Emirates has introduced its first Airbus A350 to Adelaide, Australia, making it the first city in the airline’s global network to receive this ultra-long-range model featuring a new Premium Economy cabin.
In a statement, Emirates confirmed that the A350 landed in Adelaide on December 1, 2025, and was greeted by a traditional water cannon salute in the presence of officials from the South Australian government and airport.
“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,” said Barry Brown, Divisional Vice President at Emirates covering Australasia. “Adelaide has been earmarked to receive this new aircraft for some time.”
The A350-900ULR has taken over Emirates’ EK440/441 services, replacing the Boeing 777-200LR that was previously used on this route.
The new aircraft will also see the introduction of an updated schedule: EK440 departs Dubai at 02:00 local time and arrives in Adelaide at 20:50, while the return flight EK441 leaves Adelaide at 22:50 and lands in Dubai at 05:20 the next day.
The Premium Economy cabin features cream-colored leather, wooden panel finishes, fully adjustable seats, personal screens, and well-planned dining and amenity options. Passengers benefit from priority boarding, a special check-in area, and a generous baggage allowance.
According to Emirates, Adelaide is the fifth and final Australian city to feature the new cabin.
With the addition of Adelaide, Emirates’ entire Australian network is now served by its latest-generation aircraft, which includes the four-class A380, the four-class Boeing 777 from Melbourne, and the new A350 operating to Adelaide.
The introduction of the next-generation A350 in Adelaide further enhances the carrier’s Australian network, which currently operates 70 weekly return flights to and from its five major gateways – Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide.
