Emirates has launched the world’s first electrically powered Premium Economy seat, featuring a full-height privacy screen between every seat.
Emirates has introduced a new Premium Economy seat that the airline says is the first of its kind anywhere in the world. The seat is electrically powered, and it comes with a full-height privacy screen fitted between every passenger. Both features are firsts for a Premium Economy cabin, according to the Dubai carrier.
The new seat debuts on the airline’s newly delivered Airbus A350 aircraft. It is the first fully electric Premium Economy seat Emirates has offered, which means passengers can adjust their seating position at the touch of a button rather than using a manual lever. The announcement was made on September 3, 2026.
Emirates has installed the seats in a 2-3-2 layout, with just 28 seats in the Premium Economy cabin. Each seat is 20 inches wide and offers a pitch of up to 39 inches. The seats recline into a cradle position, and they do so without pushing back into the space of the passenger in the row behind.
The launch builds on a cabin the airline first introduced in 2022. Since then, Emirates has expanded Premium Economy across its growing fleet, and the product is now available on routes served by its A350 aircraft, along with selected A380s and retrofitted Boeing 777s. The airline has said Premium Economy will reach 99 destinations by the end of 2026.
Emirates A350 Premium Economy Privacy Screen Explained
The headline feature is the privacy divider. Unlike the low dividers found in most Premium Economy cabins, the Emirates screen extends to the full height of the seat. The airline says this is the first full-height adjustable privacy divider offered in Premium Economy anywhere in the world.
Passengers control the screen themselves. Using the seat controls, a traveler can raise or lower the divider and lock it into position once it is fully extended. The idea is to give each person more control over their personal space, whether they want to sleep, eat, or work during a flight without the sense of sitting shoulder to shoulder with a stranger.
Because fitting doors to Premium Economy seats is not practical, a divider of this kind is the closest the cabin class comes to the enclosed feel of Business Class. The move places Emirates Premium Economy a step nearer to the privacy that premium cabins are known for.
Electrically Powered Seat and Comfort Features
The seat itself is fully electric for the first time in the airline’s Premium Economy cabin. Passengers adjust their position through an integrated Passenger Control Unit, which includes preset options such as lounge mode and meal mode. Each of these settings moves the seat into a chosen position at the press of a button.
Emirates has also added its U-Dream headrest to the new seat. Made from leather, the headrest has adjustable wings designed to support the head and neck, and it can be set into several positions. The airline is rolling the headrest out across both Economy and Premium Economy, and it has said all A350 aircraft will have it installed across those cabins by the end of the year.
A manually deployable leather footrest is fitted to reduce leg fatigue on longer flights. Wireless charging is included as well, marking the first time Emirates has offered it in Premium Economy. Every seat also has USB-C charging, and the tray table comes with an integrated phone holder that can be used as a second screen.
Inflight Entertainment and Cabin Upgrades on the A350
The new cabin carries Emirates’ ice inflight entertainment system on a 13.3-inch 4K HDR touchscreen. On the newly delivered A350 aircraft, passengers will also have access to extra exterior camera views. Alongside the existing forward and downward-facing cameras, travelers can now switch to left and right aircraft views, offering different perspectives during take-off, landing, and the flight itself.
Dining in Premium Economy is served on Royal Doulton fine china, with linen napkins and Robert Welch cutlery. The airline offers a selection of premium drinks to Premium Economy passengers, and on long-haul flights, travelers receive reusable amenity kits created in partnership with United for Wildlife. Those kits are made using bio-based materials, including alternatives to leather derived from cactus.
Dubai International Airport will act as the main hub for the new A350 Premium Economy product. With the electric seat and full-height privacy screen now unveiled, Emirates has added another set of features to a cabin it has steadily expanded since 2022, giving passengers in the middle tier more of the comfort and privacy usually associated with the front of the aircraft.
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