The Boeing 777-300ER is a sub-variant of the 777-300, modified to have a higher maximum takeoff weight and increased fuel capacity. It also features aerodynamic improvements that reduce fuel burn. The combination of these adaptations yields impressive improvements in range. As a result, it has become a popular variant of Boeing’s iconic twinjet large widebody aircraft.

Emirates has the largest 777-300ER fleet in the world. In this article, discover the specifics of this fleet, where they fly, and what passengers can find onboard. We then finish with thoughts on how the Boeing 777X is set to update and replace the 777-300ER and the A380 fleets upon retirement.

Emirates Is The Largest 777-300ER Operator

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Simple Flying has obtained ch-aviation data showing that Emirates currently has a fleet of 119 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. 116 of these jets are active, and three are in maintenance: A6-ECW, A6-ENT, A6-EPH. The fleet has an average age of 12.4 years. Alongside these -300ER examples, Emirates also has 10 777-200LR, and significant orders for 777Xs, which are yet to be delivered.

Four of these aircraft are over 19 years old: A6-EBU (19.06 years old), A6-EBR (19.22 years old), A6-EBM (19.65 years old), and A6-EBK (19.76 years old). At the other end of the spectrum are five aircraft that are under 7.5 years old: A6-EQP (7.03 years old), A6-EQO (7.14 years old), A6-EQN (7.28 years old), A6-EQM (7.39 years old), and A6-EQL (7.47 years old). Ch-aviation shows that none of these aircraft have projected retirement dates, but with some examples approaching two decades old, we can expect the carrier to start considering more modern aircraft for transition soon.

Every other carrier is significantly behind Emirates in terms of the size of their 777-300ER fleets. The closest is Cathay Pacific and the commercial aircraft financing and leasing firm GECAS, both of which have had 49 examples delivered to them. Close behind is Qatar Airways, which has had 48 777-300ER delivered.

Where Do Emirates 777-300ER Fly?

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Emirates flies to a vast number of destinations utilizing its 777-300ERs, most of which are between 1,000 and 2,000 miles, operating from its hub in Dubai. Some routes, such as the flight from Dubai to Soekarno–Hatta International Airport in Indonesia, are over 4,000 miles. The most frequent flights are from Dubai to Delhi Indira Gandhi International (DEL) and Malé Velana International (MLE), both with 120 flights a month each way and offering well over 40,000 seats. Like the slightly longer flight, the trip to Malé Velana International (MLE) has more available seat miles, approaching 80 million.

The table below lists the top five routes by frequency that Emirates is set to fly using its Boeing 777-300ERs in November 2025, based on data produced by Cirium. Please note that most of these city pairs have an equivalent return flight.

Emirates also uses its fleet of 777-200ERs to fly some incredibly short routes to other Middle East destinations. One example is its 90 monthly flights from Dubai to King Khalid International Airport, a journey of just 543 miles. The carrier offers almost 30,000 seats on this route each month, yielding a total available seat miles of over 16 million.

How Does Emirates Configure Its 777-300ER

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Given the size of the Emirates 777-300ER fleet and the wide variety of destinations the carrier flies them to, it is no surprise that it has configured them in a number of different ways. The eight configurations have capacity for 354 to 428 passengers, according to SeatMaps. Many of these configurations include first class suites and lie-flat business class seats with a 60-86 inch (152-218 cm) pitch. Simple Flying’s Arran Rice said of the 777-300ER’s business class in a pandemic-era flight review: “One thing that stood out was that every seat had great privacy dividers, so it felt very private no matter where you were sitting.” The standard economy has a 31-33 inch (79-84 cm) pitch. Most seats also offer in-seat power and WiFi.

The table below shows the capacity in total and across each class for Emirates 777-300ER configurations, according to SeatMaps’ data:

You’ll need to pay attention to the configuration of your aircraft to ensure you can enjoy the most comfortable seats while flying on an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER. In a two-class layout, the extra legroom rows will be 8, 23, and 37, and the seats near the lavatory and gallery will be rows 21-23, 35-37, and 48-50. A three-class layout will have extra legroom seats on rows 17, 24, and 37, and seats close to the gallery and lavatory on rows 21-24, 36-37, and 50. Finally, the ultra-long range four-class layouts (V6 and V7) will have two extra legroom rows (24 and 37), and seats near the gallery and lavatory on rows 23-24, 36-37, and 50. With fewer extra legroom rows available aboard the four-class 777-300ER, economy passengers who need more space should consider upgrading to Premium Economy.

What Is Available Aboard Emirates 777-300ER Premium Economy?

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If you are a passenger on one of Emirates’ longer 777-300ER flights, you may find yourself aboard a V6 or V7 aircraft with Premium Economy available, making the longer flight time much less unpleasant. This class features leather seats with footrests. The pitch is increased to a more spacious 40 inches, and they are also wider. That means you can recline without worrying about disturbing the passenger behind you. At the front of Premium Economy is row 14, giving you the bonus of having no passenger in front of you.

The table below includes specifications for the 777-300ER, as per those released by Emirates:

Emirates is currently expanding its Premium Economy product, hoping to offer 2 million Premium Economy seats by the end of 2025 across a fleet of upgraded 777s, A380s, and new A350s. These aircraft are set to fly to over 70 new cities. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, said: “The redoubling of our refurbishment programme efforts means that by the end of this year, Emirates will have established itself as one of the preeminent industry leaders offering Premium Economy seats. In the next two years, we will definitively cement our position as the industry leader in Premium Economy deployment.”

The Future Of Emirates Boeing 777 Fleet

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Emirates has made an incredible commitment to the as-yet-undelivered 777X, including 777-8s (35 ordered) and 777-9s (170 ordered). Alongside this order is the purchase of 20 787-8s and 15 787-10s. With Emirates’ A380s aging, the high potential seating capacity for the 777X of 350-400 gets as close as possible to replacing the A380s’ 500 passenger capacity with a next-generation aircraft that boasts improved fuel efficiency and operating costs. The jet will also have the range needed to cover Emirates’ network of Asian, European, African, and American destinations from its hub in Dubai.

The Boeing 777X is also the ideal aircraft for Emirates to continue offering some of the world’s best premium products. For the 777X, Boeing has redesigned the cabin with improved humidity and cabin pressure, additional space, and larger windows to make passengers more comfortable. Once Emirates starts to receive its 777Xs, it will be fascinating to see how it can leverage these advancements in future First Class and Business Class products.

However, things haven’t been going smoothly between Boeing and Emirates due to the ongoing delays with the aircraft. Boeing is now aiming for delivery of the first 777Xs in spring 2027. Emirates President Tim Clark has expressed some annoyance at the continued delays and Boeing’s lack of transparency around them. He said: “I was with them recently, in New York, and before that in Seattle. There was never any hint that they would make an official pronouncement that 2027 was to be the delivery year.”