A new airplane seat headrest model is generating a lot of discussion. It’s quite innovative indeed, with additional adjustment options and a look that’s very different from existing headrests. Personally, I think adjustable headrests are one of the most important features of an airline’s hard product!
At least at the back of the plane! Can this new headrest improve the experience? It just started being installed on Emirates’ new economy class seats, and the photo is circulating quite a bit.
We wanted to take the opportunity to also talk about comfort in economy class. Flytrippers helps you travel for less with our 3 types of content, namely flight deals, travel rewards, and tips/inspiration/news.
Here are the details of the new headrest type on Emirates.
What is the new headrest model on Emirates?
The new U-Dream headrest type from seat manufacturer Safran does indeed seem much more interesting than the usual headrests on planes.
It’s the only photo of this new product available online for now, courtesy of Reddit user Speedbird87. There will certainly be more later.
Apparently, this is a first worldwide, although some older aircraft had something somewhat similar.
Why is Emirates’ new headrest model going viral?
The new headrest model is supposed to offer much more comfort than other models and than basic neck pillows.
It does indeed look like a significant improvement.
The economy class experience is so terrible that it doesn’t take much to spark a bit of excitement and hope for progress.
The new headrest offers 8 adjustment options and “unrivaled neck and head support.”
It’s installed on the Safran Z400 economy class seat, which is designed to offer more comfort on long flights specifically itself. It offers more legroom and 13.3-inch screens, along with being lighter (which is great for fuel savings, but not necessarily for comfort levels).
If you want to be a flight pro, you need to know the difference between the hard product and the soft product on planes.
I’ll come back to it below, but in economy class, too, the hard product can still vary quite a bit. This new headrest is clearly a competitive advantage for Emirates, at least for those who value the improved support it provides.
The most common criticism since the photo started circulating has been about the hygiene aspect. Many mention passengers who drool in their sleep.
Yet it’s well known (or at least it should be for experienced travelers) that airplane interiors are extremely and terribly dirty. New headrests or not.
If that bothers you, bring cleaning wipes and use them on absolutely every surface in your personal space on the plane (seat, armrest, tray table, back of the seat in front of you, wall, etc.)!
Anyway, this headrest is certainly not revolutionary.
But it’s interesting to see a bit of innovation in economy class, since it’s been so rare over the past few decades.
(While business classes now have beautiful lie-flat pod seats and sliding doors, like the one I got to enjoy for 25 hours in April with just a single welcome bonus!!!)
If you’re interested, we recently shared the few rare innovations for the seat class where the vast majority of travelers sit:
- Bunk beds in economy class (coming in 2026)
- Economy class bed on United Airlines (coming in 2027)
- Double-decker seats (prototype that will probably never be adopted)
How many planes have Emirates’ new headrest model?
Emirates, the major Emirati airline based in Dubai (DXB), chose this seat model for the cabin modernization of some of its aircraft and for certain new aircraft.
It’s going to be gradually installed on 111 aircraft with the fleet retrofits of 2 models:
- A380
- B777-300ER
But also, their 50 A350 aircraft on order will be delivered with these seats.
The airline’s total fleet currently includes 251 planes, with an incredible 356 more on order.
In short, you’re not guaranteed to get these new seats and headrests just because you fly on Emirates.
And as we mentioned with the unveiling of the new Air Canada cabin, modernizing airplane fleets is extremely slow. Even the aircraft that will have these headrests won’t have them overnight.
But from a longer-term perspective for economy class comfort, let’s hope other airlines adopt these headrests.
What is the impact of headrests on economy class comfort?
It’s extremely easy to travel in a luxurious business class lie-flat pod seat for less than economy class, if you want.
I always sleep very well in those cases. But personally, after 600+ economy class flights, I’ve never managed to sleep well as someone who needs to be lying flat.
That said, I find that the main economy class feature that lets me rest a bit is definitely the adjustable headrest.
I’m rarely willing to pay more for one economy class over another, but the quality of the headrests (if they offer real support) is one of the aspects that would justify it… if it weren’t so hard to find information on their quality.
Because aside from providing more legroom and more comfortable seats, this headrest is pretty much the only other aspect of the hard product (the physical components of the airplane) that can be improved.
And it’s not as if airlines are trying very hard to improve the soft product (service, food, amenity kits, etc.) in economy class either…
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Summary
The new headrest model on Emirates, which has more adjustment options and a very different look, can certainly make economy class flights more comfortable. But it’s going to take time before it’s available on a significant number of aircraft.
What would you like to know about Emirates’ new headrest model? Tell us in the comments below.
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Featured image: Emirates’ headrest (photo credit: u/Speedbird87 on Reddit)
