Emirates Boosts Middle East Connectivity with Beirut & Baghdad Flights in 2025

Emirates is set to significantly enhance its Middle East network by resuming daily services to Beirut, Lebanon, and Baghdad, Iraq, starting 1 February 2025. This expansion offers African travel agents enhanced connectivity options for their clients, with convenient connections through Dubai. The move demonstrates a renewed confidence in the region and provides more travel choices for those connecting through the UAE hub.

The initial daily flight to Beirut's Rafic Al Hariri International Airport will be operated using a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft featuring three cabin classes. This translates to over 5,000 seats available each week, offering a variety of travel options and an elevated travel experience. From 1 April 2025, Emirates will double its Beirut service, introducing a second daily flight EK957/958 that further increases capacity and flexibility for travelers with a new morning option.

For Beirut, starting 1 February, flight EK953 will depart Dubai at 11:30, arriving in Beirut at 14:00. The return flight, EK954, leaves Beirut at 15:30, landing in Dubai at 21:20. From 1 April, the new morning flight EK 957 departs Dubai at 07:30, arriving in Beirut at 10:30, with EK958 departing Beirut at 12:05 and arriving in Dubai at 16:55. This expanded schedule is ideal for business and leisure travelers, offering various departure times to suit all travel needs.

Emirates' daily services to Baghdad will also commence on 1 February, utilizing a Boeing 777 aircraft. The schedule varies depending on the day of the week. On Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays, EK 941 departs Dubai at 08:05, arriving in Baghdad at 09:50, with EK 942 taking off at 11:25, landing in Dubai at 14:35. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, EK 943 departs Dubai at 13:00, arriving in Baghdad at 14:25, and EK944 leaves Baghdad at 15:55, reaching Dubai at 19:10. This consistent schedule provides dependable travel options for those journeying between Dubai and the Iraqi capital.

These reinstated routes provide significant advantages for African travel agents. The increased flight frequencies and connections through Dubai create more seamless journeys for clients traveling to or from the Middle East, improving travel times and providing a broader range of connections from Emirates' expansive network. The addition of these routes should be a very welcome development that benefits the travel industry as a whole in the region.