Emirates Deploys First A350-900ULR On Adelaide Route

Emirates has deployed its first ultra-long-range variant of the Airbus A350-900 to Adelaide, Australia.

“While Emirates has been accepting the delivery of A350s for the past year, this is the first delivery of our long-range variant with the range and capability to fly from Dubai to Adelaide,” noted Barry Brown, Emirates' divisional vice president of Australasia.

The aircraft, fitted out with the airline's new premium economy product, now operates the EK440/441 services, replacing the Boeing 777-200LR. 

Emirates says its configuration of the A350-900ULR, which features a modified fuel system that increases the aircraft’s fuel carrying capacity without the need for additional fuel tanks, can fly non-stop for up to 15 hours. 

Brown described the arrival of the aircraft from Dubai on Dec.1 as “a powerful statement of our ongoing investment and commitment to bringing our latest generation product to Australia.”

South Australian Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison highlighted the economic impact, saying the aircraft’s arrival “boosts tourism, making Emirates’ daily direct flights even more appealing and supporting over $62 million in annual tourism spending.”

Emirates took delivery of its first A350 in November 2024, with the aircraft entering commercial service in January 2025 on the Dubai-Edinburgh route. Since then, the airline has expanded its short- and medium-haul A350 destinations.

Data from OAG Schedules Analyser for December 2025 shows Emirates operates the A350-900 on 20 routes from Dubai, including recent additions such as Baghdad, Hangzhou, Ho Chi Minh City and Oslo. London Gatwick and Montreal are set to be served by A350-900s starting February 2026.

Emirates is now the 12th largest A350-900 operator globally, offering 374,526 available seats as of December 2025.