Airlines have been torn on what to do with the Airbus A380 as the COVID-19 pandemic and a shift towards sustainability in the sky has forever changed how people travel.

And, the airline is giving its customers even more to look forward to when booking a seat on the A380 with 52 aircraft receiving cabin upgrades.

Specifically, the airline is adding a new premium economy class product to its mammoth A380s to make the long journeys more comfortable.

Emirates is also upgrading its first class product with larger doors that fully enclose the suites, offering more privacy. The cabin has also been refreshed with new colors and finishes, as has its business class.

“The Emirates A380 is already one of the most sought-after travel experiences in the skies, and now we’ve made it even better,” Tim Clark, president of Emirates, said in a statement.

So far, the carrier has upgraded a handful of A380s with premium economy and deployed them on three routes between its home base of Dubai and London, Paris, and Sydney, Australia.

Source: Emirates

Due to customer feedback that “has been overwhelmingly positive with demand exceeding expectations,” Emirates is introducing its enhanced A380 cabin to five new markets, including the US.

Source: Emirates

The new routes will fly from Dubai to New York-JFK, San Francisco, Melbourne, Singapore, and Auckland, New Zealand.

Source: Emirates

The first flight to New York will start on December 1, with a second flight added on March 15, 2023. Meanwhile, service to San Francisco will begin on February 15, 2023.

Source: Emirates

Come December, the cabin upgrade will force even seasoned Emirates travelers to reacquaint themselves with the plane. Here’s what customers can expect in Emirates’ new premium economy cabin and upgraded first and business class.

The first thing that passengers boarding on the lower deck of the A380 will encounter is the Emirates’ first-ever premium economy cabin.

Emirates is also the first of the Middle Eastern mega carriers to include a premium economy cabin on any aircraft.

A total of 56 premium economy seats replace the 88 economy seats that formerly occupied the space.

The 2-4-2 configuration of the cabin is typical for wide-body aircraft such as the A380.

Noticeably larger than economy class seats, premium economy seats offer up to 40 inches of legroom and 19.5 inches of width.

The cream-colored seats feature anti-stain leather with stitching and wood panel finishing comparable to those found upstairs in business class. Premium economy class, after all, is a compromise between economy class and business class.

Paired seats along the cabin wall are ideal for couples traveling together and those that prefer the window seat.

Seats in the center aisle, alternatively, are better suited for larger groups of travelers.

Each seat offers standard amenities including a 110v AC power outlet, USB charging port, coat hook, and drink counter.

In-flight entertainment in the cabin is provided through seat-back entertainment screens measuring 13.3 inches. Emirates’ ICE system offers movies, music, television shows, games, moving maps, and even the ability to view the aircraft’s external cameras.

Each seat also comes standard with a six-way adjustable headrest and an oversize pillow, and flight attendants distribute blanket kits on long-haul flights.

Additional storage compartments can also be found at each seat to hold items including small devices, water bottles, and amenity kits.

“Our Premium Economy product was carefully developed in keeping with Emirates’ brand positioning as a full-service airline of the highest quality,” Tim Clark, president of Emirates, said in a statement.

And looking over the cabin is the ghaf tree, the national tree of the UAE.

Emirates is saving the premium economy class-equipped aircraft for long-haul destinations including London, Paris, New York, and Frankfurt, Germany.

Moving back in the aircraft, economy class takes up the rest of the lower deck with 338 seats in total.

Seats are configured in the standard 10-abreast layout in a 3-4-3 configuration. But the A380 is so massive that there are still gaps between the window seats and the sidewalls.

New “ergonomically designed” seats have been installed that include adjustable leather headrests.