Emirates Expands Premium Economy Offering, Strengthening Africa Connectivity and Capacity

 

Emirates has unveiled a major expansion of its Premium Economy offering, a move that carries significant implications for Africa’s air connectivity, travel comfort and access to global markets, particularly through key gateways such as Cape Town and Addis Ababa.

As part of its global fleet upgrade, the Dubai based airline will continue deploying its retrofitted Boeing 777 aircraft and new Airbus A350s across its network, extending Premium Economy and its latest onboard products to more than 84 routes by July 1. Africa features prominently in this rollout, underscoring the continent’s growing importance within Emirates’ long haul strategy.

Cape Town Gets a Third Daily Frequency

The most visible Africa facing development is the introduction of a third daily service between Dubai and Cape Town from July 1, operated with Emirates’ next generation A350 aircraft. The new flight, EK778, will depart Dubai at 10:25hrs and arrive in Cape Town at 18:05hrs, while the return service, EK779, will depart Cape Town at 20:00hrs and arrive in Dubai at 07:25hrs the following day.

This additional frequency comes against the backdrop of consistently high load factors on the Cape Town route, particularly during peak travel periods. Emirates notes sustained inbound demand from the Gulf Cooperation Council, alongside strong outbound traffic from South Africa to Europe and the US East Coast, reflecting Cape Town’s dual appeal as both a leisure and business destination.

The new service is also designed to improve onward connectivity, offering optimised connections to and from London, Dublin, Mumbai, Brussels, Australasia and key Asian markets. For African travellers, this enhances access not only to Europe and Asia but also to the wider Emirates global network through Dubai.

Addis Ababa Joins the Premium Economy Network

Beyond Southern Africa, East Africa is also set to benefit. From March 1, Emirates will deploy a retrofitted three class Boeing 777 200LR on its daily Dubai Addis Ababa service, EK723 and EK724. This upgrade introduces Premium Economy to one of Africa’s most strategically important aviation hubs, strengthening links between Ethiopia and key markets in the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Addis Ababa’s inclusion reflects its role as a diplomatic, commercial and transit centre, as well as growing demand from both corporate and diaspora travellers seeking enhanced comfort without the full cost of Business Class.

Africa Linked Deeper into Global Travel Flows

The expansion of Premium Economy to African routes is closely tied to Emirates’ broader network strategy. New and increased frequencies to Copenhagen, Phuket and Cape Town will improve connections between Africa and major global cities via Dubai.

Notably, the new Dubai Copenhagen service introduces additional connections to African cities such as Nairobi and Entebbe, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a key transit hub linking Africa to Europe and Asia. Passengers travelling from African cities will benefit from shorter connection times and increased scheduling flexibility, particularly during the peak summer travel season.

Premium Comfort Meets Capacity Growth

Emirates’ Premium Economy product, which has already earned industry recognition, offers extra legroom, enhanced dining and upgraded amenities, targeting travellers seeking a balance between comfort and value. For African markets, where long haul travel often involves extended journey times, the introduction of this cabin class addresses a clear gap between Economy and Business Class.

The airline’s decision to allocate modern A350 aircraft and retrofitted wide body jets to African routes also signals confidence in sustained demand growth from the continent, both for outbound African travellers and inbound tourism and business traffic.

A Strategic Signal for Africa Aviation

At a time when African aviation faces capacity constraints, high operating costs and infrastructure challenges, Emirates’ expanded investment in Africa facing routes sends a strong signal. Increased frequencies, modern aircraft and improved onboard products not only enhance passenger experience but also support trade, tourism and people to people exchanges between Africa and the rest of the world.

As Emirates continues to roll out Premium Economy across its network, Africa is no longer at the periphery of that strategy. Instead, key African cities are being positioned as integral nodes within a premium, high capacity global aviation system anchored in Dubai.