Emirates has taken delivery of its first Airbus A350-900, marking a significant milestone for the airline. The aircraft, registered as A6-EXA, arrived in Dubai on November 25 after departing from Toulouse. This is the first new aircraft type Emirates has received since 2008 and follows a three-year gap since their last delivery of two A380s in December 2021.
The carrier plans to receive all 65 ordered A350s by 2028, although initial deliveries may not meet earlier projections. The first ten were expected by March 2025. The new A350s will feature a three-class configuration with 312 seats: 32 business class, 21 premium economy, and 259 economy seats.
Services with the A350 are set to begin in January 2025. "Emirates was supposed to take delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 in August," an official statement noted. Routes initially planned include destinations such as Edinburgh, Ahmedabad, Bahrain, Kuwait, Mumbai, Colombo, Lyon, Muscat, and Bologna.