See, no one believed me...I did tell you I was in Dubai last week didn't I ;)

EK beat EY to it :p

How long ago has it been since I give the Whitehouse hint ?

Wow nice find there. This thing just came out a minute ago.

WASHINGTON, DC WINS!

Washington DC
 

DUBAI, U.A.E., 15th March 2012: America’s capital city will soon enjoy enhanced international connections through a non-stop link to Emirates’ global network, after the airline announced that it would start flights to Washington Dulles International Airport from 12th September 2012.

Emirates will operate a Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft on its DC route, providing eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie-flat beds in Business Class and 304 seats in Economy Class.

“As Emirates’ seventh U.S. gateway and our third new American route to launch in 2012, Washington, DC is a significant next step as we continue to expand our services across the country,” said His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline & Group. “This new route will provide further impetus to the vibrant trade relationship between the United Arab Emirates and the United States, boosting exports and imports and increasing opportunities for business, industry and tourism.”

Trade between the United States and the United Arab Emirates reached a record-high of US$18.34 billion in 2011 – an increase of over 40% from 2010.

The U.A.E. was the 19th largest export destination for American goods in the world in 2011, with the total value of exports reaching a record high of almost US$16 billion. The most exported items to the UAE were transport equipment, computer and electronic products, non-electrical machinery, chemicals and fabricated metal products.

The greater Washington, DC area is highly diverse, with over 15% of its population born outside the US. The region is home to more than 1,000 international institutions and over 1,000 foreign-owned companies from 50 countries.

Washington, DC is also a must-see destination for visitors to the United States. From learning about flight at the National Air and Space Museum to feeding tarantulas at the National History Museum’s Insect Zoo, America’s capital is packed with fascinating attractions, not to mention iconic landmarks such as The White House, The US Capitol and The Washington Monument.

Emirates’ network now encompasses 122 cities globally, with 22 destinations in Africa, 17 in the Middle East and 18 in the Far East and Australasia. The airline also operates over 200 flights each week to the Indian Subcontinent and Pakistan. Emirates' flights to Dubai provide conveniently timed connections to an extensive range of onward destinations,with Bangkok, Delhi, Manila, Johannesburg, Dar Es Salaam, Nairobi, Mumbai and Bangalore all connecting in under four hours.

Customers travelling to and from the United States can also benefit from Emirates’ partnerships with Jet Blue, American Airlines, Virgin America and Alaska Airlines. Passengers connecting on to Emirates’ services from these airlines enjoy a range of advantages, including one-stop check in and checked through baggage.

Winner of over 500 international awards, Emirates’ unique service offering includes complimentary chauffeur-driven airport transfers for premium customers, privacy suites in First Class, and an inflight entertainment system featuring over 1,200 channels of new release Hollywood movies, TV, music and games.

Starting 12thSeptember 2012, EK 231 will leave Dubai daily at 02:20hrs and arrive at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) at 08:50hrs. EK 232 will depart Dulles at 10:55hrs arriving in Dubai at 08:00hrs the following day.

With a fleet of 170 aircraft, Emirates now flies to 122 destinations, having recently launched services to Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Dublin, Seattle, Dallas/Fort Worth, Lusaka and Harare. Flights to Ho Chi Minh City start on 4th June and Barcelona and Lisbon will join the Emirates’ network on 3rd July and 9th July respectively.

*Source http://www.emirates.com/sg/English/a...19068&offset=0

Since the IAD inaugural is on my bday, anyone want to gift me a ticket? :D

Nope, 11am is not good for connections. EK202 still wins for me.

Though i guess this serves DC/VA/MD and isn't meant for domestic connections anyway.

No, you can't have a free ticket. Sorry! You have pay for it.

Yes, this is not good timings. Why can't have leave from IAD at 7 or 8pm? EK should have re-timer.

Freeloader...:D

Speaking of which, why would EY announce the route launch 13 months in advance and give their competition a heads up

EY and EK both belong to one country, let's not forget that by the nature of the UAE structure, they are, in essence, meant to compliment each other, no matter how much it looks like they are "competitors" ;) QR on the other hand is the competition.

I am pretty sure that EK will also announce ORD for 2012. It may even start before IAD. The sudden IAD announcement was provoked by EY's reckless announcement of AUH IAD. ORD had been planned to be launched first at EK, and it will likely still happen. I also predict that MIA and BOS will follow in 2013.

I agree

I think they may even go after DL's ATL hub for a slice of the action :rolleyes:

I agree on ORD and BOS, but still unsure if MIA is a better option than MCO.....

mama mia

This is great news. I will try next year since I already booked my tickets on QR for this year ^