Emirates has placed a firm order for five more Boeing 777 freighters to be delivered from 2025/26.
Together with its previous orders, Emirates now has 14 Boeing 777Fs pending delivery from Boeing to the end of 2026.
The Dubai-based carrier has also signed a multi-year lease extension with Dubai Aerospace Enterprise for four Boeing 777Fs in its existing fleet. By December 2026, Emirates SkyCargo expects to operate a fleet of 21 production-built Boeing 777 freighters, significantly expanding its current fleet of 11 aircraft.
Emirates is also converting ten passenger Boeing 777-3000ERs into freighters.
The carrier plans to make a decision by the end of this calendar year on its future freighter fleet for 2028/29 and beyond, with the Boeing 777-8F and Airbus A350-1000F as contenders.
Chairman and chief executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, said: “Demand for Emirates’ air cargo services has been booming. This reflects Dubai’s growing prominence as a preferred and trusted global logistics hub, and also the success of Emirates SkyCargo’s bespoke solutions that address the needs of shippers in different industry sectors.”
Stephanie Pope, president and chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, added: “Emirates continues to set the direction for our industry and we deeply appreciate the trust they have placed in the Boeing widebody family to serve as the backbone of their global fleet. We are proud to support Emirates SkyCargo’s growth as it relies on the performance and versatility of our 777 Freighter to further connect the world.”
Emirates adds that the Dubai government’s plans to expand Al Maktoum International airport will create the world’s largest hub in terms of capacity that will ultimately be able to process 12 million tonnes of cargo annually. A nearby Logistics District is planned as an international base for global cargo and shipping companies, and part of Dubai’s masterplan to become the pre-eminent multi-modal cargo hub for air, sea and land.