Boeing 777X jets, as long delays push its first 787 deliveries to the end of the decade. The airline has said a decision should follow talks with Boeing within about two months.
The possible switch was first reported by Emirates 24|7 in mid-September and has drawn fresh attention this week in reports by Simple Flying and the French site Air Journal.
"On the table"
Speaking on the sidelines of Arabian Travel Market 2026, Emirates Deputy President and Chief Operating Officer Adel Al Redha said converting the order remains an option. "The option of converting to the 777X remains on the table," he said, according to Emirates 24|7. "Everything is possible and we will discuss everything in this regard with the manufacturer."
Al Redha described two paths. Emirates can keep its 787s and accept a revised delivery schedule agreed with Boeing, or it can convert the order into 777X aircraft. If it keeps the Dreamliners, he said, deliveries are not expected to begin before the end of 2029.
Air Journal noted that neither the number of aircraft that would result from a conversion nor the commercial terms have been specified, so this is not yet a one-for-one swap of 35 jets.
A much-changed order
Emirates' Dreamliner plans have shifted several times. In November 2017 it announced a tentative commitment for 40 Boeing 787-10s, which was never finalized. In November 2019 it signed a firm contract for 30 Boeing 787-9s, using substitution rights from its 777X order. At the Dubai Airshow in November 2023 it revised the deal again, and today it has 20 787-8s and 15 787-10s on order.
The first Dreamliner was originally due in May 2023. According to Air Journal, citing comments by Boeing chief executive Kelly Ortberg reported by aeroTELEGRAPH, 787 deliveries have been slowed by engine and seat supply constraints and by delays in certifying some cabin equipment.
The 777X and the A350
Emirates is already the largest customer for the Boeing 777X, with 270 aircraft on order according to ch-aviation data cited by Simple Flying. At the Farnborough Airshow in July, Emirates President Tim Clark said the airline expects its first 777-9 in the second quarter of 2027.
The 777X programme has its own history of delay. First deliveries were originally expected in 2020, and the aircraft still needs to complete U.S. certification before it can enter commercial service. A conversion would therefore not guarantee quick extra capacity on its own.
Meanwhile, the Airbus A350-900 is filling part of the gap. Emirates received its first A350 in 2024 and, according to ch-aviation data, now operates 27 of the type with 46 more on order. Al Redha has noted that the A350 offers seat capacity and range comparable to the 787, meaning it can cover some of the missions the Dreamliners were meant to fly.
An ageing widebody fleet
Emirates operates around 270 aircraft, including 117 Airbus A380s, 116 Boeing 777-300ERs and ten Boeing 777-200LRs, according to ch-aviation figures cited by Simple Flying. Many of its 777s and A380s are reaching an age where renewal is becoming more pressing.
That is why delivery timing matters so much. A 787 that arrives after 2029 does little to help Emirates replace ageing aircraft in the next few years, while additional 777Xs would deepen its commitment to a type it already plans to operate in large numbers.
What to watch
For passengers, the practical outcome over the next couple of years is likely to be more A350s on Emirates routes, followed by the first 777-9s if certification stays on track. If the 787 order is converted, the Dreamliner may never join the Emirates fleet at all.
Emirates has not announced a decision. Any conversion would be confirmed once the airline completes its talks with Boeing.
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