Emirates to launch first superjumbo to Bali, giving Indonesia its first A380 service

Dubai airline will operate double-decker passenger jets to the popular holiday island starting in June

Bali draws travellers in with its beaches, rice fields, flower gardens, temples and secret canyons. Photo: Guillaume Marques / Unsplash

Emirates' first A380 route to Indonesia will take off this summer.

The Dubai airline will begin operating its popular double-decker aircraft daily to Bali from June 1.

Faik Fahmi, president director of PT Angkasa Pura, the airport operator responsible for Ngurah Rai International Airport, said the move was a “historic moment for Indonesian aviation”.

Replacing one of two daily services to the island destination, the superjumbo will make its Indonesian debut as Emirates flight EK368, departing Dubai at 3.25am.

The two-class jet will land at Bali's main flight hub, also known as Denpasar International Airport, at 4.35pm, local time. Return flights leave Bali at 7.40pm, arriving in the UAE before 1am the following day.

As one of the most popular tourist destinations on Emirates' network, Bali draws travellers in with its idyllic beaches, sprawling rice fields, flower gardens, waterfalls and secret canyons.

“The Emirates A380 is synonymous with our fly better promise and world-class products and services, and we’re excited to offer our travellers the opportunity to experience its uniqueness and unmatched beauty on flights to and from Bali,” said Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ chief commercial officer.

“Needless to say that we’ve been working closely with our partners at Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport to ensure our A380 operations will be seamless and smooth.”

Emirates A380 jets to Bali will have 58 business class seats and 557 economy seats.

The UAE airline has been operating on Bali for eight years, having commenced flights to Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, in 1992.

The airline has operated more than 49,000 flights to Indonesia, carrying more than nine million passengers between Dubai and the world's largest archipelagic state.

The move is part of Emirates' plans to expand its A380 network to meet increasing travel demand. By the end of summer, it will be operating superjumbo flights to nearly 50 destinations around the world.