Emirates unveils new premium economy seat
Emirates has revealed a new premium economy seat featuring electric controls and retractable privacy screens, which it claims is a world-first.
Emirates has unveiled a new premium economy seat it claims is the world's first fully electrically powered seat in that cabin class. The seat features a full-height, adjustable privacy screen between every passenger.
According to the airline, the new design combines industry-leading innovation with raise comfort. Passengers will have greater control over their personal space through electric controls.
Seat specifications and features
The new premium economy seat offers 39 inches of pitch and 20 inches of width. It reclines into a cradle position designed not to intrude on the space of the row behind.
A key feature is the flexible divider. Passengers can raise, lower, and lock the privacy screen using the seat's controls. The integrated passenger control unit allows for electric adjustment of the seating position.
Every seat will also include the newly introduced U-Dream headrest. This headrest, which Emirates is rolling out in economy class as well, has adjustable wings for personalized neck and head support.
For the first time in Emirates premium economy, wireless charging will be available. Each seat also comes with USB-C charging and a tray table featuring an integrated phone holder. The in-flight entertainment consists of a 13.3-inch 4K HDR touchscreen monitor. Newly delivered A350s will also offer enhanced aircraft camera views.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Seat Pitch | 39 inches |
| Seat Width | 20 inches |
| Power | Fully electric controls |
| Privacy Screen | Full-height, adjustable |
| Charging | Wireless & USB-C |
| Screen | 13.3-inch 4K HDR touchscreen |
| Headrest | U-Dream with adjustable wings |
Debut on the Airbus A350 fleet
The new premium economy product is scheduled to debut on newly delivered Airbus A350 aircraft. The cabin on these planes will contain 28 seats arranged in a 2-3-2 configuration across four rows.
As of now, Emirates has stated there are no official plans to install this next-generation seat on other aircraft types. The airline is still actively retrofitting its existing Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 fleets with the previous generation of premium economy seats.
The source report notes this highlights the complexity of fleet upgrades. Seat technology advances quickly, but airlines order seats years in advance and retrofitting a large fleet takes considerable time. Consequently, Emirates will operate multiple generations of its premium economy product across its fleet.
Competitive context and claims
The report from One Mile at a Time calls the new seat "stellar" and suggests it "raises the bar for premium economy." It praises the retractable privacy partition and the innovative headrest.
However, the source also provides context on the seat's 39-inch pitch. While described as above average for premium economy, it notes that some competitors, like EVA Air, offer seats with up to 42 inches of pitch.
The report also questions Emirates' claim of a world-first for the full-height privacy screen, pointing out that Japan Airlines has a product with similar features. It concludes that despite significant investment, airlines often struggle with having multiple product generations across their fleets at once.
