Emirates has witnessed a surge in demand for travel this Australian winter, with almost 440,000 travellers trading winter chills for summer thrills throughout June, July and August.
This year’s top winter destinations for Australians in order of popularity are the United Kingdom, Italy, Greece, France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Denmark. Meanwhile, Croatia enjoyed a 13% boost in bookings, as the sought-after destination continues to rise in popularity among Australians. Portugal also has experienced an 8% increase in Emirates passenger bookings compared to the same period last year.
Solo travellers (40%), couples (35%) and families (14%) lead the way when it comes to booking on Emirates. Italy and Greece remained the top pick for romantic getaways, with couples responsible for 43% of bookings to these destinations. Meanwhile, families favoured a more diverse mix of destinations visiting Italy, Greece, Ireland and France for their European adventures. Emirates has seen leisure travellers take trips of 15 days or longer while business travellers opt for short, one-week journeys.
The busiest period for Emirates this winter has been June with 44% of passengers travelling during this period as the school holidays kicked off across Australia. The airline has also revealed when most Australians are booking their European travels, with 39% of passengers booking their flights four to six months ahead, 28% of passengers securing their tickets seven months ahead, and just 8% of organised Australians booking more than seven months in advance.
Emirates’ new Premium Economy cabin has exceeded expectations in Australia, with nearly 185,000 passengers having flown Premium Economy since its introduction in Sydney and Melbourne, averaging over 90% load factors. This surge in demand reflects a broader trend of travellers prioritising luxury and comfort, with a notable shift towards premium offerings.
Barry Brown, Emirates’ Divisional Vice President Australasia, says: “Australians continue to have a big appetite for travel and exploration, and we’ve seen that firsthand with nearly 440,000 travellers choosing to fly Emirates this winter alone. The desire to swap Australian winter for those iconic European summers is stronger than ever.
“Emirates is proud to play its part in connecting Australians with the world. To keep pace with this incredible demand, we’re expanding our services with a focus on choice and comfort. This includes the continued rollout of our popular Premium Economy cabin across our network, increased upgauging on key routes popular with Australians, and the reinstatement of our Adelaide services which will give even more travellers the opportunity to connect to new experiences on Emirates. We’re looking forward to welcoming even more passengers onboard and helping them create unforgettable travel memories.”
Dubai also experienced a welcome spike in travellers this year, further solidifying its position as the preferred hub for global connectivity. Over 101,000 overnight Australians experienced the city from January to May 2024, a 5.5% increase compared to the same period in 2023. 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.
Fly better this winter
The Emirates A380 experience remains highly sought after by travellers, with customers travelling to and from Australia able to enjoy its spacious and comfortable cabins and award-winning inflight entertainment system, ice, that includes more than 6,500 channels. The Premium Economy service offers passengers a signature experience unmatched in the industry. With plush cream leather seats and a wood veneer, passengers are offered a generous baggage allowance and an exceptional dining experience, staffed by a team of cabin crew dedicated to Premium Economy passengers.
With more than 2 million Emirates Skywards members in Australia, passengers can earn and spend their Miles on flights across the Emirates global network.
Travellers 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.
Emirates currently operates 63 weekly services from Sydney, Melbourne Brisbane and Perth. Recently, Emirates doubled its Premium Economy offering on Melbourne flights and will operate an all-A380 service to Brisbane starting October 1st. Additionally, Emirates is resuming daily service to Adelaide on October 28th and reinstating a second daily Perth service on December 1st. These increases reflect the airline’s ongoing commitment to growing its services down under.
Bookings can be made on emirates.com, the Emirates App, or via both online and offline travel agents.
