Emirates Announces Return to Adelaide

Emirates has announced the final step in restoring its Australian flight operations to pre-pandemic levels, with the relaunch of its daily service between Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, and its Dubai hub, set to commence on 28 October 2024. This move is aimed at meeting the increasing travel demand to and from South Australia, offering passengers greater choice, flexibility, and connectivity across Emirates' extensive global network of over 140 destinations.

Since its initial Adelaide service launch in 2012, Emirates has played a pivotal role in connecting South Australia to the world. In 2019, the airline successfully transported more than 165,000 passengers on this route. The return of daily flights to Adelaide, coupled with the reinstatement of a second daily service to Perth by 1 December, will elevate Emirates' weekly flights from Australia to 77, enabling the airline to carry 68,000 passengers per week to and from the country, thereby achieving its pre-pandemic operational capacity.

The impact of Emirates' Adelaide service on South Australia's economy and tourism is significant. The South Australian Tourism Commission estimates that the daily direct non-stop flights will generate over $62 million in tourism expenditure annually and create more than 315 full-time equivalent tourism-related jobs. Additionally, each flight is set to offer 14 tonnes of cargo space, amounting to 196 tonnes weekly, which is projected to yield $98 million in freight exports annually. The total estimated economic benefit of Emirates' Adelaide flights amounts to $160 million per year.

South Australia Premier, Peter Malinauskas, highlighted the strategic importance of reinstating Emirates flights to Adelaide, viewing it as a key driver of the state's economic growth and a creator of significant employment opportunities. "The return of Emirates' daily flights is crucial for enhancing our state's accessibility from major long-haul markets and facilitating business engagements," Malinauskas stated.

Zoe Bettison, South Australian Minister for Tourism, also emphasized the importance of this development for the state's tourism industry, providing essential connectivity to key markets in Europe, the UK, the Middle East, India, and the US. The partnership is expected to inject over $62 million into the state's visitor economy.

Barry Brown, Emirates' Divisional Vice President for Australasia, expressed enthusiasm for the airline's return to Adelaide, highlighting the benefits for leisure, culture, tourism, and trade growth opportunities. "Completing our Australian footprint with the Adelaide service reaffirms Emirates' commitment to Australia and our anticipation to welcome passengers on board," Brown remarked.

The Adelaide service will be operated on the Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, featuring 38 Business Class seats and 264 Economy Class seats, offering over 4,200 weekly seats between Dubai and Adelaide. The flight schedule is designed to provide optimal connections, with less than four-hour layovers for passengers connecting to Emirates' prime European destinations.

This relaunch strengthens Emirates' position in Australia, complementing its existing operations to Brisbane, Perth, Sydney, and Melbourne, and highlights the airline's commitment to offering unparalleled service, including an unmatched culinary experience and up to 6,500 channels of global entertainment content through its award-winning inflight entertainment system, ice.