September 17th, 2024

Emirates to restart direct A380 services to Auckland from December

The non-stop services between Dubai and Auckland will also reclaim its title as the longest route on the Emirates network, clocking in 14,200 km

An Emirates A380 aircraft at Auckland International Airport, 5 Jan. 2018 (File photo)
An Emirates A380 aircraft at Auckland International Airport, 5 Jan. 2018 (File photo)

Emirates will restore its non-stop A380 services to and from Auckland and Kuala Lumpur, starting from 1 December, the Dubai-based airline said in a media release today.

The airline currently operates to both cities with a linked Boeing 777-300ER service, which makes a stop in Kuala Lumpur before continuing on to Auckland. The start of A380 flights will see both cities delinked and served with direct services to and from Dubai.

The non-stop services between Dubai and Auckland will also reclaim its title as the longest route on the Emirates network, clocking in 14,200 km, in addition to being one of the world’s longest non-stop scheduled commercial flights. 

Emirates’ direct flight EK448 from Dubai to Auckland will depart at 10:05hrs and arrives at 11:05hrs the next day. The return flight will depart Auckland at 21:15hrs and arrives in Dubai at 05:25hrs the next day. All times are local.

Emirates’ A380 service to Kuala Lumpur, EK 346 will depart Dubai at 0330hrs, landing at 1435hrs. EK 343 will depart Kuala Lumpur at 0145hrs, arriving in Dubai at 0505hrs.

An Emirates A380 aircraft at Auckland International Airport, 7 March 2020 (File photo)
An Emirates A380 aircraft at Auckland International Airport, 7 March 2020 (File photo)

The reintroduction of the airline’s flagship A380 to Auckland and Kuala Lumpur will provide more choice for tourists looking to discover these exciting destinations, and also offers travellers a chance to experience the A380’s signature products and services across all classes. New Zealand is ramping up its visibility with a global campaign in key markets to encourage more visitors to come and re-live the country’s incredible experiences and stunning natural attractions. To promote Malaysia as a unique travel destination, Emirates recently signed a Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC) with the Malaysia Tourism Board to develop inbound visitor traffic into the country from key markets across the airline’s network.