Adelaide welcomes back Emirates

Adelaide Airport has welcomed the return of Emirates, with the first service arriving last night and now flying daily between Adelaide and Dubai. The route is serviced by Emirates’ Boeing 777-200LR offering 302 seats across business and economy class cabins.

Adelaide Airport Managing Director, Brenton Cox, said Emirates’ return was a critical piece of the airport’s complete aviation network designed to increase city-to-city connections, generate travel demand and grow the State’s economy.

“Our customers will again benefit from Emirates’ extensive global network, offering greater competition and customer choice - connecting through Dubai to Europe, Africa and even the US East Coast. Customers will also benefit from Emirates’ code-sharing and frequent flying joint venture arrangement with Qantas,” Mr Cox said.

“We’re delighted that Emirates has immediately returned to daily services – the same as pre-COVID frequencies - which is a real sign of confidence in the Adelaide market.

“The service will equally attract international visitors to Adelaide and be critical for our tourism economy, trade and our broader economy.

“The widebody Boeing 777-200LR aircraft creates improved air freight export opportunities for our local producers to Middle Eastern and European markets.

“Adelaide Airport is close to full recovery of its international network with China Southern returning in December and positive discussions continuing with Cathay Pacific for a potential return in the near future. Our focus is now on opening up new direct access to our large unserved markets like Japan, the United States, the Philippines, Vietnam and India.”

SA Premier, Peter Malinauskas, said: “The return of Emirates' daily service to Adelaide is significant for South Australia. We're not just welcoming back a world-class airline; we're re-opening South Australia's doors to the world, showcasing our beautiful state to over 220,000 potential visitors each year.

“This reconnection to Dubai and beyond will benefit our economy, creating jobs and opening up new opportunities for trade and tourism.

“With an estimated $160 million annual economic impact, including $62 million in tourism expenditure, this service will play a crucial role in our state's growth.

This is a clear vote of confidence in South Australia's future, and we're ready to make the most of it.”

SA Minister for Tourism, Zoe Bettison, said: “Last night we welcomed the first of the more than 220,400 Emirates passengers that are set to touch down in South Australia each year thanks to the daily return of this major international airline.

“Now South Australia is even more appealing to some of our key international markets, as Emirates eases the connection between our great state and over 130 destinations worldwide.

“Emirates’ return will be a major player in our efforts to grow the state’s international market, which is currently worth $1.3 billion to South Australia’s visitor economy.

“I look forward to seeing South Australia in Emirates’ global marketing programs, showcasing why we are a must-visit destination.”

Emirates’ EK440 arrives in Adelaide at 8.50pm and Emirates’ flight EK441 departs Adelaide at 10:40pm. Arrival and departure times in Dubai are timed to maximise connections with Emirates bank of flights and minimise connections times to onward flights to one-stop city-pairs.

Tickets can be purchased on www.emirates.com, Emirates Sales Offices, or via online and offline travel agents.