Emirates introduces third non-stop service Melbourne to Dubai with retrofitted Boeing 777

Andrea Thompson

ByAndrea Thompson

December 10, 2024

Emirates will be introducing a third non-stop service between Dubai and Melbourne, starting from 30 March 2025. The third service will be operated with a newly retrofitted four-class Emirates Boeing 777-300ER, equipped with the airline’s award-winning Premium Economy product and latest generation Business class seats.

The airline currently operates two non-stop daily flights between Dubai and Melbourne using four-class Airbus A380s, and a daily flight that connects Dubai to Melbourne via Singapore with a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Emirates’ operations between Singapore and Melbourne will cease on 30 March 2025, and the airline plans to operate the third direct Dubai-Melbourne flight and fourth Dubai-Singapore service with new flight numbers.

Starting from 30 March 2025, the four-class Emirates Boeing 777 aircraft will be deployed on flights EK404/405 between Dubai and Melbourne. Emirates’ flight EK404 will depart from Dubai at 21:15hrs, arriving in Melbourne at 17:40hrs the following day. The return flight EK405 will depart Melbourne at 23:55hrs and arrives in Dubai at 07:00hrs the next day.

The third daily non-stop flight also means customers have more convenient schedules and choice, with unrivalled connectivity and travel options via Dubai to 27 European cities served with multiple daily flights including London, Paris, and Frankfurt.

Emirates’ latest refurbished Boeing 777 includes 8 First Class Suites, 40 Business Class seats, 24 seats in Premium Economy, and 256 Economy Class seats. The latest introduction means Emirates’ Victoria operations will be supported with the airline’s next generation products. Emirates’ Premium Economy cabins were named ‘Best in Class’s class at the 2024 Business Traveller, Asia-Pacific awards. The cream leather seats with 6-way adjustable headrests boast a 38-inch pitch and are 19.5-inches wide, reclining 8 inches for more space, stretching and relaxing.

The airline’s 20.7-inch-wide Business Class seat converts to a flat-bed and reclines up to 78.6 inches. Every customer has aisle access with the four abreast layout. Customers will also be able to enjoy their own personal mini-bar, table for dining or working, multiple charging outlets for personal devices and a personal 23-inch HD screen, one of the biggest in the skies. The Emirates Boeing 777 Business Class cabin will also include a small bar for customers to quickly grab mid-flight snacks and refreshments.

With the upcoming deployment of Emirates’ four-class Boeing 777 aircraft to and from Melbourne, the airline will offer 3,472 weekly Premium Economy seats across Melbourne and Sydney, enabling more travellers to experience its best-in-class features and upgraded amenities.

Emirates restores pre-pandemic Australia capacity

Emirates has also reinstated its second Perth service from 1 December and now offers nearly 12,000 weekly seats to and from the city, offering additional connections to popular points like London, Dublin, Rome and Edinburgh. The second Perth service will further strengthen trade links between Western Australia and the wider world.

Emirates’ flight EK424 departs Dubai at 09:15hrs, arriving in Perth at 00:10hrs. Emirates’ return flight EK425 departs Perth at 06:00hrs, arriving in Dubai at 13:10hrs.  The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft offers 354 seats across three cabins, with 8 First Class Suites, 42 Business Class seats and 304 seats in Economy Class.

On 28 October, Emirates reinstated its Adelaide services, helping drive visitation to South Australia from Dubai and key inbound markets across its network.

The airline now operates 77 weekly services to and from five Australian gateways – Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide. Emirates’ progressive and measured resumption of operations to and from Australia provide frictionless connectivity through multiple daily services across its gateways, boosting tourism development, fuelling economic activity and attracting business investment.

Ongoing commitment to Australia

Emirates has been deeply committed to Australia for nearly three decades and its investment in the country goes well beyond the flights it operates. Emirates employs hundreds of Australians globally and in Australia. The Emirates Group (including dnata) has a national footprint of aviation and tourism businesses in Australia and has partnered with a multitude of local businesses. Emirates has also made an investment of over $230 million into a formidable portfolio of sponsorships across sports and art in Australia, including the Australian Open, Collingwood Football Club and Sydney Symphony Orchestra, to name a few.

On 6 November, the UAE and Australia signed a landmark Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), laying the groundwork for closer economic ties by increasing trade, promoting private-sector collaboration, and facilitating investment flows between the two nations. With the ability to carry more than 2,350 tonnes of cargo in and out of Australia every week, Emirates is well-positioned to contribute to the development of trade ties between the UAE and Australia through its high-capacity, multi-vertical, world-class cargo operations, helping accelerate the flow of goods .

Customers of Emirates and Qantas also have access to an expansive network of destinations thanks to the 10-year codeshare partnership between the two airlines. Together, Emirates and Qantas provide customers access to more than 120 codeshare destinations, including 60 points across Australia and New Zealand. Qantas customers can fly with Emirates to Dubai and access over 65 cities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Emirates and Qantas have jointly carried more than 15 million passengers across 543,000 flights in the last ten years.