Emirates' A350s now in Dammam, first in Saudi Arabia to get the new aircraft

Dubai: Emirates has officially commenced regular operations of its next-generation Airbus A350 to Dammam, making the city the first destination in Saudi Arabia to be served by the airline’s newest aircraft.

The milestone underlines Emirates’ ongoing investment in the Kingdom and commitment to enhancing the passenger experience across the region.

The Emirates A350 now operates flight EK827, departing Dubai at 7:30 am and arriving in Dammam at 7:50 am. The return flight, EK828, leaves Dammam at 9:20 am, landing in Dubai at 11:45 am (all times local).

New era of comfort, efficiency

The Emirates A350 is configured in three classes, offering a total of 312 seats, designed to elevate comfort on short and medium-haul routes:

• 32 lie-flat Business Class seats in a 1-2-1 layout

• 21 Premium Economy seats in a 2-3-2 layout

• 259 Economy Class seats in a 3-3-3 layout

Passengers in every cabin will enjoy Emirates’ latest in-flight innovations, including:

• ice in-flight entertainment system with thousands of channels

• Improved seat ergonomics for enhanced comfort

• Advanced cabin lighting and quieter cabins

• High-speed Wi-Fi connectivity throughout the aircraft

Builds Emirates' Saudi network

Emirates has served the Saudi market for over three decades and currently operates multiple daily flights to Riyadh, Jeddah, Medina, and Dammam. The deployment of the A350 to Dammam adds further value to its offering in the Kingdom, providing seamless connectivity via Dubai to over 140 destinations across the airline’s global network.

“The introduction of the A350 to Dammam reflects our long-term commitment to Saudi Arabia and our focus on delivering a world-class travel experience,” an Emirates spokesperson said.

Broader A350 expansion strategy

Dammam joins a growing list of destinations receiving Emirates’ A350 service, alongside Mumbai, Edinburgh, Bahrain, Colombo, Kuwait, Muscat, Tunis, Amman, and Ahmedabad. Emirates has so far inducted eight A350s into its fleet, with plans to serve 17 destinations with the aircraft by the end of 2025.

The Airbus A350 is a key part of Emirates’ future-focused fleet strategy, offering enhanced fuel efficiency, advanced environmental performance, and an elevated travel experience across all cabin classes.