Emirates Introduces Airbus A380 NBA Cup Livery

DALLAS — Emirates (EK), the NBA's global airline partner and the inaugural title partner of the Emirates NBA Cup, will celebrate the upcoming basketball season with a nose-to-tail livery dedicated to the league. The livery is part of a marketing partnership and will begin flying across the airline’s global network next week.  

The Emirates-NBA A380 livery was a total repaint, fully executed in-house by the Emirates Engineering Aircraft Appearance Centre teams. The process took 24 days to execute, inclusive of stripping, painting and graphics application processes.  

Onboard Experience

From November 1 to December 17, passengers aboard the aircraft will experience NBA-inspired products and services on flights to and from 14 points in the U.S. and Canada.

Passengers in every cabin will see co-branded headrests, receive drinks served on specially designed coasters, and order from courtside-themed menus. The airline will serve sports-inspired dishes and beverages across all cabin classes and to passengers socializing at the Onboard Lounge on flights operated by the iconic A380 aircraft. Basketball fans can also watch select Emirates NBA Cup games live on Sport24 on ice, Emirates’ inflight entertainment system.

Before flights, customers can enjoy a limited-time NBA-themed menu at Emirates’ lounges in Dubai, New York JFK, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Boston.

Airline Comments

Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ executive vice president of corporate communications, marketing and brand said, “We are proud to be the Official Global Airline Partner of the NBA and the inaugural title partner of the Emirates NBA Cup... We hope to spread the passion and connect with fans across basketball-loving nations across our network. We also look forward to showcasing unique onboard experiences starting next month, with a host of NBA-themed products and services to inspire and delight our customers.”

The 2024 Emirates NBA Cup tips off on Tuesday, Nov. 12. Group play continues through Tuesday, Dec. 3, with each team playing four designated Group Play games on “Cup Nights” on Tuesdays and Fridays. Eight teams will advance to the Knockout Rounds. More information about the Emirates NBA Cup is available here.

Basketball lovers can own a special piece of the NBA with limited-edition replica aircraft models in the newly rolled-out livery, in addition to other merchandise available at the Emirates Official Store.