Emirates flying premium economy to India on A380: What it means for flyers

From October 2023, Emirates will bring its Premium Economy offering to Mumbai and Bengaluru on the Airbus A 380 flights.

The launch on these popular routes is timed to coincide with the  upcoming Diwali season.

Travellers flying on the Dubai-Mumbai route can book Emirates’ Premium Economy seats on EK500/501, while customers flying between Dubai and Bengaluru can book their flights on EK568/569 to enjoy the premium economy offering with luxurious seats, more legroom, and an elevated dining experience.

 Seats can be booked immediately via emirates.com, Emirates sales offices and travel agencies, for travel from 29 October.

Mumbai schedule:

Dubai – Mumbai (EK 500) departs Dubai at 21:50 and arrives in Mumbai at 02:15 the following day

Mumbai – Dubai (EK 501) departs Mumbai at 04:15 and arrives in Dubai at 06:05 same day

Bengaluru schedule

Dubai – Bengaluru (EK 568) departs Dubai at 21:25 and arrives in Bengaluru at 02:30 the following day

Bengaluru – Dubai (EK 569) departs Bengaluru at 04:30 and arrives in Dubai at 07:10 the same day.

And here's the difference in price fare: An economy ticket on the same flight costs about Rs 20,552 while a premium economy ticket is priced at Rs 37,982. A Business class ticket on the other hand will cost Rs 60,114.

Premium Economy already features on flights to nine destinations globally, including US points New York JFK, San Francisco and Houston, in addition to London Heathrow, Sydney, Auckland, Christchurch, Melbourne and Singapore. Premium Economy cabins will also make their debut to Los Angeles in July, bringing the number of routes offering the product to 12 by the end of 2023.

With this latest addition to the list, one can fly from India to key markets such as London, Sydney, Singapore, New York  with a whole Premium Economy experience through and through.

Emirates operates to and from nine Indian destinations: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Thiruvananthapuram.

The seats in Emirates' premium economy cabins offer a 40-inch pitch, providing ample legroom for passengers. On the other hand, economy seats provide 32 to 34 inches of legroom pitch and are 17.5 inches wide.

The seats have an 8-inch recline feature, and the airline has  incorporated large pillows into each leather seat. 

The sample menu on the Premium Economy ticket includes:

Wine: Chandon Brut Vintage 2012/ Chapoutier Tournon Shays Flat Shiraz 2014/ Laurenz V. Charming Gruner Veltliner 2016

Breakfast: Fresh seasonal fruit, natural yoghurt, granola 

Main course Classic omelette

Served with sautéed mushrooms, roasted potatoes and spinach

Cold plate

Sliced grilled chicken, air-dried beef, cheddar,

gouda and feta, served with crudités

Bread Wholemeal rolls and croissants

Offered with a selection of juices, tea and coffee

Light bites:  Vegetarian pizza topped with tomatoes, melted cheese

and oregano

Fruit and snack bars: Available between meal services

Offered with a selection of wines, beers, spirits,

juices, soft drinks, tea and coffee

And if you have the ICICI Bank, Emirates Skywards co-branded credit card, you get 2.5 Skywards Miles per Rs 100 spend, which you  can spend on rewards like flight tickets on partner airlines, flight upgrades, hospitality at sporting and cultural events.

You also get a host of other benefits like bonus Skywards Miles, complimentary Emirates Skywards Silver status, dining offers through ICICI Bank Culinary Treats Programme as well as entertainment offers through BookMyShow, depending on the card variant chosen.

These co-branded cards are available in three variants – ‘Emirates Skywards Emeralde Credit Card’, ‘Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card’ and ‘Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Rubyx Credit Card’.