A few weeks prior, Emirates revealed its intention to debut its latest aircraft type in the Americas for the first time. There’s now an update, as this service has been advanced by a few weeks, thanks to the earlier arrival of additional jets.
Emirates’ Dubai to Montreal flight transitions to A350
Effective January 11, 2026 (as opposed to the original date of February 1, 2026), Emirates plans to operate its Airbus A350-900 daily on its route between Dubai (DXB) and Montreal (YUL). The flight operates on the following schedule:
EK243 Dubai to Montreal departing 2:45AM arriving 7:35AM
EK244 Montreal to Dubai departing 10:40AM arriving 8:00AM (+1 day)
This 6,611-mile flight is scheduled for 13hr50min westbound and 12hr20min eastbound. This will mark the first route in the Americas where Emirates operates the A350. Notably, the route is currently serviced by the Boeing 777-200LR — the A350-900 and 777-200LR are the two aircraft types in Emirates’ fleet that consistently lack first class (Emirates otherwise possesses — by a wide margin — the largest first class fleet in the world).
Should travelers care about the Emirates A350?
Traditionally, Emirates’ fleet has included the Airbus A380 and Boeing 777, so the airline is diversifying by taking delivery of A350s (which may only have occurred due to Boeing’s challenges with certifying the 777X, as Emirates has hundreds of those on order).
Until now, Emirates has used its A350s mainly on short-haul flights, as well as on medium-haul routes to Asia and Europe. This is because the initial batch of A350s does not feature crew rest facilities, which restricts the duration of flights they can be scheduled for.
However, Emirates has now commenced taking delivery of A350s equipped with crew rest facilities, allowing for long-haul service, with Montreal expected to be one of the first destinations. It appears that Adelaide (ADL) is actually the first route to receive one of these aircraft, as that service commenced this month (in December 2025).
For context on the seating configuration:
– Emirates’ A350s without crew rest facilities feature 312 seats, comprising 32 business class seats, 21 premium economy seats, and 259 economy seats
– Emirates’ A350s with crew rest facilities will have 298 seats, including 32 business class seats, 28 premium economy seats, and 238 economy seats
As illustrated, the new long-haul A350s provide more premium economy seats but have fewer economy seats. What does the A350 mean for passengers?
These aircraft are equipped with Emirates’ latest business class offering, which may not be overly exciting, but is still an improvement over the 777-200LR business class it is succeeding. Additionally, this will be the first occasion that Emirates offers premium economy on a route to Canada, presenting a new option that some travelers might value.
Moreover, the A350 is generally a delightful aircraft to journey in, featuring a quiet and comfortable cabin, excellent technology, a tail camera, etc. In economy, the seats on the A350 are typically wider than those on the 777, marking another positive change.
Bottom line
Emirates is set to operate the Airbus A350 from Dubai to Montreal starting January 11, 2026, replacing the Boeing 777-200LR. This will be the inaugural route in the Americas to feature the Emirates A350 and, importantly, it’s among the first long-haul A350 routes for the airline. This is due to Emirates finally receiving long-haul A350s equipped with crew rest facilities.
I’ve been eager to fly on Emirates’ A350, so this seems like the best opportunity to do so…
What’s your opinion on Emirates operating the A350 to Montreal?