Emirates took delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 aircraft, registered as A6-EXA, on November 25, 2024, marking the first new aircraft type to join the airline’s fleet since 2008.
The aircraft departed Toulouse (TLS) at 17:00 local time and arrived in Dubai (DXB) at 03:17 on November 26, 2024, after a 7 hour and 17 minute flight, according to FlightRadar24 data.
This delivery is the first of 65 A350s scheduled for Emirates.
The A350 will undergo final preparations at Emirates Engineering in Dubai before being formally unveiled. It is slated to enter commercial service in January 2025, with Edinburgh as its inaugural destination on January 3.
Emirates flight EK-23 will depart Dubai at 2:50 p.m. local time and arrive in Edinburgh at 7:05 p.m. local time. The return flight, EK-24, will depart Edinburgh at 8:40 p.m. local time and arrive in Dubai at 8:05 a.m. local time the following day.
Following Edinburgh, the A350 will be deployed to eight additional destinations: Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kuwait, Bahrain, Colombo, Lyon, Muscat, and Bologna.
Emirates has stated that more destinations will be added in the future. The delivery flight from Toulouse to Dubai utilized a blend of conventional jet fuel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Emirates currently operates a fleet of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s. The addition of the A350 provides the airline with a modern, fuel-efficient aircraft for medium to long-haul routes.
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