Emirates Debuts Ultra-Long-Range A350 with Premium Economy in Adelaide
Emirates has marked a significant fleet milestone by introducing its first ultra-long-range Airbus A350 to Adelaide, Australia. The aircraft arrived on December 1, 2025, making Adelaide the first city in Emirates’ global network to receive the long-range A350 variant featuring the airline’s newly developed Premium Economy cabin.
The A350-900ULR has assumed operations on Emirates’ flagship EK440/441 services between Dubai and Adelaide, replacing the Boeing 777-200LR that previously operated the route. This transition reflects Emirates’ broader strategy of modernizing its fleet with fuel-efficient, next-generation aircraft.
“While Emirates has been accepting the delivery of A350s for the past year, this is the first delivery of our long-range variant with the range and capability to fly from Dubai to Adelaide,” said Barry Brown, Divisional Vice President at Emirates covering Australasia. “Adelaide has been earmarked to receive this new aircraft for some time.”
The new schedule optimizes flight times, with EK440 departing Dubai at 02:00 local time and arriving in Adelaide at 20:50, while return flight EK441 departs Adelaide at 22:50 and lands in Dubai at 05:20 the next day.
The Premium Economy cabin represents a significant enhancement to the customer experience. Designed with meticulous attention to comfort and aesthetics, the cabin features cream-colored leather seating, wooden panel finishes, and fully adjustable seats with personal screens. Passengers enjoy priority boarding, dedicated check-in facilities, and generous baggage allowances, positioning Premium Economy as an attractive mid-tier offering between economy and business class.
Adelaide’s selection as the fifth and final Australian city to receive Premium Economy completes Emirates’ cabin modernization across its Australian network. The airline now operates its latest-generation aircraft across all five major Australian gateways: the four-class A380 to Melbourne, the four-class Boeing 777 to Melbourne, and the new A350 to Adelaide. This comprehensive fleet upgrade delivers 70 weekly return flights across Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and Melbourne.
The A350’s deployment demonstrates Emirates’ confidence in Adelaide as a strategic hub, while the introduction of Premium Economy addresses evolving passenger preferences for enhanced mid-tier travel experiences. With superior fuel efficiency and extended range capabilities, the A350 enables Emirates to maintain profitability on ultra-long-range routes while delivering improved passenger amenities. This development signals the airline’s commitment to network growth and customer experience enhancement across the Asia-Pacific region.
Source ID: SRCE-2025-1764860446258-1147