Emirates reinstates non-stop Airbus A380 flights to Auckland

The resumption of the Gulf carrier's longest route will expedite the path to Dubai and Europe for Kiwi travellers.

EMIRATES AIRBUS A380-861 A6-EEU (MSN 147)

New Zealanders heading to Dubai and Europe with Emirates will again have a direct path as non-stop flights between Auckland and Dubai – once again the Gulf carrier's longest direct flight – return to the skies from the 1st December.

As an added bonus, the 17-hour-10-minute service will be upgraded to an Airbus A380, complete with its inflight bar and lounge for business and first class travellers. The superjumbo swap will mean a substantial upgrade for business class to the A380's fully flat beds, without the dreaded middle seat and unpopular 2-3-2 layout.

Currently, Emirates serves Auckland daily with a Boeing 777 aircraft which makes a 90-minute stop in Kuala Lumpur in both directions. The return of the direct flight will shave more than two hours off the total flight time between the two cities.

EMIRATES BOEING 777-31H A6-ECX (MSN 38982)

However, the direct Auckland service won't initially feature its new premium economy class, with that honour becoming available to flights from Christchurch (via Sydney), also from the 1st December.

The direct EK449 flight will set off from Auckland at 9:15pm, touching down in Dubai at 5:15am the morning afterward. EK448 will depart at 10:05am, landing in New Zealand at 11:05am the next day after a 16-hour journey.