Emirates pays $180 million to keep 4 Airbus A380s in its fleet for the long haul
July 11, 2025
Emirates is purchasing four Airbus A380s in a deal worth $180 million.
The deal was announced on 11 July by from Doric Nimrod Air Three Limited, a Guernsey-based investment firm.
The transaction covers aircraft with manufacturer serial numbers (MSNs) 132, 133, 134, and 136 — all previously leased to Emirates under a 12-year agreement since 2013.
The aircraft will be handed over between August 25 and November 14, 2025, with MSN 133 scheduled for an earlier transfer on August 27 to accommodate off-site maintenance outside Dubai.
Each aircraft is being sold for a combined total of $45 million, made up of $25 million for the aircraft title and an additional $20 million to cover return condition obligations, according to the company.
Why is Emirates buying these old Airbus A380s?
Doric Nimrod Air Three Limited acquired the four aircraft in 2013, specifically for lease to Emirates. With those 12-year leases now nearing their end, the company is taking the opportunity to transfer ownership to Emirates.
After 12 years, the residual value of the A380 is relatively low. At $25M per airframe, it may simply be cheaper to buy than to renegotiate another lease. Added to this, extending the lease may not have been an option Doric Nimrod was keen to offer.
Emirates is undertaking a $2 billion cabin retrofit programme, including full refurbishments of many A380s. Owning the jets gives them full freedom to make structural and systems modifications without lessor approval.
The deal underscores Emirates’ enduring investment in the Airbus A380 programme, an aircraft it helped bring to life.
Emirates placed the A380’s first formal order at the 2000 Farnborough Air Show, when it was still branded the A3XX. A year later, in the wake of 9/11, it doubled down with another order at the Dubai Air Show.
Over the following two decades, Emirates became synonymous with the A380, eventually taking delivery of 123 units, more than any other airline by far.
In 2021, it received the final A380 ever produced, cementing its role as the aircraft’s most prominent champion. Emirates plans to fly many A380s into the mid-to-late 2030s.
The A380 superjumbo: Declining but not gone
Although Airbus ended A380 production in 2021, citing waning demand for ultra-large aircraft, the jet remains a key part of Emirates’ long-haul strategy.
The aircraft continues to serve high-capacity routes to major hubs like London, Sydney, and New York, but it’s not just the big airports. In January, Copenhagen got the Emirates A380 back for the first time since 2020.
While many carriers have phased out their A380s entirely, Emirates’ renewed acquisition of second-hand units signals a different path. It reflects the airline’s bet on continued demand for high-capacity, premium-heavy air travel, especially across its Dubai-centred global network.
As the aircraft transition out of their lease agreements and into Emirates’ full ownership, the deal represents not just a financial transaction, but a reinforcement of Emirates’ long-standing commitment to an aircraft that has definedits brand.
