- Premium Economy to launch in 9 new cities and expand to additional flights in two existing destinations
- Additional daily frequencies with next-gen A350 to Copenhagen, Phuket and Cape Town layer on more capacity and enhanced onboard experience ahead of peak travel demand
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 9 January 2026 - Emirates will continue rolling out its retrofitted Boeing 777 and new A350 aircraft to key destinations across Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Australia, bringing Premium Economy and its latest onboard products to more cities across its network. The airline will deploy its A350 on new daily services to Copenhagen, Phuket and Cape Town, adding an extra frequency and offering customers greater connectivity alongside an elevated onboard experience. Additional frequencies to Copenhagen, Phuket and Cape Town will complement existing schedules and provide much-needed capacity to meet the anticipated surge in summer travel demand.
Customers can look forward to Emirates' award-winning Premium Economy experience, complete with extra legroom and added amenities, elevated dining, and more. The airline will deploy its Premium Economy retrofitted A380, Boeing 777 and A350 aircraft with the latest cabin interiors on more than 84 routes by 1 July, underscoring its focus on delivering a premium and consistent experience across its network.
Additional flights and capacity to Copenhagen, Phuket and Cape Town
From 1 June, a second daily service will be introduced between Dubai and Copenhagen; a third daily service between Dubai and Phuket and a third daily to/from Cape Town will come into effect from 1 July. All three services will be operated with the airline's latest A350 aircraft, featuring its award-winning Premium Economy, in addition to the latest Business and Economy Class cabins.
From 1 June, Emirates' flight EK153 will depart Dubai to Copenhagen at 14:50hrs, arriving at 19:45hrs. The return flight, EK154, will depart Copenhagen at 21:35hrs, arriving in Dubai at 5:55hrs the following day.** The new service is optimally timed to provide seamless connections from Copenhagen to popular destinations via Dubai, including Australia. Passengers travelling from key global cities, such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide, will also benefit from the additional frequency to the Danish capital, with convenient onward connection times through Dubai.
From 1 July, Emirates' flight EK390 will depart Dubai to Phuket at 22:40hrs, arriving at 08:10hrs the following day. The return flight, EK391, will depart Phuket at 10:00hrs, arriving in Dubai at 13:05hrs. Travellers will benefit from additional travel options to the popular resort destination, which offers an early morning arrival ideal for those connecting from Australia via Dubai. The new flight will also provide convenient onward connection times from Phuket to key gateways across Europe and the Middle East, including Australia.
1 July will also see EK778 departing Dubai at 10:25 hrs, arriving in Cape Town at 18:05 hrs; the return flight, EK779, will depart Cape Town at 20:00 hrs and arrive in Dubai at 07:25 hrs the following morning. The departure offers travel options with optimised connections from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide. Beyond leisure, the third daily flight opens new opportunities for corporate travellers to access key Asian markets.
Emirates' double daily Cape Town service has seen consistently high load factors over the past year, particularly during peak periods. Inbound demand from the GCC continues to grow, while outbound traffic to Europe and the US East Coast remains strong.
The airline will also operate its A350 to Rome and Taipei from 1 May.
Premium economy expands on Australian routes
From 29 March, daily flights from Brisbane on EK430 departing from Dubai at 2:30 hrs, arriving in Brisbane at 21:50 hrs and EK431; the return flight will depart from Brisbane at 1:55 hrs and will arrive in Dubai at 10:30 hours. The flights will be operated by a retrofitted four-class Boeing 777-300ER, joining the A380 retrofitted service introduced last year.
As of 1 December 2025, Adelaide now offers Emirates' new Premium Economy and has become the fifth and final city in Emirates' Australian network to feature the highly awarded cabin. Passengers can now fly Premium Economy from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide in the highly awarded Premium Economy cabin.
Connectivity and Commitment to Australia
Emirates' extensive network and well-positioned hub in Dubai make it an ideal stopover point for passengers travelling between Australia and onwards to over 40 European destinations, offering seamless connectivity, minimal transit times and world-class airport facilities.
Emirates has been deeply committed to Australia for nearly three decades and its investment in the country goes well beyond the flights it operates. Emirates has also made an investment of over $230 million into a formidable portfolio of sponsorships across sports and art in Australia, including the Australian Open, Collingwood Football Club and Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, the Emirates App, or via both online and offline travel agents as well as Emirates' retail stores.
