Emirates New Routes and Changes 2026
 

New for 2026...

Ah, you’re starting earlier every year…..;)

Announced changes - will update the post to keep track of all relevant changes for 2026

1st January
LGW (EK011/012) from A380 to B77W
BGW (EK943/944) from B77W/B77L to A359

11th January
YUL from B77L to A359

1st February
ZRH (EK085/086) from B77W to A380
LGW (EK009/010) from A380 to B77W
CAI (EK929/930) from 6 weekly B77L to daily B77W

8th February
LGW (EK069/070) addition of 4th daily flight with A359

29th March
LGW (EK009/010) from B77W to A380
LHR (EK041/042) cancellation of daily flight with B77W
DUB (EK165/166) cancellation of daily flight with B77W
MXP (EK101/102) from B77W to B77L
MRU (EK709/710) from B77W to B77L
EBB from B77W to A359

2nd April
MNL (EK330/331) new 4 weekly flight with B77W

1st May
TPE (EK386/387) from B77L to A359

7th May
MCO from 5 weekly to 6 weekly B77W

1st June
MAD (EK141/142) from B77W to A380

1st July
SEA from B77W to B77L
HKT (EK390/391) resumption of 3rd daily flight with A359
SGN (EK392/393) from B77W to B77L
NBO (EK717/718) addition of 3rd daily flight with B77W
CPT (EK778/779) resumption of 3rd daily flight with A359

1st October
LGW (EK009/010) from A380 to B77W
LGW (EK015/016) from A380 to B77W
CPH (EK151/152) from A380 to B77W
CPH (EK153/154) addition of 2nd daily flight with A359
CAN from B77W to A380
HKG (EK382/383) from B77W to A380
HEL new daily flight with A359

25th October
LGW (EK011/012) from A380 to B77W
DUB (EK165/166) resumption of 3rd daily flight with B77L
NRT (EK320/321) addition of 2nd daily flight with B77W

1st December
LGW (EK009/010) from B77W to A380
LGW (EK011/012) from B77W to A380
LGW (EK015/016) from B77W to A380

1st February
LGW (EK009/010) from A380 to B77W

29th March
LGW (EK009/010) from B77W to A380

Same flight number being downgraded from A380 to B777 then upgraded to A380 again roughly two months later.

Is it due to retrofit so EK009/010 will be a 4 class A380 from 29Mar?

Not impossible, but I doubt it. No PE to LGW so far and I would think that it's more likely to be the EK15/16 rotation to get PE first as it seems to be a more popular one.

Unhappy with those 2 months of EK9/10 on a 3 class 77W. I'm on EK9 early Mach and EK10 later that month. Will have to see if the splurge to F is not too painful. Continuing to CPT on 770 which now is a 4 class so I would be happy with J there.

Dummy booking for 1 April suggests that only EK069 will be 4 class


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...6841d7a315.jpg

Montreal will get the A350!!

https://www.emirates.com/media-centr...-to-customers/

Yes - I dropped a hint about this happening a few weeks back. ;)

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/37290592-post811.html

A few flights are scheduled to transition away from the 77L fleet before Feb 1:
EK243/244 YUL upgauged to the 359 on Feb 1
EK586/587 DAC upgauged to the 2-class 77W on Feb 1
EK618/619 SKT upgauged to the 2-class 77W on Jan 26
EK809/810 IKA upgauged to the 2-class 77W on Jan 19
EK929/930 CAI upgauged to the 2-class 77W on Feb 1
EK947/948 BSR upgraded to the 4-class 77W on Jan 29

This leaves just the following on the 77L from Feb 1:
EK255/256 BCN/MEX
EK386/387 TPE
EK530/531 COK
EK606/607 KHI
EK723/724 ADD

In other words, there are about four 77Ls (assuming one in retrofit) which are not yet allocated from February 1 and beyond. I wonder where we might see these deployed?

I think the 77L will leave the fleet.....does it make sense to retrofit aircraft that are almost 20 years old?

EK ordered more than 60 A350, they are very similar in capacity to the old B77L.....actually the A350 is better than the B77L.....a few more passengers and better fuel consumption.

EK586/587 DAC upgauged to the 2-class 77W on Feb 1
This route has always had the 2-class 77W

EK809/810 IKA upgauged to the 2-class 77W on Jan 19
EK809/810 is to MED which also already gets the 2-class 77W....sometimes the 3-class 77W.

Yes, paranoia has clearly set in! :D​​​​​​

Starting January all 7 weekly flights to Baghdad will be operated by A359
https://www.emirates.com/media-centr...-january-2026/

There were some rumours of EK not filing for SYD-CHC A380 in the NS26 intial slot fillings (although that looks to have now happened). Longer-term, and maybe in 2026, I would see that route being replaced with a non-stop and the LR will be the only option (the A359 wont have the legs, not sure about the B77X and the A380 will be too big for the market).

Yes it appears the initial slot report for NS26 was fixed and now displays the slots required for continuation of the SYD/CHC service. Though there still exists a lot of unutilized 77L capacity this winter that could be used for this route.

I thought it was a strange decision to retrofit the 777-200LR's and keep them on, the A350-900ULR's seemed like ideal direct replacements for them.