I went on board Emirates’ new Airbus A350 — the new long-range jet competing with Boeing’s delayed 777X

This A350-900 was delivered to Emirates just two weeks earlier. It’s the third of 65 on order.

With room for 312 passengers, it has a maximum range of 7,700 miles — enough to fly from Los Angeles to Sydney.

The airline expects to have 21 A350s by March 2026. The first Boeing 777X isn’t expected to be delivered until 2026 — six years later than initially scheduled.

“For Emirates, it’s a new era. After COVID, the activity changed significantly, and it was also for us a good moment to change also our fleet, to refurbish and retrofit our aircraft,” said Thierry Aucoc, Emirates’ senior vice president for commercial (west).

“We consider that Emirates has to maintain a certain standard. We want to be an exceptional airline.”

Emirates is using the wide-body aircraft on both long-haul and short-haul routes.

The airline doesn’t have any single-aisle aircraft, so even regional flights have amenities like lie-flat seats and in-flight entertainment.

Emirates was a late adopter of the premium economy cabin, introducing it in 2022.

In this image, you can also see how the A350 has higher ceilings and larger overhead bins than the previous generation of airliners.

In premium economy, meals are served on proper crockery rather than the plastic trays of economy. Although, unlike many other airlines, both cabins offer metal cutlery.

Emirates first collaborated with the carmaker in 2014, to inspire its first-class product.

There were several flight attendants throughout the cabins who explained the various features of the seats and service. They came across as both passionate and friendly.

The seats are 18.4 inches wide.

The A350 can be configured in a 10-abreast layout, but this would reduce seat width. It has a narrower cabin than the Boeing 777X, where a 3-4-3 layout would be more common.

Typically, you’ll only find electronic blinds in business or first class. One exception is the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, but even that uses electronically dimmable windows rather than motorized blinds.

The A350’s aerBlade technology can be controlled by the cabin crew for takeoff and landing. It is also set to be installed in Emirates’ 777X planes.

In economy, there’s only a single blind — but premium economy and business class passengers also have the option of a shade.

Emirates is already known for its broad selection of movies and TV shows on offer, but the 4K screens take the resolution to another level.

It might not be evident in photos, but I was definitely impressed by the crisp colors and resolution.

There are USB-A and USB-C outlets — plus, you can connect your own Bluetooth headphones.

Economy seats also benefit from the same 13.3-inch screen as in premium economy.

The seat pitch, or distance between the same spot on one seat and the one in front, is 31 to 32 inches.

I thought this was a thoughtful touch compared to the typical dull, gray plastic — helping economy feel a little less like cattle class.

The bags include soft toys, blankets, activities, puzzles, and games.

Below the tree design, there was a countertop with bowls of snacks.

The cabin is arranged in a 1-2-1 layout so every seat has direct aisle access — unlike some of Emirates’ older planes in a 2-3-2 arrangement, but retrofits are ongoing to update this.

As well as a wireless charging port on the console, there’s an international charging outlet, and sockets for USB-C and USB-A cables.

Business class suites have a seat pitch of 44 inches, while the TV screens are 20 inches.

I also liked that the footwell was a regular shape. Some airlines’ are more askew, which can make things a bit uncomfortable when lying down.

Sliding doors are becoming more common in business class, but Emirates only has them in first class — which isn’t offered on the A350.

I think this is where your seat selection is most important. The business-class layout is staggered, with the console alternating between window-side and aisle-side. Choosing the latter would allow for more privacy, which is especially helpful if you want to sleep.

On the left is one of the airline’s most popular meal choices: Arabic mezze.

More fuel-efficient engines reduce the operating cost for airlines and help the environment. But these newer jets also make the experience more comfortable for passengers, with larger overhead bins and higher ceilings — not to mention the opportunities for new interiors and upgrades.