Emirates will resume flying to Edinburgh (EDI) on 4 November 2024. This will complement Emirates’ daily A380 service to Glasgow, which will continue. The additional route will bring the number of weekly flights between the UAE and Scotland to 14.
The new routes Dubai to Edinburgh route is available to book now.
Schedule
The route will operate daily with an A350-900 aircraft – more on that below. The aircraft is configured with three classes: 32 lie-flat seats in Business Class, 21 seats in Premium Economy, and 259 seats in Economy Class.
The schedule is:
EK23
Depart Dubai (DXB) at 14:50
Arrive in Edinburgh (EDI) at 19:05
EK24
Depart Edinburgh (EDI) at 20:40
Arrive in Dubai (DXB) at 08:05 the next day.
The timings are ideal for short weekend trips. It will be possible to leave after lunch on a Friday and be back in the office on Monday morning.
The schedule also complements the Glasgow flight which operates as an early morning departure from Dubai with an early afternoon return.
New Business Class seat on board the A350
The A350 is the newest aircraft to join the Emirates fleet. The airline expects to have 10 of the aircraft delivered by March 2025 with passenger service starting from September 2024. In addition to Edinburgh, the A350 will be deployed to eight other destinations; Bahrain, Kuwait, Muscat, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Colombo, Bologna and Lyon.
What is particularly exciting is that the A350 will feature Emirates’ brand new Business Class seat on board. The product has yet to be revealed. However, the seat map shows a 1-2-1 staggered configuration with all-aisle access.
We also know that the seat manufacturer is Safran. If Emirates has chosen an off-the-shelf product, one potential option is the Safran Unity seat. The seat reminds me a little of the Qatar QSuite in terms of the level of privacy on offer.
We will know soon enough. The new seat is set to debut at some point in July or August on refurbished 777 aircraft.
Booking Edinburgh with Skywards Miles
The cost of Skywards return redemptions in Economy ranges from 45,000 miles for Economy Saver to 77,500 miles for Flex Plus. There is also AED 1,220 in fees and taxes to pay.
The price of a return Business Class redemption is set at 90,000 miles for Saver and 145,000 miles for Flex Plus. You will pay AED 4,110 for fees and taxes.
Currently, there is wide open availability at the Flex Plus level. However, I do not see any availability at the Saver rewards level.
Upgrades with Skywards Miles
One-way upgrades from Economy to Business will cost the following:
- 39,000 Skywards Miles for Flex Plus
- 50,700 Skywards Miles Flex fares
- 82,000 Skywards Miles Saver fares
Economy Saver fares can only be upgraded at check-in or onboard. The initial batch of A350s will not have a First Class cabin so no Business to First Class upgrades available.
If you need to top up your stash of Skywards to book a reward or upgrade, read our complete guide to buying Skywards Miles including details of the current promo bonus.
Conclusion
I am very happy to see Emirates return to Edinburgh. As a big fan and regular attendee at the Edinburgh Fringe and International Festival it is great to have a direct connection to the UAE again.
This is also good news for Scottish expat families who are currently having to connect through other cities in the Gulf and Europe on trips home. Getting a new A350 with Emirates’ brand new business class and premium economy products on board looks like a commitment to making this route a success.
Book your Emirates flight to Edinburgh here.