Emirates to fly the A350 to Durban from 1 March 2027, bringing Premium Economy to all three of its South African gateways

Emirates will deploy its Airbus A350 on the daily Dubai–Durban service, flights EK 775/776, from 1 March 2027, the airline announced on 30 October 2026. The change brings a Premium Economy cabin to Durban, which means all three of the airline's South African gateways will offer it.

Emirates introduced Premium Economy on its Cape Town and Johannesburg routes in September 2025 and says the cabin has kept a healthy load factor there. According to the airline, demand on the Durban route comes from both leisure and corporate travellers, and many passengers are visiting friends and family or connecting through Dubai to destinations such as Thailand, Indonesia, India, France and the United Kingdom.

On the A350, Premium Economy is laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration with leather seats, in-seat charging and a 13.3-inch screen. Emirates says Premium Economy passengers will have a dedicated check-in counter and priority boarding at King Shaka International Airport, together with a 35 kg checked baggage allowance and 10 kg of cabin baggage. Business Class is arranged 1-2-1, with direct aisle access and fully flat seats, and the aircraft also has an Economy Class cabin.

The announcement does not give departure times or say how the existing aircraft on the route will be redeployed. Travellers booking Durban flights for March 2027 onwards should check the cabin and baggage allowance shown on their own ticket, as these depend on the fare purchased.