Emirates has announced the deployment of its next-generation Airbus A350 on the newly introduced third daily service between Dubai and Cape Town, marking the aircraft’s first appearance in Southern Africa and further strengthening air connectivity between South Africa and the Middle East.
The decision makes South Africa the only African country on the Emirates network served by all three of the airline’s aircraft types – the iconic A380, the fully retrofitted Boeing 777 and the new A350 – offering travellers a wider range of schedules, cabin products and seamless connections.
The third daily Dubai–Cape Town service will commence from 1 July and will be operated entirely with the A350, featuring Emirates’ latest cabin interiors, including its award-winning Premium Economy, updated Business Class and enhanced Economy Class. The flight will depart Dubai as EK778 at 10:25hrs, arriving in Cape Town at 18:05hrs, with the return service EK779 leaving Cape Town at 20:00hrs and landing in Dubai at 07:25hrs the following day.
Emirates’ Regional Manager for Southern Africa, Afzal Parambil, said the deployment underscores the airline’s long-term commitment to the South African market. He noted that the diverse fleet mix provides customers with greater flexibility across Emirates’ three South African gateways, while maintaining the airline’s consistent premium experience on every flight.
The expanded Cape Town service comes amid strong demand on the route, with the airline recording consistently high load factors over the past year. Inbound traffic from the Gulf region continues to rise, while outbound travel from South Africa to Europe and the US East Coast remains robust, driven by both leisure and corporate travellers.
Beyond Cape Town, Emirates is accelerating the rollout of its retrofitted Boeing 777s and new A350 aircraft across its global network, bringing Premium Economy and its latest onboard products to more destinations. By 1 July, the airline plans to operate its newest cabins on more than 84 routes spanning Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Australia.
Additional capacity will also be introduced on other key routes using the A350. From 1 June, Emirates will add a second daily service between Dubai and Copenhagen, followed by a third daily service to Phuket from 1 July, both operated with the A350. The Copenhagen service is timed to provide smooth onward connections via Dubai to destinations across Asia, Africa and Australasia, while the additional Phuket frequency supports growing leisure demand and convenient links to Europe and the Middle East.
The airline will also begin operating the A350 to Rome and Taipei from 1 May, as part of a broader network upgrade that includes Premium Economy expansions across Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. These enhancements reflect Emirates’ strategy of combining capacity growth with consistent product quality, ensuring passengers enjoy the same elevated experience regardless of destination or aircraft type.
With the introduction of the A350 to Cape Town and other high-demand markets, Emirates continues to reinforce its position as a leading global carrier, offering customers more choice, improved comfort and stronger connectivity across its worldwide network.
