Emirates has seen a huge demand for bookings to Europe during Australia’s winter months, with over 120,000 travellers trading winter chills for summer thrills throughout June, July, and August 2025.
Emirates’ flights out of all five Australian gateways are perfectly timed to provide unrivalled connectivity and travel options via Dubai to over 40 European destinations, served with multiple daily flights including London, Paris, and Frankfurt.
This year’s top winter destinations for Australians are tipped to be London, Dublin, Rome, Athens, Paris, Edinburgh, Barcelona and Lisbon. Emirates has also witnessed an increase in passenger bookings to Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria throughout the European summer period, compared to the same period in 2024.
Driving this surge in bookings are couples (43%) and families (25%), demonstrating a strong desire for leisure travel and memorable European experiences during the Australian winter. This increase comes as more travellers are taking advantage of Emirates’ family-friendly services and attractive Emirates Holidays packages, which offer guaranteed savings, low deposits, and upgrades.
Emirates has also witnessed a surge in demand for premium travel, with bookings up 15% for Premium Economy, 4% for Business Class, and 6% for First Class. Premium Economy continues to exceed expectations in Australia, as more travellers prioritise luxury and comfort for long haul journeys. Premium Economy is now available via two daily services from Sydney, two daily services from Melbourne, and a daily service from Brisbane, with a third Melbourne service launching on 30 March 2025.
Barry Brown, Emirates’ Divisional Vice President Australasia, says: “The Australian appetite for travel remains incredibly strong in 2025, with nearly 120,000 Emirates passengers expected to fly to Europe for summer sun this year.
“Emirates is proud to play its part in connecting Australians with the world, offering seamless connectivity to world-class European destinations through our hub in Dubai. Our open jaw itineraries are proving particularly popular this year, allowing passengers to seamlessly fly into one destination and out of another, further expanding the opportunity for travel and adventure.
“We also provide extensive options for connectivity on arrival, partnering with leading European rail operators including Deutsche Bahn, Trenitalia, Spanish Rail Renfe to facilitate effortless travel across Europe.”
Demand for Stopover Travel Continues
With over 41,000 visitors from Australasia in the first month of this year alone*, Dubai continues to solidify its position as the preferred hub for global connectivity. This growth has been driven by Dubai’s vibrant list of cultural attractions, world-class sporting events and unrivalled luxury stays, which continue to attract travellers from across the nation.
Passengers travelling through Dubai can enjoy exclusive deals with My Emirates Pass offering visitors and residents flying with the airline discounts on big-name attractions, stores, spas, and restaurants across Dubai. Students are also eligible for a 10% discount on Economy or 5% discount on Business Class fares, as well as an additional 10kg luggage allowance or one extra piece until 31 March 2025. Travellers planning a stopover can also take advantage of Emirates’ Dubai Experience for benefits including a 10% discount on new flight bookings, 24-hour hotel check-in, and flexible cancellation options.
Fly Better this winter
Customers travelling to and from Australia can enjoy the iconic Emirates A380, known for its spacious and comfortable cabins, onboard lounge, and award-winning ice inflight entertainment system, featuring more than 6,500 channels. The Emirates A380 operates to 21 European destinations, meaning passengers flying from Australia to Europe have the opportunity for an end-to-end A380 experience as part of their travels.
Emirates’ cornerstone partnership with flydubai offers customers access to over 230 destinations across 100 countries. Passengers flying with Emirates and flydubai from Australia to Europe enjoy seamless connectivity in Dubai, with benefits like streamlined check-in, baggage transfers, access to Emirates’ lounges in Terminal 3 and the flydubai lounge at Terminal 2, and convenient connections to 36 flydubai destinations like Mykonos, Sofia and Zagreb.
With over 2 million Emirates Skywards members in Australia, passengers can also earn, redeem, and spend Miles on flights and a range of rewards across the Emirates global network, making every journey even more rewarding. Members can unlock a world of possibilities, redeeming their Miles for everything from flight tickets with Emirates and flydubai, flight tickets with other partner airlines and luxurious hotel stays to exclusive gift cards, premium hospitality at sporting and cultural events, curated tours, and unforgettable ‘money can’t buy’ experiences.
Emirates currently operates 77 weekly return services to Australia and offers over 68,000 seats to and from its five major gateways, operating three daily return services from Dubai to Melbourne and Sydney, two daily flights to Brisbane and Perth, and a daily service to Adelaide.
Emirates recently announced that it will be introducing a third non-stop service between Dubai and Melbourne, starting from 30 March 2025. The third service will be operated with a newly retrofitted four-class Emirates Boeing 777-300ER, equipped with the airline’s award-winning Premium Economy product and latest generation Business class seats.
Bookings can be made on emirates.com, the Emirates App, or via both online and offline travel agents.
