Emirates is accelerating the deployment of its state-of-the-art Airbus A350 and retrofitted Boeing 777 aircraft, bringing its acclaimed Premium Economy and latest cabin products to more travellers across its global network. The expansion covers 10 new cities and additional frequencies to key existing destinations, enhancing capacity and connectivity ahead of peak travel demand.

From mid-2026, Emirates will introduce extra daily services to Copenhagen, Phuket, and Cape Town—all operated by the next-generation A350. These new flights not only provide passengers with greater travel flexibility but also feature the airline’s latest cabin interiors, ensuring a superior onboard experience.

By 1 July 2026, Emirates will offer Premium Economy on more than 84 routes, underscoring its commitment to delivering a consistent and elevated customer experience worldwide.

New A350 services to Copenhagen, Phuket and Cape Town

Starting 1 June, Emirates will add a second daily flight between Dubai and Copenhagen. The new service, EK153, will depart Dubai at 14:50 and arrive in Copenhagen at 19:45. The return flight, EK154, leaves Copenhagen at 21:35 and lands in Dubai at 05:55 the next day.

The schedule is designed to provide seamless onward connections via Dubai to destinations across East Asia, including Bangkok, Bali, Manila, and Tokyo Haneda, as well as to Colombo, Male, Nairobi, and Entebbe.

A third daily service between Dubai and Phuket will commence on 1 July. EK390 will depart Dubai at 22:40, arriving in Phuket at 08:10 the following day. The return flight, EK391, leaves Phuket at 10:00, arriving in Dubai at 13:05. The extra frequency caters to strong holiday-season demand and supports smooth connections to key European and Middle Eastern cities such as London, Paris, Frankfurt, and Kuwait.

On the same day, 1 July, Emirates will also launch a third daily service between Dubai and Cape Town, operated by the latest A350. EK778 will leave Dubai at 10:25, arriving in Cape Town at 18:05, while EK779 will depart Cape Town at 20:00 and land in Dubai at 07:25 the following morning. The additional flight strengthens travel links between southern Africa, Europe, and Asia, supporting both leisure and business travel demand.

Emirates’ double-daily Cape Town flights have continued to record strong load factors throughout the year, driven by growing inbound traffic from the GCC and sustained outbound demand to Europe and the U.S. East Coast.

The A350 fleet will also be introduced on the Rome route from 29 March and Taipei from 1 May, expanding the airline’s latest onboard offering to more international gateways.

Broadened Premium Economy network

Europe & North America

• Barcelona and Mexico City: From 1 February, EK187/188 will be operated by a retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER. The linked EK255/256 service between Barcelona and Mexico City will feature a three-class Boeing 777-200LR with Premium Economy from 15 February.

• Rome: Daily EK099/100 will transition to the A350 from 29 March.

• Copenhagen: A second daily A350-operated flight begins 1 June (EK153/154).

Asia

• Cochin: Two weekly EK530/531 flights (Thursday and Sunday) will operate with a retrofitted Boeing 777-200LR from 29 January.

• Karachi: Daily EK606/607 will feature the upgraded Boeing 777-200LR from 1 March.

• Taipei: EK386/387 will temporarily operate with the 777-200LR from 15 March before switching to the A350 from 1 May.

• Phuket: Third daily A350 service effective 1 July (EK390/391).

Australia

• Brisbane: From 29 March, daily EK430/431 flights will be operated by a retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER, complementing the A380 already featuring Premium Economy.

Africa

• Addis Ababa: Daily EK723/724 will transition to a retrofitted Boeing 777-200LR from 1 March.

• Cape Town: A third daily A350 service takes effect 1 July 2026.

Middle East

• Basra: Thursday’s EK947/948 flight will upgrade to a four-class Boeing 777-300ER from 29 January.

• Kuwait City: EK859/860 will operate with a retrofitted Boeing 777 from 1 February to 30 April, followed by the A350 from 1 May.

• Tehran: Daily EK979/980 flights will shift to a four-class retrofitted Boeing 777 beginning 29 March.

Tickets are available for purchase via emirates.com, the Emirates App, Emirates retail stores, and through authorized online and offline travel agents worldwide.

Riyadh Air and Saudia have announced the implementation of the first phase of their Strategic Cooperation Agreement, marking a major step in strengthening connectivity under Saudi Arabia’s National Aviation Strategy.

The partnership builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in November 2023 and enables the two airlines to expand travel options for domestic and international passengers.

As part of the first phase, Riyadh Air has established a connection with Saudia’s Passenger Service System (PSS), allowing the carriers to implement their codeshare across their respective technology platforms.

Under the RX-SV codeshare, Riyadh Air will place its “RX” designator on selected Saudia-operated flights from Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport to six domestic destinations: Abha, Al Qassim, Dammam, Jeddah, Medina and Tabuk.

The agreement will give Riyadh Air passengers access to additional destinations worldwide through convenient connections in Riyadh. For example, travelers from Dammam can connect via Riyadh to Madrid on a single ticket, while passengers flying from Kuala Lumpur can connect through Riyadh to Medina.

By using Saudia’s frequent services between Riyadh and the six codeshare destinations, Riyadh Air will offer passengers more convenient connections aligned with the arrival and departure schedules of its flights at Riyadh.

Both airlines operate within the King Khalid International Airport Terminal 1-4 complex, enabling passengers to benefit from streamlined connections, single-ticket journeys and through-checked baggage to their final destinations.

The first phase represents a significant step toward deeper cooperation between Saudi Arabia’s two national carriers and supports the Kingdom’s broader ambitions to expand its global aviation network.

Source: aaco.org

SalamAir has announced the establishment of Salalah’s first-ever airline base, marking a major step in the airline’s expansion and strengthening direct international connectivity from Oman’s Dhofar Governorate.

The new Salalah-based operation will initially serve three international destinations: Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Chattogram in Bangladesh and Calicut in India. Bookings opened on August 26, with flights scheduled to begin from the end of October as part of SalamAir’s Winter 2026 schedule.

The base follows SalamAir’s expanded operations during the 2026 Khareef season, when the airline increased capacity on the Muscat-Salalah route to as many as 15 daily flights during peak periods.

The airline also introduced special domestic fares for Omani nationals, with one-way tickets starting from OMR 9.99, supporting affordable travel between Muscat and Salalah.

The new base is expected to extend SalamAir’s role beyond the Khareef season by supporting year-round travel demand among residents and expatriate communities in Dhofar while offering more direct access to key regional and international destinations.

Operations from Salalah will be supported by SalamAir’s Airbus A320neo and A321neo fleet. The airline currently operates 18 aircraft, providing additional flexibility to support growing demand across its network.

During the winter season, SalamAir will also operate charter flights linking Salalah with Astana and Almaty in Kazakhstan, supporting inbound tourism from Central Asia.

The Salalah base forms part of SalamAir’s wider strategy to expand its network from key airports across Oman, develop underserved markets and stimulate new travel demand while supporting the growth of the Sultanate’s aviation and tourism sectors.

Source: ZAWYA