
Emirates layers on 46 additional flights for Hajj and Eid Al Adha
Emirates is ramping up its operations for this year's Hajj season, with 33 special flights to Jeddah and Medina operating until 31 May and between 10 and 16 June to support the thousands of pilgrims traveling for their once-in-a-lifetime journey to the holy city of Mecca.
Emirates will also operate 13 more flights to/from regional destinations including Amman, Dammam, Kuwait and Bahrain to meet high demand during the Eid Al Adha period, as travellers venture to summer leisure destinations, or visit their loved ones for Eid celebrations.
Emirates will be transporting nearly 32,000 Hajj passengers over the next three weeks from key points within its network like USA, Pakistan, Indonesia, South Africa, Thailand, and Côte d'Ivoire.
The onboard pilgrim experience
The Hajj experience with Emirates begins on the ground once pilgrims arrive in Dubai as dedicated airport teams seamlessly guide them through arrivals, connections, and hotel transfers.
Onboard, pilgrims across all cabins will receive distinctive 'Hajj' luggage tags, alongside a newly introduced Hajj kit featuring a prayer mat, tasbih beads for prayer, mindfulness and constant remembrance, silicon water bottles, and cushioned non-slip socks — ensuring a reverent, comfortable journey.
All special Hajj flights offer a customised experience for pilgrims, including ablution-friendly amenities, unperfumed towels, special announcements marking Al Miqat zones, and dedicated Hajj content on ice . All passengers returning from Jeddah and Medinah can also check in up to 5 litres of holy water (Zamzam), to be placed in the aircraft's designated cargo area.
Customers traveling on special Hajj flights are encouraged to explore the complete Hajj experience on Emirates' website for the latest requirements and what to expect on ground and onboard their flights to/from Jeddah and Medinah.
Emirates' Eid Al Adha traditions
Keeping with Eid Al Adha traditions, flights to select destinations across the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, Far East, Europe and Africa will offer a special Eid menu across all travel classes.
Customers can enjoy traditional dishes like Lamb Madfoon and Chicken Zurbian in First, Business and Premium Economy Class. First, Business and Premium Economy Class customers can indulge in Pistachio and Chocolate Nammoura Cake as well as White Chocolate and Rahash Mousse cake. In Economy Class, customers can tuck into Pistachio Cake and Coffee Cake.
First and Business Class customers traveling on the Emirates A380 can expect a rich selection of Emirati desserts and unlimited Arabic Coffee in the Onboard Lounge.
Customers across all travel classes will also be treated to desserts wrapped in unique, celebratory boxes. These will include bite-size specialities like Cake Rangeena, Pistachio Rehash Cake, and Date Mamoul cookies.
Customers traveling in First and Business Class from Jeddah will be spoilt for choice with a selection of delectable dishes and desserts like Lamb Mathlouta, Lamb Saleeg, Henaini and Cheese Kunafa in the airline's dedicated lounge.
Customers traveling during Eid Al Adha can also enjoy on-demand entertainment on ice , including 2,000 movies from around the world - more than 75 of them in Arabic with classics and new releases like such as Abo Nasab, Al Mazra'a and Al Ankaboot. There are also up to 50 Arabic series channels, along with Shahid exclusives such as Al Bath, Trad and Sadaf. Customers can also look forward to enjoying Turkish series - dubbed in Arabic - like Tout El Aswad and Al Uqda.
On demand entertainment also includes 15 Arabic podcast and audiobook channels, The Holy Qur'an, and over 500 Arabic music channels including pop, classics, Khaleeji, Maghrebi, and fusion genres.
Customers rushed for time who missed buying gifts for friends and family can easily and conveniently shop luxury duty-free products with Emirates RED's new summer catalogue featuring 200 products from brands like Hermes, Cartier, Tom Ford, Creed and Jo Malone, and others.
Customers looking to save time can pre-order duty-free items on EmiratesRED.com , which will be delivered directly to their seat onboard. The service is available on most flights, with shopping open from 21 days to 40 hours before departure. During Eid Al Adha, Emirates RED is offering an exclusive 10% discount for customers using the code 'REDMAG' at checkout.
Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Khaleej Times
24 minutes ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE-Syria travel: Emirates to restart flights to Damascus
Emirates is set to reintroduce flights to Damascus from July 16, after operations were suspended to the Syrian capital in 2012. The return of services follow a comprehensive evaluation in conjunction with the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority. The airline will initially start with three weekly services on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday, with plans to expand to four weekly flights from August 2 with an additional flight on Saturday. Emirates will expand its Damascus services to daily operations, effective October 26. The airline's services to Damascus will operate with a 302-seater Boeing 777-200LR and is planned to depart Dubai as EK 913 at 1200, arriving in Damascus International Airport at 2.10pm local time. The return flight, EK 914 will depart Damascus at 4.30pm, arriving in Dubai at 8.30pm local time. The flights will advance UAE's efforts to strengthen bilateral ties and support Syrian aspirations to rebuild and attract foreign investment across key sectors such as energy, construction and agriculture. Emirates customers flying to and from Damascus will also benefit from the airline's codeshare partnership with flydubai, which will complement its flight schedule and provide more options and convenience when flying in and out of the Syrian capital. 'Re-establishing air travel and connectivity is also good news for our customers that make up the expansive Syrian diaspora across the Americas, Europe and the GCC, who are eager to fly back home and reconnect to their roots, and leverage their knowledge, skills, expertise and resources in ongoing development efforts," said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group. The UAE and Syria's trade volumes reached $680 million (Dh2.5 billion) in 2024, a 23 per cent increase over the previous year, and the new flights will further stimulate vital trade ties. The UAE's thriving Syrian community of over 350,000 nationals have played an integral role in the UAE's prosperity, contributing through entrepreneurial ventures and skilled expertise while further enriching the country's vibrant cultural tapestry. Emirates commenced services to Damascus in 1988, and prior to suspending operations in 2012 the airline carried over 2.1 million passengers in and out of Syria. The airline currently flies to 13 cities in the Middle East/GCC, serving the region with a total of 191 weekly flights.


Khaleej Times
an hour ago
- Khaleej Times
Eid Al Adha: Some UAE hotels hit 100% occupancy amid Schengen, US visa delays
Hotels across the UAE are experiencing a surge in bookings ahead of the Eid Al Adha holidays, with many properties reporting full or near-full occupancy. This uptick is largely driven by residents opting for staycations due to ongoing difficulties securing US and Schengen visa appointments, as well as an influx of regional visitors. Several hotels have already reached full capacity for the four-day Eid break, while others expect to hit 100 per cent occupancy in the coming days as last-minute bookings increase. UAE residents will enjoy a four-day Eid Al Adha holiday from Thursday to Sunday this week. As previously reported by Khaleej Times, visa appointments for travel to Schengen countries remain unavailable until mid-August due to overwhelming demand during the summer season. Tarek Labib, Head of Commercial for IMEA at IHG Hotels & Resorts, noted that hotel occupancy rates are expected to peak over the Eid weekend, with strong performance extending into the surrounding days, especially in the Northern Emirates. 'This demand is being driven by residents and families from the GCC, as short-haul trips are becoming more attractive ahead of the summer school break. Looking ahead, UAE hotels are witnessing a 20 per cent year-on-year increase in bookings, buoyed by robust domestic travel and double-digit growth from key international markets, including the UK and neighboring Gulf countries,' said Labib. He added that occupancy during Eid remains consistent with last year's 80 per cent, at IHG Hotels and Resorts. Staycations surge amid visa hurdles Iftikhar Hamdani, area general manager of Bahi Ajman Palace and Coral Beach Resort Sharjah, confirmed full occupancy at his properties during Eid, reflecting strong demand. 'Compared to last year, we're seeing significantly higher occupancy. Many guests are booking longer stays, largely driven by expatriates unable to travel abroad due to delays in obtaining Schengen and US visas,' he said. Sherif Madkour, General Manager of Media Rotana, expects a 'remarkable performance this Eid,' with occupancy projected to exceed 95 per cent. 'There's a clear increase in both bookings and average daily rates compared to last year,' he noted. 'This is supported by attractive seasonal offers, family packages, and enhanced leisure facilities. A growing number of residents are choosing local getaways due to continued visa processing issues.' Abdulla Al Abdulla, CEO and General Manager of Central Hotels & Resorts, said properties under the group — including Palm Hotels and First Central — are performing strongly, with about 70 per cent of rooms already booked. 'We typically see a surge in bookings during the last three days before Eid, and we expect that trend to continue,' he said. 'The staycation market is showing modest year-on-year improvement.' GCC visitors drive tourism boost Mamdouh Ali, General Manager of Rose Rayhaan by Rotana, anticipates an 'exceptional tourist season' during Eid, with a projected 20 per cent increase in visitors from the Gulf region and a 10 per cent rise in domestic tourism. 'This growth is largely due to our special promotions and events coordinated by the Dubai government in collaboration with the Department of Economic Development,' he added. At Leva Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road, occupancy is expected to reach around 90 per cent during the Eid weekend. 'Much of the demand materialises close to the holiday dates, and we're seeing a similar last-minute booking trend this year,' said Thomas Kurian, Hotel Manager. 'Our guests are primarily from the GCC, with many families seeking cost-effective holiday packages and extended weekend stays. Northern Emirates resorts continue to be preferred over city hotels, a pattern that we expect to continue through Eid Al Adha 2025.' Elif Yazoglu, General Manager of DoubleTree by Hilton Jumeirah Beach, also reports exceptionally strong demand. 'We're expecting full occupancy throughout the Eid period, with reservations building steadily in advance,' she said. 'Compared to last year, we've seen a substantial increase in both pace and volume of bookings. Many residents are locking in their plans early, and with school holidays approaching, families appear to be delaying overseas travel, contributing to the current spike.'


