Emirates launches long-range A350-900 services to Adelaide
Emirates, which returned to Adelaide in October 2024, had been utilizing its Boeing 777-200LR on the route.
Emirates has officially debuted its long-range Airbus A350-900 on flights to Adelaide Airport (ADL), replacing the Boeing 777-200LR that had served the route since Emirates returned to the destination in October 2024.
On December 1, 2025, Emirates deployed its long-range A350-900 on flights between Dubai International Airport (DXB) and ADL, with the aircraft, registered as A6-EXM, departing DXB at 2:28 local time (UTC +4). It landed at the Australian airport at 20:56 local time (UTC +10:30) following an almost 12-hour trek that included a crossing of the Indian Ocean the next day.
On December 2, another A350-900, registered as A6-EXK, departed to fly the DXB-ADL route, with the aircraft still in the air at the time of publishing.
In a short post on social media, ADL pointed out that it was the first airport to “receive the ultra-long-range model,” which will have the airline’s premium economy cabin on flights between DXB and ADL.
“We are proud to be the first Australian city to host Emirates’ new A350, and we can’t wait for you to experience it!”
The long-range A350-900 has been operating other routes. A6-EXM entered service on November 3, and has served a variety of destinations, including Amman Queen Alia International Airport (AMM), Bahrain International Airport (BAH), and others.
However, this was Emirates' long-range A350-900's first true long-haul flight.
Following a pause during the pandemic, the Middle East carrier returned to ADL in October 2024. At the time, Emirates said that the reinstatement of DXB-ADL services “will allow more than 220,400 passengers to travel between Dubai and Adelaide per year, reflecting the airline’s commitment to South Australia and facilitating growing travel demand to and from the region.”
Since then, the airline has scheduled daily flights between the two airports.
Emirates announced the switch from the 777-200LR to the A350-900 on flights to ADL on April 28, saying that it is scheduled to get its first long-range A350-900 “later this year,” which will make its debut in Australia with the beginning of flights to ADL on December 1.
Adnan Kazim, the Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Emirates, stated that utilizing the A350-900 on flights to ADL was “an exciting development and underscores the importance of Australia as a major eastbound anchor in our network.”
On November 26, the airline unveiled its first A350-900 destination in North America, and the second destination for its long-range aircraft of the type, Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL).
Flights between DXB and YUL will kick off on February 1, 2026, or earlier, if Airbus delivers the aircraft ahead of schedule. The route, similarly to the DXB-YUL connection, has been served with a 777-200LR, at times, the 777-300ER, during the past few weeks, according to Flightradar24.
Unlike the A350-900s that mostly operate regional flights within the Middle East, as well as Edinburgh Airport (EDI), which have 312 seats – 32 business, 21 premium economy, and 259 economy class – the long-range A350-900s are fitted with 32 business, 28 premium economy, and 238 economy class seats, totaling 298.
So far, Emirates has only two of them, A6-EXK, delivered on October 9, and A6-EXM, delivered on October 31, according to planespotters.net.
Rytis Beresnevicius
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