Emirates Launches Airbus A380 Flights On This Major 8-Hour Route In 1 Month [Map]

Things are slowly returning to normal, although the recovery is so fragile that progress could easily be reversed. As AeroRoutes shows, Emirates has confirmed that it will once again fly the Airbus A380 from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Beijing Capital Airport (PEK).

The latest development comes after the Gulf giant reintroduced superjumbo service from DXB to Osaka Kansai at the start of September. With PEK's return, Emirates now plans to deploy the double-decker to 20 airports in Asia-Pacific through the end of 2026. Some flights will be on the two-class, 615-seater.

Emirates Confirms A380 Return To Beijing

OAG data shows that the Gulf giant has a reasonably long history of flying the superjumbo to PEK. The first departure took place more than 16 years ago, in August 2010. Flights operated daily through 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. The equipment was once again used between May and December 2023.

Now the type is coming back, albeit only in a very limited way, at least for now. Between October 4 and October 31 from DXB, the first-class-equipped A380 will be deployed on the airport pair, which will cover 3,162 nautical miles (5,856 km) on a great circle basis. It will replace the Boeing 777-300ER, providing significant additional passenger capacity but less space for freight.

| Frequency | Dubai To Beijing; Local Times | Beijing To Dubai; Local Times*** | |---|---|---| | Daily | EK306: 3:50 AM-3:25 PM (7 hours and 35 minutes; | EK307: 12:40 AM-5:00 AM (8 hours and 20 minutes; | | Daily | EK308: 10:40 AM-10:20 PM (7 hours and 40 minutes; 777-300ER**) | EK309: 7:25 AM-11:35 AM (8 hours and 10 minutes; 777-300ER) | | * October 4-31 only ** Aircraft remains overnight in China | *** October 5 to November 1 only |

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Where Emirates' Beijing Passengers Go

Emirates is one of the largest so-called sixth-freedom operators. Everyone knows that a huge chunk of the airline's passengers connect to another flight in DXB. Given the multitude of potential destinations, it is always enjoyable analyzing booking data to gain insights into where traffic actually goes. It is perhaps even more illuminating when it involves an airport (PEK) that is less discussed.

In the 12 months to June 2026, approximately 275,000 round-trip PEK passengers (about 73% of the total) transited to another flight at DXB. Booking data shows that Emirates' top two regional markets were Europe, closely followed by Africa. The Middle East was next, followed by South America.

The so-called Chinese Belt and Road Initiative in Africa, among other things, means that a huge number of people travel between the two places, and Emirates plays an important role. This helps to explain why several of the airline's 15 most popular markets via DXB are in Africa. The leading market was PEK to/from Cairo, followed by São Paulo, Conakry, Nairobi, Harare, London Heathrow, Warsaw, Johannesburg, Algiers, St. Petersburg, Luanda, Madrid, Basra, Mauritius, and Dar es Salaam.

Emirates' A380 Flights To Asia Are Up 18%

Let's continue to focus on** October 4 to 31**, when PEK will see Emirates' double-deckers again. In this sub-month period, the carrier has scheduled 700 nonstop A380 departures from DXB. This number has risen from 673 departures in the equivalent period in 2025, with 4% more services available. 25 daily departures now exist.

This growth figure hides various things. For example, double-decker flights to Australia and New Zealand are down 20% year-over-year. In contrast, despite the ongoing war in Iran, flights to Asia (excluding the Middle East) are up a surprising 18%.

This expansion across Asia is not just because of the return of PEK. It is also due to the start of A380 flights to Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) on October 25, which will be served daily. Emirates has not previously used the type to DEL on a regular basis. It is also due to Guangzhou seeing the equipment again (from February 2026), along with more superjumbo services to Shanghai Pudong.