Emirates 24/7
an hour ago
- Emirates 24/7
Emirates to reintroduce Damascus services from 16 July
Flights to provide essential connectivity to the Syrian capital as the country seeks to accelerate recovery and revitalise key sectors within its economy Airline to seamlessly and efficiently connect Syrian diaspora in the Americas, Europe and GCC to Damascus Emirates is set to reintroduce flights to Damascus from 16 July 2025*. Operations were suspended to the Syrian capital in 2012, and the return of services follow a comprehensive evaluation in conjunction with the UAE GCAA. The airline will initially start with three weekly services on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday, with plans to expand to four weekly flights from 2 August* with an additional flight on Saturday. Emirates will expand its Damascus services to daily operations, effective 26 October *. Emirates' services to Damascus will operate with a 302-seater Boeing 777-200LR and is planned to depart Dubai as EK 913 at 1200hrs, arriving in Damascus International Airport at 1410hrs local time. The return flight, EK 914 will depart Damascus at 1630hrs, arriving in Dubai at 2030hrs local time.** The flights will open up new opportunities for travellers to conveniently connect to and from the airline's network of nearly 150 destinations and will support the UAE's efforts to strengthen bilateral ties and support Syrian aspirations to rebuild and attract foreign investment across key sectors such as energy, construction and agriculture. Emirates customers flying to and from Damascus will also benefit from the airline's codeshare partnership with flydubai, which will complement its flight schedule and provide more options and convenience when flying in and out of the Syrian capital. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: 'Emirates is pleased to restart operations to Damascus and support Syria's road ahead by providing better choice and connectivity, essential economic links for inwards investment as well as opening new trade lanes and global market access for the country. Re-establishing air travel and connectivity is also good news for our customers that make up the expansive Syrian diaspora across the Americas, Europe and the GCC, who are eager to fly back home and reconnect to their roots, and leverage their knowledge, skills, expertise and resources in ongoing development efforts. We would like to thank the Syrian authorities for their support in strengthening connectivity between Dubai and Damascus and look forward to boosting links to and from the country through our regularly scheduled operations.' The UAE and Syria's trade volumes reached US $680 million (AED 2.5 billion) in 2024¹, a 23% increase over the previous year, and the new flights will further stimulate vital trade ties. The UAE's thriving Syrian community of over 350,000 nationals² have played an integral role in the UAE's prosperity, contributing through entrepreneurial ventures and skilled expertise while further enriching the country's vibrant cultural tapestry. The Boeing 777-200LR aircraft operating to and from Damascus features 38 Business Class seats alongside 264 seats in Economy Class. Emirates Business Class on the Damascus service will feature a 2-2-2 configuration. Travellers flying to and from Damascus with Emirates can enjoy the best experience in the sky with an unmatched culinary experience, including Levantine inspired dishes complemented by a wide selection of premium beverages. Customers can also sit back and relax with up to 6,500 channels of carefully curated entertainment, including close to 650 channels of Arabic content, including movies, TV shows, music, podcasts, games, audiobooks and more with ice, Emirates' award-winning inflight entertainment system. Emirates commenced services to Damascus in 1988, and prior to suspending operations in 2012 the airline carried over 2.1 million passengers in and out of Syria. The airline currently flies to 13 cities in the Middle East/GCC, serving the region with a total of 191 weekly flights. Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.