To signify a fruitful relationship with Emirates and the National Basketball Association (NBA), the airline is debuting a bold new look for the Airbus A380. This move was done in conjunction with the Emirates NBA Cup which will take place early in the 2024-2025 basketball season.

A Slam Dunk Design

Emirates has sent out a press release showing a special NBA-themed livery for one of the fleet's A380 aircraft. These planes feature a "nose-to-tail" redesign which features the NBA logo's color scheme of red, white, and blue.

The majority of the plane's body is a deep blue with a slightly lighter gradient in the middle for a classic look. The wings and tail are recolored to white. The Emirates logo was colored red with a white outline. The plane's engine cowls were also painted red. While the Arabic calligraphy was removed next to the logo in favor of an NBA logo and basketball design, the United Arab Emirates flag remains on the tail.

The project was done in-house by the Emirates Engineering Aircraft Appearance Centre in the span of 24 days. The first five days involve removing the plane of its original paint, with the remaining 19 days involving the actual painting and graphics applications.

The A380 will be in service starting October 22, where it will fly to and from New York City, Brisbane, and Cairo until November. From November 1 to December 17 during the Emirates NBA Cup, the plane will fly to and from 14 different cities across the United States and Canada. On board this aircraft, passengers can purchase special NBA memorabilia, enjoy sports-themed dishes, and watch live NBA Cup games during flights. Each seat will feature a co-branded headrest, and passengers will also receive limited edition co-branded coasters with ordered drinks.

Emirates lounges in Dubai, New York, Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco will also provide this special menu and broadcast live basketball for the airline's customers.

Emirates' Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications Boutros Boutros had this to say about the plane's new paint job:

“We are proud to be the Official Global Airline Partner of the NBA and the inaugural title partner of the Emirates NBA Cup. The new livery is a celebration of the marketing partnership and the game which brings people together from around the world, and 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 starts on Tuesday, November 12 with a game between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers. All 30 NBA teams will participate in the tournament, starting with a group stage and culminating in an eight-team tournament where the cup champion will be crowned on December 17 in Las Vegas.

Grab Your Very Own Replica

Just in time for the holidays, the Emirates Store offers a limited-edition 1:250 model of the NBA-themed A380. So in case you never get to see or board the special A380, you can purchase a model of it and cherish it forever. The product description reads:

"We’re courtside for every dunk, fast break, and steal at the NBA games. In February 2024, we became the Official Global Airline Partner of the National Basketball Association (NBA). We’re celebrating our partnership with the NBA and the love of basketball with a special livery on our A380 aircraft. Basketball fans who love to fly Emirates will enjoy this special edition NBA Emirates model aircraft in the same unique livery."
 

This plastic model costs $40, though Emirates customers can also exchange 8,889 Skywards Miles for one. At this time, it's not known how many have been produced, and will likely be available while supplies last.