Emirates has taken the final step in the restoration of its Australia capacity announcing its return to Adelaide. A daily service will relaunch between the South Australia capital and the airline’s Dubai hub on October 28, 2024.
The reinstated service will facilitate the growing travel demand to and from South Australia and allow passengers to travel conveniently between more than 140 destinations across Emirates’ global network, offering a wide range of choice, flexibility and connectivity.
Emirates first launched its Adelaide services in 2012 and carried more than 165,000 passengers between Dubai and Adelaide in 2019. By December 1, when Emirates also reinstates its second daily service to Perth, the airline will offer 77 weekly flights from Australia with the ability to transport 68,000 passengers per week to and from Australia, returning to its pre-pandemic capacity.
Emirates’ return is a major milestone for South Australia’s pandemic recovery. The tourism expenditure of daily direct non-stop Emirates’ flights is estimated by the South Australian Tourism Commission to generate more than USD 62 million per year and create in excess of 315 full-time equivalent tourism-related jobs for South Australians.
“Reinstating Emirates flights to Adelaide has been a key priority for the State Government. Emirates once again flying daily direct into Adelaide will further drive South Australia’s economic growth – set to deliver an estimated USD 160 million in tourism expenditure and freight exports and create more than 315 full-time tourism-related jobs for South Australians,” stated South Australia Premier, Peter Malinauskas.
“The Emirates service has been very much missed by South Australians – recommencing daily flights will make Adelaide easier to reach from key long-haul markets and make doing business with our state easier.”
South Australian Minister for Tourism, Zoe Bettison, added, “This is a major recovery milestone for our state’s tourism industry, providing a crucial link into South Australia’s traditionally strong European markets, as well as the UK, Middle East, India, and the east coast of the US. The reinstatement of direct daily Emirates flights into Adelaide is expected to generate more than $62 million in tourism expenditure alone – a major boost to our state’s visitor economy,”
“It is exciting that South Australia will once again feature in Emirates’ global marketing programs, getting more eyes around the world on SA and helping drive an increase in visitors to our state.”
South African Tourism has announced the 2024 edition of its annual India roadshow. Serving as an essential tool in promoting travel and tourism for the Rainbow Nation, the roadshow for the first time ever will enter Jaipur. Scheduled from February 12 to 16, 2024, the event will further move to other significant Indian cities, namely – Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, and Mumbai in the respective order.
Barry Brown, Divisional Vice President Australasia at Emirates said that the return of Emirates to Adelaide has been highly anticipated by passengers and industry for some time. “We are equally as excited to again service South Australia and provide the state with opportunities across leisure, culture and tourism and support trade growth opportunities through our connection to Dubai and onwards to destinations worldwide.”
“This is great news for our customers who will once again benefit from Emirates’ extensive global network via Dubai. It offers greater competition and choice for travellers, including through Emirates’ code-sharing arrangement with Qantas, connecting through the Middle East to Europe and Africa. Equally it creates significant tourism and wider economic opportunities in attracting international visitors to Adelaide,” shared Adelaide Airport Managing Director, Brenton Cox.
“We’re delighted that Emirates will immediately return to daily services – the same as pre-COVID frequencies – which is a real sign of confidence in the Adelaide market. The widebody Boeing 777-200LR aircraft also creates improved air freight export opportunities for our local producers to Middle Eastern and European markets.”
Operating daily on the Boeing 777-200LR aircraft with 38 Business Class seats alongside 264 seats in Economy Class, the Adelaide service will offer 302 seats per flight and over 4,200 weekly seats between Dubai and Adelaide. Emirates Business Class on the Adelaide service will feature a 2-2-2 configuration.
With Emirates’ network of more than 140 destinations around the world, the relaunch of the Emirates Dubai-Adelaide service provides a vital link to South Australia’s traditionally strong European markets, as well as the United Kingdom, Middle East, India, and the east coast of the United States.
The flight schedule connects passengers with Emirates’ prime European arrival and departure times offering a seamless travel experience and optimal connections of less than four hours.
With Dubai being a key global connection point, travellers are expected to venture from Adelaide to London, Rome, Dubai, Paris, Amsterdam, Manchester, Athens, Dublin, Barcelona, and Milan. Top inbound are expected to be London, Manchester, Dubai, Birmingham, Paris, Amsterdam, Glasgow, Frankfurt, and Dusseldorf.
Emirates currently serves Australia with 63 weekly flights to Brisbane, Perth, Sydney and Melbourne, operated by a mix of A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft transporting 56,000 passengers per week to and from these major cities.
The airline has recently announced doubling its Premium Economy offering on flights to Melbourne which started on February 1, adding to the two daily four-class A380 services to Sydney. From October 1, Emirates will upgauge its second service between Dubai and Brisbane to an A380, creating an all A380 operation from Brisbane. From December 1, Emirates will reinstate its second Perth service on a Boeing 777-300ER, joining the existing A380 service.
