On December 1st, Emirates marked a milestone in its Australian operations by sending its first A350-900ULR to Adelaide. In becoming the first city in Emirates’ global network to receive the ultra-long-range A350, Adelaide now offers EK’s new Premium Economy and has become the 5th and final city in Emirates’ Australian network to feature this cabin.
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Operating on EK440/441 services, the Airbus A350-900ULR has replaced the Boeing 777-200LR. Emirates’ flight EK440 departs from Dubai at 02:00hrs, arriving in Adelaide at 20:50hrs. The return flight EK441 departs Adelaide at 22:50hrs and arrives in Dubai at 05:20hrs the next day (all times are local).
All 5 Australian cities served by Emirates now offer its latest generation aircraft, products and Premium Economy cabin: the four-class A380 across four cities, the four-class Boeing 777 from Melbourne, and the A350 from Adelaide.56 out of 70 of Emirates’ weekly services between Australia and Dubai are now operated by Emirates’ next-generation aircraft, offering passengers across all Australia access to the airline’s latest cutting-edge products, including over 5,000 weekly Premium Economy seats between Australia and Dubai.
Introducing the A350 to Adelaide and Australia
In November 2024, Emirates took the delivery of its first A350, which first entered commercial service in January 2025 between Dubai and Edinburgh. Since then, Emirates has expanded its short haul and medium haul A350 destinations.
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 A350 is the most fuel-efficient large widebody aircraft in commercial service today and also offers the quietest twin-aisle cabin of any aircraft.
The Emirates A350 features three classes, accommodating 298 passengers in 32 next-generation Business Class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, 28 Premium Economy seats in a 2-3-2 configuration and 238 Economy Class seats in a 3-3-3 configuration.
The introduction of the Premium Economy cabin and latest onboard products to Adelaide reflects Emirates’ commitment to delivering a premium passenger experience along with elevated comfort across every cabin class. Business Class on the Emirates A350 features luxurious leather lie flat seats, called the ‘S Lounge seats’, inspired by the Mercedes S Class, plus a mini bar for inflight snacks. Economy Class has seats in an uplifting and elegant light blue, with luxurious bronze-coloured armrests creating a sophisticated look, and a brand new 6-way adjustable headrest on seats.
A350 passengers can also look forward to cutting-edge tech touches like wireless charging in Business Class, new aerBlade electric window blinds with the Emirates Ghaf tree motif when closed in premium classes, new touchscreen call bell buttons on ice inflight entertainment screens, 5 aircraft camera views and improved inflight live map experience, 60-watt USB-C charging in every seat, and the ability to pair personal Bluetooth headphones.
The airline’s next-generation version of the ice inflight entertainment system on the A350 delivers a cinematic experience with stunning 4K and 4K HDR displays on ultra-responsive touchscreens. Passengers will enjoy seamless navigation and innovative features such as the ability to skip credits and intros, and an ‘eye comfort mode’ to reduce blue light exposure, among many other enhancements.
The A350 also offers high-performance Wi-Fi, offering uninterrupted global connectivity using ViaSat’s Global Xpress (GX) satellite network, with improved Wireless Access Points (WAPs) onboard allowing more customers to enjoy up to 10 times the current total aircraft bandwidth on average.
Adelaide and the new Premium Economy
Each 19.5-inch seat is designed to provide optimal comfort and support, with 6-way adjustable headrests, a footrest and a 40-inch recline. Each seat has a 13.3-inch screen, in addition to in-seat charging points, Bluetooth connectivity for personal headsets, plus a wood-finished side cocktail table.
The Premium Economy dining experience includes a welcome drink served in fine glassware, and a selection of meals made with seasonal ingredients, served on Royal Doulton china tableware with Robert Welch stainless-steel cutlery. Premium Economy customers are also offered an extended beverage list that includes vintage wines from Emirates’ Business Class list, including a sparkling Chardon and Chandon Vintage Brut 2017.
Passengers in Premium Economy are provided with complimentary amenity kits made with sustainable and recycled materials and soft, alongside sustainably made blankets and a generously sized pillow, both designed uniquely for Premium Economy. Passengers also benefit from priority boarding, a dedicated check-in area at Dubai Airport and a baggage allowance of up to 35kg.
Commitment to Australia
The introduction of the next-generation A350 to Adelaide further strengthens Emirates’ extensive Australian network, which currently operates 70 weekly return services to and from its 5 major gateways – Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide.
In October, Emirates welcomed the delivery of its retrofitted four-class A380 to Perth. The new aircraft debuted Emirates Premium Economy to the west coast, giving West Australians access to Emirates latest generation products and services.