flydubai to retro fit 21 Boeing 737MAX jets with lie-flat business class seats

Flydubai is entering a new phase of growth, with the Dubai-based airline preparing to take its fleet beyond 100 aircraft while simultaneously investing in the refurbishment of its existing Boeing 737 fleet.

The carrier says the combination of new aircraft, upgraded cabins and network expansion will support its next stage of development from its Dubai base.

Flydubai enters the next stage of its development

The airline announced on 15 September that it will take delivery of 11 additional Boeing 737 MAX aircraft throughout the rest of 2026. The deliveries comprise seven Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft and four Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, taking the fleet beyond the 100-aircraft mark.

Flydubai currently lists a fleet of 98 Boeing 737 aircraft, comprising Next-Generation 737-800s, 737 MAX 8s and 737 MAX 9s. At the Dubai Air Show in November 2025, the carrier ordered an additional 75 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

The 100-aircraft milestone is part of a wider fleet-modernisation strategy. According to a flydubai statement, the new aircraft will replace older aircraft while providing additional flexibility to increase capacity on high-demand routes and support the continued expansion of its network.

The newer-generation aircraft are also intended to maintain a younger and more fuel-efficient fleet.

The Boeing 737 MAX 9 will bring additional premium capacity. Flydubai says these aircraft will be configured with 16 business class seats and 156 economy class seats, compared with just 10 business class seats on some of its 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

The additional business class capacity is intended to address demand on key international routes and give the airline greater flexibility in deploying capacity.

Continuing to invest in passenger cabins

At the same time, flydubai is continuing to invest in the aircraft it already operates. The latest phase of its cabin retrofit programme began in September 2026 and will run over the following 12 months.

Twenty-one aircraft currently fitted with recliner-style business class seats are due to receive the airline’s signature lie-flat business class seats.

The refurbishment is not limited to premium seating. Flydubai will also replace existing overhead bins with Boeing’s larger ‘Space’ bins.

The airline says the upgraded bins can accommodate up to six standard-sized bags, compared with four in a standard overhead bin, potentially increasing cabin baggage capacity while helping to make boarding more straightforward.

The programme builds on an earlier multimillion-dollar investment covering the airline’s Next-Generation Boeing 737-800 fleet. That work introduced lie-flat business class seats, new economy class seats and inflight entertainment.

By extending the refurbishment to the 737 MAX fleet, flydubai says it is working towards a more consistent onboard product as new aircraft arrive and the overall fleet expands.

The airline had already completed the previous phase of its refurbishment programme by the end of 2025. In its full-year results, flydubai said eight further 737-800s had been retrofitted during 2025, bringing the total number of retrofitted aircraft to 25.

The carrier described the work as part of its effort to create a more cohesive experience across both business and economy class.

Network expansion continues despite Middle East tensions

The fleet changes are taking place against the backdrop of a rapidly expanding network. In an announcement on 14 September, flydubai said its network had grown beyond 125 destinations in 56 countries, with an average of 2,200 weekly flights.

The airline said it had restored operations to 85% of its network while continuing to add capacity and launch new destinations. This comes amid a backdrop of the US-Iran War, when almost all flydubai services came to a halt.

Recent network additions illustrate the breadth of that expansion. flydubai has resumed services to markets including Aleppo, while Bangkok has become a new destination in Southeast Asia.

The airline is also due to launch flights to Pokhara in Nepal on 23 September. It says almost 100 destinations across its network are underserved markets that previously had no, or very few, direct connections to Dubai.

The growth in aircraft numbers is therefore closely linked to the growth of the network. More aircraft provide flydubai with additional capacity to increase frequencies, introduce new routes and maintain services across its existing markets.

The airline’s September announcement also noted that customers can access a combined Emirates and flydubai network covering more than 214 unique destinations in over 100 countries.

Boeing 787 operations are coming in 2027

The next major change to the fleet will come from beyond the Boeing 737 family. Flydubai ordered 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliners at the Dubai Airshow in November 2023, marking its first wide-body aircraft order. The aircraft are scheduled to begin arriving from 2027, with the order valued by the airline at $11 billion.

Flydubai has said the arrival of the 787s will create opportunities to expand its network reach and strengthen its long-haul capabilities, while also adding capacity on existing routes.

In its 2025 customer-experience announcement, the airline described the forthcoming Dreamliners as an opportunity to offer greater comfort and service as its network develops.

An airline in transition

Taken together, the fleet milestone, cabin refurbishment and forthcoming 787 deliveries mark a significant transition for an airline that began operations in 2009.

The immediate focus is on crossing the 100-aircraft threshold with additional 737 MAX deliveries and bringing more of the existing fleet into line with its latest cabin product.

Beyond that, the arrival of the 787 from 2027 will give flydubai a widebody capability alongside its expanding narrow-body fleet.

For flydubai, the strategy is therefore not simply about adding aircraft. It is about increasing capacity, refreshing the passenger experience and extending the reach of a network that has already surpassed 125 destinations.

With further Boeing 737 MAX deliveries planned, a new 21-aircraft cabin retrofit programme underway and Boeing 787s scheduled from 2027, the airline is laying out the foundations for the next phase of expansion from its Dubai hub.