Emirates Announces First 9 Destinations to Join Its A350 Network

Emirates announces its A350 aircraft will serve the first set of destinations. Emirates plans to deploy this new craft into service in September 2024. With 10 new A350s expected to join the Emirates fleet by 31 March 2025, the airline plans to deploy its latest aircraft type to 9 destinations in the coming months. In addition to experiencing a new craft, Emirates is also offering customers its latest signature cabin experiences.

These first 10 Emirates A350 aircraft will offer three cabin classes. This includes 32 next-generation Business Class seats, 21 seats in Premium Economy, and 259 generously pitched Economy Class seats. Emirates earmarks all of these aircraft to serve short to medium-haul cities on its network. Emirates announces that it will set Bahrain as the inaugural destination.

As the first Emirates A350s begin entering the fleet, the airline will offer customers more opportunities to experience its highly acclaimed Premium Economy product. Additionally, travellers can also sample its next-generation Business Class cabins for the first time.

Newly delivered aircraft sporting the airline’s latest cabins will roll into scheduled service to the following cities:

In the Middle East/GCC

Emirates will operate its first A350 to Bahrain on the daily EK839/840 service from 15 September. The frequency of A350 services will progressively increase to cover two Bahrain services with the second service starting on 1 November.
The first Emirates A350 will land in Kuwait on the daily EK853/854 service on 16 September.
Emirates will serve Muscat’s daily route EK866/867 with the A350 starting from 1 December.

West Asia

The Emirates A350 will be deployed on EK502/503 to Mumbai from 27 October.
Emirates will serve Ahmedabad’s daily EK538/539 by the A350 from 27 October.
Colombo’s fourth daily service EK654/655 will be served by the A350 from 01 January 2025.

Europe

Emirates will operate daily flights to Lyon with the Emirates A350 starting from 1 December.
Emirates will commence service to Bologna with the A350 aircraft from 1 December.
Edinburgh will rejoin the Emirates network from 4 November, operated by the A350. More details to follow soon.

Emirates will announce more destinations in the coming months as new aircraft join its fleet. Emirates opens sales for flights to A350 destinations today, and passengers can book them on emirates.com, the Emirates App, or through travel agents.

Malaysia is ramping up its focus on key South Indian cities such as Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Kochi to boost tourism, according to the latest data from the Malaysian Tourism Department. These cities play a pivotal role in Malaysia’s tourism strategy, contributing nearly half of the flights from India to Malaysia.

With 151 weekly flights offering 26,686 seats per week, direct connectivity from Southern India has become a cornerstone of Malaysia’s tourism growth plan. Moreover, Datuk Manoharan Periasamy, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, highlighted the importance of this region, stating, “India has been a key market for Malaysia for over 20 years, and with the upcoming Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY2026), we are targeting 1.6 million Indian travellers. Southern India, with its robust flight connections, is crucial to our growth strategy. The 151 weekly flights and 26,686 seats per week reflect the high demand for travel between Malaysia and the Southern cities of India”

Expanding Malaysia’s Appeal

In addition to strong flight connections, Malaysia is positioning itself as a leading destination for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions), wedding tourism, and leisure travel. Periasamy emphasized that Malaysia’s appeal lies in its world-class infrastructure and beautiful destinations, offering diverse travel experiences for all kinds of tourists.

One sector that is seeing particularly rapid growth is wedding tourism, with an increasing number of Indian couples choosing Malaysia for their dream weddings. Furthermore, this trend highlights Malaysia’s growing popularity among Indian travelers seeking unique experiences.

Hishamuddin Mustafa, the newly appointed Director of Tourism Malaysia Chennai, reinforced the strategic importance of South Indian cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Kochi. He pointed out that the ease of access provided by 84 weekly flights and 12,395 seats per week makes Malaysia a highly attractive destination for Indian travelers. “Whether it’s for MICE, a dream wedding, or a family vacation, Malaysia has something for everyone,” Mustafa said, underscoring the wide range of experiences the country offers.

In 2024, Malaysia set a new record by welcoming over 1.1 million Indian tourists, marking a significant achievement in its tourism sector. This surge, he noted, reflects the strong relationship between the two countries and the rising demand for travel to Malaysia. Looking ahead, Malaysia aims to attract 1.4 million Indian tourists in 2025 and 1.6 million by 2026, as part of the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 campaign.

Supporting this growth, the visa-free entry policy for Indian travelers, which will remain in effect until 31 December 2026, has simplified travel to Malaysia. As a result, Malaysia has become even more accessible to Indian citizens, further encouraging visits to the country.

Feature image via Travel Weekly Asia

Emirates Announces First 9 Destinations to Join Its A350 Network

Newly delivered aircraft sporting the airline’s latest cabins will roll into scheduled service to the following cities:

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