Emirates, the Dubai-based airline, is considering converting its order of 35 Boeing 787 Dreamliners into Boeing 777X aircraft, according to Adel Al Redha, the airline’s deputy chief executive and operations director. Al Redha mentioned this at the Arabian Travel Market 2026 in Dubai. The airline is evaluating several factors, including the availability of aircraft, the configuration of the cabins, and the requirements for expanding its network. Delays in the delivery schedule for the 787 may push the first deliveries beyond 2029. Emirates has ordered 35 Dreamliners—20 of the 787-8 and 15 of the 787-10—and must determine if these aircraft still meet its needs as its Airbus A350s gradually enter service and as it waits for its first 777X aircraft. According to Al Redha, Emirates has two options: to keep its order of 787s with a revised delivery schedule from Boeing, or to convert, fully or partially, the order into more 777X aircraft. Discussions with Boeing were expected to clarify the matter within two months of his statements. The main factor influencing this decision is the timeline. If Emirates were to keep its Dreamliners, the airline would not expect to receive the first units before the end of 2029. For an airline that relies on a high-capacity hub at Dubai, this delay directly impacts its ability to renew its fleet and open new routes. The 787 program is not on hold, but Boeing faced supply chain constraints in 2026, particularly on the GEnx engines and certain premium seats requiring regulatory certification. The manufacturer has stabilized production at eight aircraft per month, pending an improvement in engine deliveries that could allow for a target of ten aircraft per month. However, Emirates' dilemma is more complex than a simple choice between two Boeing aircraft. The Airbus A350, which offers a comparable positioning to the Dreamliner on medium-capacity long-haul markets, is already in commercial service with the airline since January 2025, with Edinburgh as its first destination. At the end of the 2025-2026 fiscal year, Emirates had 19 A350s in its fleet, serving 21 destinations. Its order book totaled 367 aircraft, including 54 A350s, 270 Boeing 777Xs, 35 Boeing 787s, and eight 777F freighters. This rapid introduction of the A350 may make the introduction of a third generation of large passenger aircraft less essential. The 787-8, which is smaller, and the 787-10, which has greater capacity, would have provided flexibility on routes where the Boeing 777-300ER is oversized. However, the A350 already fulfills a significant part of this role in Emirates' network. The Boeing 777X remains the cornerstone of Emirates' future long-haul operations. The airline is by far the largest customer of the program, with 270 aircraft on order. It now aims for a first delivery in the second quarter of 2027, pending aircraft certification.