Thailand Tourism Gets Air Connectivity Boost as Emirates Adds Third Daily Dubai–Phuket Flight

Emirates has launched a third daily service between Dubai and Phuket, taking its weekly frequency to 21 flights and expanding access to Premium Economy on the Airbus A350.

Emirates has strengthened its Thailand network by launching a third daily flight between Dubai and Phuket, increasing the route to 21 weekly services. The expansion gives travellers more choice, smoother connections through Dubai, and wider access to the airline’s Airbus A350 Premium Economy cabin, supporting growing demand for holidays to one of Thailand’s most popular island destinations.

Emirates is now operating 21 weekly services between Dubai and Phuket, using a mix of Boeing 777 and Airbus A350 aircraft. The latest daily flight is operated by the airline's Airbus A350-900, adding more seats to one of Thailand's most popular holiday routes.

The new service, EK390, departs Dubai at 22:40 and arrives in Phuket at 08:10 the following day. The return flight, EK391, leaves Phuket at 10:00 and arrives in Dubai at 13:05, with all times local.​​​​​​​

The additional Dubai–Phuket flight is expected to benefit travellers connecting through Dubai from major European cities, including London and Manchester. Emirates said the early morning arrival in Phuket is designed to support convenient connections for passengers travelling from Europe and the Middle East.

For UK holidaymakers, this means greater flexibility when planning trips to Phuket, particularly during busy holiday periods. Travellers from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and other UK cities can connect through Dubai to reach Phuket with smoother onward options.​​​​​​​

Phuket remains one of Thailand's leading beach destinations, drawing travellers for its island resorts, beaches, family-friendly hotels, nightlife, food scene, wellness retreats and access to nearby islands. The new Emirates frequency adds valuable capacity at a time when Thailand continues to rebuild and strengthen international tourism demand.

The move also supports the wider travel market between the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Thailand, giving tour operators, travel agencies and holidaymakers more flight options during peak travel seasons.​​​​​​​

Emirates' Airbus A350 introduces updated cabin features, next-generation inflight entertainment, improved Wi-Fi connectivity and digital menus, alongside modern passenger comfort across all cabins. The airline said the aircraft includes high-performance Wi-Fi powered by ViaSat's Global Xpress satellite network, together with improved onboard wireless access points.

The aircraft also supports Emirates' wider plan to expand Premium Economy access across more destinations, giving passengers greater choice between Economy, Premium Economy and Business Class.

With more frequencies, wider aircraft choice, and improved onboard comfort now on offer, travellers planning a Thailand getaway have more flexibility than ever when booking their journey to Phuket.​​​​​​​

For the latest fares and route options via Dubai, holidaymakers can contact Crystal Travel's expert travel agents for tailored assistance with their flight bookings.​​​​​​​