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Emirates is one of the biggest players in the long-haul market, and the airline heavily utilizes the Airbus A380 aircraft to connect Dubai with cities across the world. The Dubai-based carrier is by far the largest operator of the type; it operates a fleet of around 117 double-deckers. According to scheduled data from an aviation analytics provider, Cirium, for the final quarter of 2026, Emirates has scheduled more than 13,000 flights using the type.
The airline is deploying it on major routes to destinations such as London Heathrow, Sydney, Melbourne, Manchester, and Paris. Simple Flying took a look at the airline’s latest schedule and found that it has increased its A380 frequencies on three routes: 
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL), Zurich Airport (ZRH), and 
Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG).
Emirates Will Add A Second Daily A380 Flight To Kuala Lumpur This Winter
Until its latest schedule update, Emirates had planned to operate one daily A380 flight between 
Dubai International Airport (DXB) and KUL throughout the winter 2026/27 season and the following summer. The airline has now revised its plans and will increase the frequency to two daily A380 flights from December. The additional service will replace a Boeing 777-300ER flight.
Flight | DXB to KUL; Local time | Flight | KUL to DXB; Local time |
|---|---|---|---|
EK342 | 10:40 AM – 9:55 PM | EK343 | 1:25 AM – 4:40 AM |
EK346 | 3:40 AM – 2:45 PM (A380 replaces the 777-300ER) | EK347 | 6:25 PM – 9:45 PM (A380 replaces the 777-300ER) |
The Gulf carrier currently operates three daily flights between Dubai and Kuala Lumpur. One uses the A380, another uses the Airbus A350-900, and the third operates with the 777-300ER. The A350-900 debuted on the route in September only; until then, the airline operated two daily 777-300ER services alongside its A380 flight. The UAE flag carrier has served the Malaysian capital since 1996, and Kuala Lumpur has become an established market for the airline’s A380 operations.
The carrier introduced the double-decker on the route in 2012 (which made Malaysia one of the first 18 countries to receive scheduled Emirates A380 services). The last time the route saw two daily double-decker frequencies was in 2020. In fact, between 2018 and 2020, the airline operated up to three daily A380 flights between the two cities.
Zurich Will See More Emirates A380 Flights This Winter And In Summer
Regarding Zurich, Emirates currently operates two daily one way flights from Dubai, offering more than 25,000 one-way seats each month. It currently deploys an Airbus double decker on one daily service and a Boeing widebody on the other. Under its previous schedule, the Gulf carrier had planned to operate one daily A380 flight throughout the upcoming winter season.
However, the latest update shows that the airline will increase this to two daily A380 flights from December. The revised schedule will remain in place during the upcoming summer season as well. Emirates last operated twice-daily A380 services to Zurich in summer 2024. The additional frequency will give the Swiss city two daily services aboard the airline’s 487-seat, four-class A380 configuration. The aircraft features 14 refurbished first-class suites in a 1-2-1 layout.
Flight | DXB to ZRH; Local time | Flight | ZRH to DXB; Local time |
|---|---|---|---|
EK87 | 8:25 AM –12:25 PM | EK88 | 2:35 PM – 11:45 PM |
EK85 | 3:55 PM – 7:50 PM (A380 replaces the 777-300ER) | EK86 | 9:50 PM – 7:05 AM+1 (A380 replaces the 777-300ER) |
Each suite has sliding privacy doors, a small wardrobe, two storage compartments, and a shelf with a flip-up make-up mirror. It also features 76 refurbished business class seats based on Safran’s SkyLounge platform in the same 1-2-1 layout; 56 of the airline’s latest premium economy seats in a 2-4-2 configuration; and 341 economy seats in a 3-4-3 layout. Of course, the business class and first class passengers also have access to Emirates’ popular onboard bar on the upper deck, at the rear of the business class cabin.
Emirates Doubles A380 Flights To Shanghai For Five Weeks
Furthermore, similar to Zurich, the Dubai-based airline offers two daily flights between Dubai and China’s busiest international airport; one service using the double-decker quad jet and the other with a 777-300ER. Until its latest schedule update, the airline had planned to maintain one daily A380 flight on the route.
However, the revised schedule shows that between October 25 (when the Northern Winter season will begin) and November 30, Emirates will deploy A380s on both flights. The airline returned the Airbus widebody to the Shanghai route in October 2025 after a year-and-a-half absence. The last time the route had two daily A380 flights was in 2020.
