Emirates will bring its Airbus A350-900 to Ethiopia earlier than planned, putting the 312-seat aircraft on its daily DubaiβAddis Ababa service from November 1, 2026. The A350 replaces the Boeing 777-200LR on the route and moves forward a deployment that had previously been planned for January 1, 2027.
The schedule change was first reported by AeroRoutes and confirmed in coverage by Aviation A2Z on October 10. It changes the aircraft on an existing route rather than adding a new destination or extra frequencies, and the daily flight numbers stay the same.
Schedule from November 1
From November 1, Emirates plans to operate the DubaiβAddis Ababa route with the A350-900 on the following daily schedule, with all times local:
- EK723 departs Dubai International (DXB) at 09:25 and arrives at Addis Ababa Bole International (ADD) at 12:45.
- EK724 departs Addis Ababa at 14:50 and arrives in Dubai at 20:00.
The aircraft carries 312 passengers in three cabins: Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy. As with any schedule filing, timings and aircraft can still change, and travellers should check their booking details with the airline before departure.
Replacing the 777-200LR
The A350-900 takes over from the Boeing 777-200LR, one of the older and smaller widebody types in the Emirates fleet. The 777-200LR was designed for ultra-long-range flying, but on a medium-haul route like DubaiβAddis Ababa the newer, more fuel-efficient A350 brings a modern cabin with Business, Premium Economy and Economy seating.
The move is part of a steady expansion of the A350 across the Emirates network as more of the type is delivered. In recent months the airline has announced A350 deployments on a range of routes, including new daily flights from Dubai to Helsinki, A350 service to Orlando from November, and the type on its DubaiβMauritius flights for the Northern winter season. Addis Ababa now joins that list ahead of schedule.
A busy corridor between the Gulf and Ethiopia
Addis Ababa is the capital of Ethiopia and home to Ethiopian Airlines, Africa's largest airline group, which runs one of the continent's biggest hubs at Bole International. The city sits on a high plateau at approximately 2,400 metres above sea level, one of the highest capital cities in the world, with the forested Entoto Hills rising to the north.
Bole International Airport lies about 6 kilometres southeast of the city centre, and the transfer usually takes 20 to 40 minutes depending on traffic. October to February is generally considered the most comfortable time to visit, as it falls in the main dry season, while the main rainy season, known as Kiremt, typically runs from June to September. Major festivals include Meskel in late September and Timkat in January.
For Emirates, Addis Ababa is a well-established destination that connects Ethiopian travellers with the airline's global network through Dubai. Putting a newer, premium-configured widebody on the route signals confidence in demand on the corridor, which is used by business travellers, the Ethiopian diaspora and tourists alike.
What passengers can expect
Passengers booked on EK723 and EK724 from November 1 should see the A350-900 on their flight instead of the 777-200LR, with the main visible change being the newer cabin and its three-class layout.
The A350 deployment does not change the timing of the daily flights, so connections at both ends of the route should remain the same. Emirates has not announced any additional frequencies to Addis Ababa alongside the aircraft change.
Comments
Loading commentsβ¦