Emirates expands premium economy across Europe as winter travel demand rises

Emirates is expanding its Premium Economy offering across Europe for the 2026-27 winter season, with the upgraded cabin now available at 31 of its 41 destinations across Europe and the United Kingdom, as the airline increases flight frequencies and connections for passengers travelling through Dubai. The airline announced the expansion this week, saying it would operate an average of 78 daily flights between Dubai and Europe during the winter schedule, while adding 31 weekly flights to popular destinations including Cape Town, Nairobi, Phuket, Hanoi, Manila, Tokyo Narita and Accra. The developments are also relevant to passengers travelling from Cyprus, where Emirates has maintained a presence since 1994 and has carried more than 2.1 million passengers over the past 32 years. The expanded European network is intended to provide travellers with greater flexibility when planning winter holidays, particularly those seeking warmer destinations, while also allowing passengers to use Dubai as a stopover before continuing their journeys. Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer of Emirates, said the winter period was one of the busiest travel seasons for the airline’s European passengers. “Winter is one of the busiest travel periods for our customers in Europe, and our aim is to give them even more options to make the most of it,” Kazim said. “Whether they want to discover a new destination, enjoy a sunny getaway or spend time with family and friends, Dubai has plenty to offer,” he added. “We are also making it even easier for them to reach some of the most popular winter destinations beyond Dubai, by strengthening our flight schedule to destinations in the East and offering more Premium Economy seats,” he said. Premium Economy reaches 31 European destinations The latest expansion follows the introduction of Premium Economy at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport on October 25, making it the most recent European destination to offer the cabin. With the addition, Premium Economy is now available at 31 of Emirates’ 41 European and UK destinations, meaning the upgraded cabin is accessible to the majority of passengers travelling with the airline from the region. The airline is positioning the product as an intermediate option between its standard Economy and Business Class cabins, offering more spacious seating, additional legroom, upgraded dining options and enhanced amenities. On its newer Airbus A350 aircraft, the experience includes additional features, with every seat equipped with a full-height privacy divider that passengers can raise or lower at the touch of a button. Other facilities include an electric footrest, a U-Dream headrest and wireless charging capabilities. The expansion forms part of Emirates’ wider fleet refurbishment programme, through which 107 aircraft have already been upgraded with the airline’s latest cabins and redesigned interiors. Dubai promoted as winter stopover destination Emirates is also encouraging European passengers to turn their stopovers in Dubai into short winter holidays, with the city offering beaches, desert excursions, restaurants, shopping and a wide selection of hotels catering to different budgets and preferences. The winter season coincides with several major events and outdoor activities, including the Dubai Shopping Festival and Global Village, which the airline describes as the world’s most visited theme park, based on figures from the Themed Entertainment Association. The city’s winter calendar also includes concerts and festivals, culminating in New Year’s Eve celebrations. Passengers can arrange stopover packages combining flights and accommodation through Emirates’ Dubai Experience platform or Emirates Holidays. They can also use the My Emirates Pass, which provides access to exclusive offers at restaurants, spas, attractions and retail outlets throughout the United Arab Emirates simply by presenting their boarding pass. The airline is additionally promoting several booking benefits for passengers travelling to Dubai, including unlimited free date changes, the option to hold a fare for 24 hours without charge and reduced refund fees. Travel insurance and additional passenger protections Emirates is also highlighting its comprehensive travel insurance offering, which is available in 27 countries and includes worldwide medical expense coverage without an overall limit, emergency transport and evacuation costs, trip cancellation protection and baggage coverage. The insurance package also provides additional protection in the event of armed conflict, including compensation for medical expenses of up to US$25,000, as well as a free extension of the trip for up to 30 days. The airline is presenting these provisions as additional reassurance for passengers during their journeys. A wider network through airline partnerships Beyond its own destinations, Emirates is relying on its codeshare and interline agreements to expand the range of journeys available to passengers departing from Europe. The partnerships provide access to 216 additional destinations across the Far East, Africa and the Indian Ocean, extending the airline’s reach beyond its directly operated network. Passengers can arrange their entire journey on a single ticket, with connecting flights, baggage transferred through to their final destination, frequent flyer benefits and lounge access available through participating partners. In the Far East, 35 partner airlines provide connections to more than 123 cities, including through agreements with Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Garuda Indonesia, Bangkok Airways and Philippine Airlines. The destinations range from island holiday locations such as Koh Samui, Phu Quoc and Langkawi to cities including Busan, Surabaya and Fukuoka. Emirates is also strengthening its regional connectivity through new rail partnerships, including an agreement with South Korea’s Korail and Hong Kong Airport Direct services to Macau. In Africa, partnerships with airlines including South African Airways, Airlink and Kenya Airways provide access to almost 75 destinations across the continent. These include natural attractions, Unesco World Heritage sites and safari destinations such as Victoria Falls, Mount Kilimanjaro and Volcanoes National Park. Across the Indian Ocean, partnerships with Maldivian, Air Seychelles and Air Mauritius provide connections to popular island destinations, ranging from the atolls of the Maldives to Praslin and Madagascar. More European connections through the A380 The airline’s Airbus A380 aircraft will also serve 21 European destinations during the winter season, providing onward connections to another 21 destinations across its international network that are operated by the same aircraft type. These include Bangkok, Sydney and Tokyo, further extending the range of destinations accessible to European passengers through Dubai. Helsinki, Emirates’ newest European destination, has also been strategically incorporated into the network to provide connections to Eastern and South-eastern Asia, Western Asia, the Indian Ocean, Africa and Australasia. The addition is intended to make popular holiday destinations and resorts more accessible to travellers from Finland. Emirates’ presence in Cyprus Emirates began operating in the Cypriot market in 1994, and says it has served more than 2.1 million passengers in Cyprus over the past 32 years. The airline’s latest winter expansion forms part of its broader effort to increase the number of travel options available to European passengers, combining additional flights, upgraded cabin facilities and partnerships with other transport providers.