Emirates to introduce A350 on third daily Dubai–Cape Town flight

Emirates is set to deploy its next-generation Airbus A350 aircraft on the third daily service between Dubai and Cape Town, marking the aircraft’s first operation in Southern Africa and further strengthening air connectivity between South Africa and the Middle East.

The airline said the enhanced service, which will commence on July 1, will make South Africa the only African country in Emirates’ network to be served by all three aircraft types in its fleet – the A380, the fully retrofitted Boeing 777 and the new A350. The move underscores Emirates’ commitment to offering customers greater choice, flexibility and a consistent premium travel experience.

Emirates Regional Manager for Southern Africa, Afzal Parambil said the diverse fleet mix allows travellers to enjoy the airline’s latest products across its three South African gateways while maintaining the globally recognised Emirates service standards on every flight.

In addition to Cape Town, Emirates announced expanded A350 operations on new or additional daily services to Copenhagen and Phuket, aimed at meeting rising demand ahead of the peak winter travel season. By July 1, the airline expects to operate aircraft featuring its Premium Economy cabin and latest interiors on more than 84 routes worldwide.

From June 1, Emirates will introduce a second daily service between Dubai and Copenhagen, followed by a third daily service to both Phuket and Cape Town from July 1. All three routes will be operated using the A350, offering Premium Economy alongside upgraded Business and Economy Class cabins.

The additional Copenhagen service is designed to provide smoother connections via Dubai to destinations in East Asia, South Asia and Africa, while also benefiting passengers travelling from key cities in Australasia and Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, the third daily Cape Town frequency is expected to cater to strong leisure and corporate demand, with optimised connections to Europe, Asia and Australasia.

Emirates also noted sustained high load factors on its existing double daily Cape Town services, driven by growing inbound demand from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and steady outbound traffic to Europe and the US East Coast.

Beyond these routes, Emirates continues to roll out Premium Economy across Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East, with planned upgrades to cities including Rome, Taipei, Barcelona, Brisbane and Kuwait City.

Tickets for all services are available via the Emirates website, mobile app, travel agents and the airline’s retail outlets.

-ASEAN FOOD & TRAVEL