Emirates officially unveiled its first Airbus A350-900 in Dubai on 27 November 2024, the first new aircraft type to join the Emirates fleet since 2008. The public event was hosted by Emirates Chairman Sir Tim Clark and attended by many dignitaries from the United Arab Emirates. Emirates Group Chief Executive Officer, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said the introduction of the Airbus A350 was a milestone for Emirates, providing additional range, efficiency, flexibility and network expansion, as well as access to new markets.
In addition to the existing wide-body aircraft in the fleet, the Airbus A380 and Boeing 777, the Airbus A350 will enable Emirates to expand to new global destinations, including airports not suitable for larger aircraft such as the A380 and Boeing 777.
Emirates’ 65 A350 aircraft on order will be delivered in two versions, one for regional and medium-haul routes and the other for ultra-long-haul. The short- and medium-haul A350 has a capacity of 312 passengers and offers three cabin classes: 32 “next generation” seats in Business Class, 21 seats in Premium Economy Class and 259 seats in Economy Class.
Emirates has continued to be committed to providing a superior passenger experience and travel comfort as one of its goals in the design of the A350 and the services it offers. With luxurious leather seats inspired by the Mercedes S-Class, as well as a host of other tech features and capabilities, Emirates’ A350 is one of the best business classes on any airline. Since its launch in 2022, Emirates’ award-winning Premium Economy Class with its adjustable, spacious leather seats offers a travel experience similar to that of many other airlines’ business classes, but at a competitive price, making it more accessible to a wider range of passengers. Economy Class features newly designed, more comfortable seats and a completely new headrest. High ceilings, larger overhead bins, wider aisles and seat configurations (1-2-1 in Business, 2-3-2 in Premium Economy and 3-3-3 in Economy) provide more space and privacy for every passenger. Other enhancements include new window shade technology, USB-C charging at every seat regardless of class, a range of new and improved features on the touchscreens at every seat, faster Wi-Fi, a newly designed, elegant interior, the quietest cabin of any wide-body aircraft, more complimentary snacks available, regionally inspired meals from award-winning restaurants, the best beverage offering and a host of other improvements.
The Emirates Airbus A350 is scheduled to make its first commercial inaugural flight on 3 January 2025 on a flight to Edinburgh, and will also fly to Bahrain, Muscat, Kuwait, Lyon, Bologna, Colombo, Mumbai and Ahmedabad in the coming months. With the arrival of the second very long-haul version of the A350, Emirates will be able to connect Dubai to the most distant destinations such as North America, with new potential destinations to be announced in 2025.
