The airline will also introduce its next-generation Airbus A350 on the Kolkata route starting October 25.
DUBAI, July 9, 2026 — Dubai-based international carrier Emirates has announced a major expansion of its Indian operations, introducing its flagship Airbus A380 aircraft to Delhi and rolling out its Premium Economy cabin services across six major Indian cities starting October 25.
Emirates is set to significantly upgrade its capacity and passenger experience on its highly trafficked routes between Dubai and India. The capital city of Delhi will become the third Indian destination to welcome the airline’s double-decker A380 aircraft, following previous deployments in Mumbai and Bengaluru.
The four-class flagship A380 will operate daily on flights EK512 and EK513. This upgrade ensures that passengers travelling between Dubai and Delhi will have access to Premium Economy seating across all daily services, including the A380 operations and the airline’s retrofitted Boeing 777 flights (EK511, EK515, and EK517).
Beyond Delhi, Emirates is aggressively scaling up its Premium Economy product across India. By late October, the premium cabin will be available in six Indian cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Kochi.
Regional Upgrades and Fleet Deployment
Kolkata is also slated for a major fleet upgrade from October 25. The daily Kolkata-Dubai services (EK570 and EK571) will transition from the Boeing 777 to Emirates’ next-generation Airbus A350 aircraft, which comes equipped with the new Premium Economy cabin. Combined with the five-times-weekly retrofitted Boeing 777 flights (EK572 and EK573), Premium Economy will be available across all 12 weekly flights servicing Kolkata.
By the end of October, the weekly availability of Emirates’ Premium Economy flights across India will stand at:
- Mumbai: 22 weekly flights
- Kolkata: 12 weekly flights
- Ahmedabad: 9 weekly flights
- Bengaluru: 7 weekly flights
- Delhi: 4 daily services
- Kochi: 2 weekly flights
Executive Commentary
“Emirates’ long-standing commitment to India is reflected in the continued rollout of our latest products, designed to enhance the travel experience,” said Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer. “We are pleased to introduce our highly anticipated A380 services to Delhi, a vital gateway in our network, from October. Given the strong demand for travel to and from India, it is an honour to expand our A380 footprint in the country.”
Currently, Emirates operates 167 weekly flights connecting Dubai to nine Indian gateways, including Chennai, Hyderabad, and Thiruvananthapuram, alongside the six cities receiving the premium upgrades. To support this physical expansion, the airline has opened customer retail stores in Delhi and Mumbai, with future outlets planned for Hyderabad and Bengaluru.
