The honours keep rolling in for Adelaide and South Australia. At the end of a huge year for Adelaide Airport – one which has seen the start and restart of multiple routes, the unveiling of major expansion plans and even an Aussie-first lounge experience – the SA gateway has just become the first city in the Emirates’ global network to welcome the airline’s newest long-range A350.
The aircraft, which debuted on the route this week, also marks the arrival of Emirates Premium Economy in South Australia for the first time – and that gives Aussie leisure and business travellers even more choice when flying ex-SA.
The introduction places Adelaide alongside Emirates’ four other Australian gateways, all of which now feature the carrier’s latest generation aircraft and cabins.
The A350-900ULR (Ultra-Long-Range) takes over the daily EK440/441 service, replacing the Boeing 777-200LR.
As is tradition, the new aircraft landed to a water-cannon salute at the hub.
“Adelaide proudly becomes the first Australian city to welcome the Emirates A350,” Emirates Divisional Vice President Australasia Barry Brown said.
“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. Adelaide has been earmarked to receive this new aircraft for some time, underscoring our commitment to the South Australian capital.
“Premium Economy has proven incredibly popular, consistently achieving strong load factors to and from Australia, and we anticipate a similar strong demand in Adelaide for the cabin’s quiet luxury and customised experience.”
South Australian Minister for Tourism Zoe Bettison said the arrival of the new aircraft marked “another major aviation development” for SA tourism.
“It makes this flight even more attractive to potential visitors from key global markets, further boosting the more than $62 million that the Emirates’ daily direct non-stop flights generate in tourism expenditure in South Australia each year,” she stated.
“It is exciting that Adelaide has been the city chosen by Emirates to debut its new A350 aircraft and demonstrates the airline’s commitment to South Australia and its confidence in tourism and trade in our state.”
Market-fit
Adelaide Airport Managing Director Brenton Cox said the new revamped aircraft are “perfectly suited to our market” due to their size and range.
“Emirates has been a strong supporter of ours for more than a decade and this is another show of support for South Australian travellers and visitors to our state,” he remarked.
“The brand new Airbus A350-900ULR is state-of-the-art and offers the latest in technology and comfort, as well as offering more seats, and more cabin choice. The introduction of Premium Economy seats is similarly a significant win for our customers.”
Emirates’ A350 introduces updated cabins across all classes, including lie-flat Business seats, revised Economy layouts and a full Premium Economy section. New features include USB-C charging, Bluetooth pairing, aerBlade window blinds, upgraded wi-fi and the airline’s latest ice system with 4K screens and improved navigation.
With the switch to the A350 aircraft on the SA route, 56 of Emirates’ 70 weekly Australia–Dubai flights are now operated by next-generation aircraft, increasing overall consistency across the network.
KARRYON UNPACKS: This debut feels bigger than a simple aircraft swap. For South Australian travellers, Premium Economy has been a long-awaited upgrade, and for agents, it rounds out a clearer product story to sell. The long-range A350 also gives Emirates fresh appeal on a competitive route – and shows the carrier is committed to upping its game in every Australian gateway, not just the eastern capitals.
