Emirates will launching two new Premium Economy services in Australia, with Perth set to become the fourth Australian city to receive the next-generation four-class A380, while Adelaide will receive Emirates’ first long-range A350.
With these upcoming upgrades, all five Australian cities served by Emirates will offer its latest generation aircraft and products; the four-class A380 across four cities, the four-class Boeing 777 from Melbourne, and the A350 from Adelaide.
By December 2025, 56 out of 77 of Emirates’ weekly services between Australia and Dubai will be operated by next-gen aircraft, offering passengers across all Australia access to the airline’s latest cutting-edge products, including over 5,000 weekly Premium Economy seats.
Barry Brown, Divisional Vice President Australasia at Emirates, said “Sydney was one of the first cities to receive our four-class A380 and the brand-new Premium Economy cabin in August 2022. Over the years, we further expanded our offerings in the market by introducing Emirates’ latest cutting-edge products in every Australian city we serve.
“By offering the Premium Economy and our next generation aircraft in Perth and Adelaide, this commitment has come full circle, placing Australia at the forefront of Emirates’ US$5 billion aircraft retrofit programme. By the end of the year, we will proudly service all five Australian cities in our network with this incredible product across eight daily services.
“The A350’s arrival to Adelaide has been highly anticipated and earmarked for some time. Deploying our first long-range A350 to Adelaide underscores our commitment to South Australia and providing travellers with an unparalleled travel experience.”
Onboard, Premium Economy customers can experience quiet luxury with cream-coloured leather and a wood panel finishing similar to Business Class. Each 19.5-inch seat is designed to provide optimal comfort and support, with 6-way adjustable headrests, a footrest and a generous recline. Each seat has a 13.3-inch screen, in addition to in-seat charging points and a wood-finished side cocktail table.
The ultimate Emirates A380 experience in Perth
Reaffirming Australia’s strategic importance in Emirates’ network, Perth will become the fourth Australian city to receive the latest generation A380 starting 26 October on its EK 420/421 services, which currently operate on a three-class A380.
Emirates’ flight EK420 departs from Dubai at 02:45hrs, arriving in Perth at 17:35hrs. The return flight EK421 departs Perth at 22:10hrs and arrives in Dubai at 05:15hrs the next day.
The four-class Emirates A380 features 14 First Class suites, 76 lie-flat seats in Business Class, 56 spacious Premium Economy seats and 322 generously pitched Economy seats. Launching for the first time in Perth, The Premium Economy cabin is located at the front of the main deck laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration.
The upgraded next-generation Business Class cabin boasts a new 1-2-1 configuration with direct aisle access, providing even more privacy and convenience. The airline’s 20.7-inch-wide Business Class seat converts to a flat-bed and reclines up to 78.6 inches. The Business Class seat’s 23-inch HD screen, one of the biggest in the skies, helps deliver the ultimate in-flight entertainment experience. Alongside First Class passengers, Business Class passengers will have access to Emirates A380 Onboard Lounge.
Kate Holsgrove, Perth Airport Chief Commercial and Aviation Officer said she was thrilled with the news that Perth passengers will have the opportunity to experience the full range of Emirates’ cabin classes, including its impressive Premium Economy cabin – “As Dubai is one of our most important routes, with Emirates providing 630k seats to and from Perth each year, it’s great news that business and leisure passengers will have more choice when travelling on the four-class A380 to and from Perth from 26 October.”
The first long-range Emirates A350 makes its global debut to Adelaide
Adelaide will be the first city in the Emirates network to receive the long-range Airbus A350 on its EK440/441 services beginning 1 December, which currently operate on a Boeing 777-200LR.
Emirates’ flight EK440 departs from Dubai at 02:05hrs, arriving in Adelaide at 20:05hrs. The return flight EK421 departs Adelaide at 21:50hrs and arrives in Dubai at 05:30hrs the next day.
In November 2024, Emirates took the delivery of its first A350 which first entered commercial service in January 2025 between Dubai and Edinburgh. Since, Emirates has expanded its short-haul and medium-haul A350 destinations. With the delivery of the first long-range A350 to Emirates, Adelaide will become the first city in Emirates network to receive the long-range A350. The Emirates Airbus A350-900ULR can stay in the air for up to 15 hours non-stop, with a range exceeding 14,000 km.
The Emirates A350 features three spacious cabin classes, accommodating 298 passengers in 32 next-generation Business Class lie-flat seats in a 1-2-1 configuration and a mini-bar for quick snacks, 28 Premium Economy seats and 238 generously pitched Economy Class seats. The introduction of the Premium Economy cabin and latest onboard products to Adelaide reflect Emirates’ commitment to delivering a premium passenger experience along with elevated comfort across every cabin class.
The most fuel-efficient large widebody aircraft in commercial service today, the A350 also offers the quietest twin-aisle cabin of any aircraft.
Zoe Bettison, South Australian Minister for Tourism, said “Emirates has been an incredible shot in the arm for our State’s economy, both for tourism and trade, so it is wonderful to see the international airline continue to invest in the route by launching the A350 in December. This investment from an international carrier is an incredible display of confidence in South Australia and its continual growth.
“The daily direct non-stop Emirates flights are generating more than $62 million per year in tourism expenditure for South Australia, and now the flight is even more attractive to potential international visitors thinking about coming here.
“Our State is the ultimate Australian destination, with our abundance of wildlife, world-class food and beverage, and non-stop major events calendar – now is the time for international visitors to fly direct and discover South Australia.
Brenton Cox, Managing Director at Adelaide Airport, said “We’re excited that Emirates has chosen Adelaide as its first global destination to welcome the new Airbus A350-900ULR, offering more seats, more cabin choice and longer range than the current Boeing 777-200LR.
“The introduction of Premium Economy seats is a significant upgrade and we think will prove very popular with South Australian travellers. These new generation aircraft are a game changer because they are ideally suited for connecting Adelaide with cities around the globe due to their size and range.”
Ongoing Commitment to Australia
Emirates operates 77 direct weekly services to and from five Australian gateways – Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide. Via its EK412/413 services, Emirates also operates 7 weekly services to Christchurch from Sydney, offering the only A380 experience from Australia across the Tasman Sea.
Last month, Emirates also launched its third daily non-stop service between Melbourne and Dubai. The new service debuted the newly retrofitted four-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to Australia, and marks two other Australia firsts; the introduction of the First Class Game Changer suites to Australia, plus Melbourne became the first Australian city in Emirates network to offer Premium Economy and latest generation products on all its services.
