Summary
- Emirates Airlines operates the largest A380 fleet, with the busiest hub being Dubai International Airport.
- Sydney, London, and Melbourne are among the top A380 routes for Emirates, generating millions of ASMs each month.
- Popular A380 routes include London, Dubai, and New York, each offering a high seat capacity and ASMs for Emirates.
The Airbus A380 is the world’s first and only Super Jumbo. This quad-engine behemoth is one of the largest passenger aircraft in the world and is operated by a few airlines today. The pandemic and rising fuel costs saw operators switch to more economical twinjet airliners. However, the post-pandemic aviation boom has prompted many of these airlines to resume operations with the A380, and it remains a statement in the sky today.
Emirates Airlines is the largest operator of the type, and according to Ch Aviation, it has a fleet of 116 aircraft. It accounts for 68.6% of all A380 capacity, and its home airport, Dubai International Airport (DXB), is the busiest airport for A380 operations.
The aircraft fits the operations of Emirates perfectly and, as a result, is utilized efficiently and effectively. But some routes are more popular than others. According to Cirium, an aviation analytics company, these are the Emirates’ top A380 routes in June 2024, which exceed 116 million available seat miles (ASMs) per flight.
Sydney
First on the list is Sydney Airport. Emirates operates three daily flights with its three- and four-class ultra-long-range A380s, which have 489 and 484 seats, respectively. It gives the route and average seats per departure of 485.7.
The airports are 7,480 miles apart as the crow flies. The Super Jumbo allows the airline to offer 87,424 seats and produce 653.9 million ASMs.
Departure | Destination | Miles | Flights | Seats | Seats/Dep | ASM |
Dubai International Airport (DXB) | Sydney Airport (SYD) | 7,480 | 90 | 43,712 | 485.7 | 326,965,760 |
Sydney Airport (SYD) | Dubai International Airport (DXB) | 7,480 | 90 | 43,712 | 485.7 | 326,965,760 |
Total | 14,960 | 180 | 87,424 | 485.7 | 653,931,520 |
London
London Heathrow International (LHR) is the next on the list. While the distance between LHR and DXB is only 3,420 miles in a straight line, the route produces 606.1 million ASMs for Emirates.
Photo: Daniela Collins | Shutterstock
The ASM is so high because the airline operates a whopping six daily flights to and from the destination. The high frequency of flights enables Emirates to offer its customers 177,250 seats for June.
Departure | Destination | Miles | Flights | Seats | Seats/Dep | ASM |
Dubai International Airport (DXB) | London Heathrow International (LHR) | 3,420 | 180 | 88,625 | 492.4 | 303,097,500 |
London Heathrow International (LHR) | Dubai International Airport (DXB) | 3,420 | 180 | 88,625 | 492.4 | 303,097,500 |
Total | 6,840 | 360 | 177,250 | 492.4 | 606,195,000 |
Melbourne
The second entry on the list from Oceania, Emirates Airlines, flies to Melbourne only twice daily, which is why Sydney is higher on the list. The flight is also slightly shorter than the flight to Sydney, measuring only 7,320 miles.
Photo: Aerovista Luchtfotografie | Shutterstock
This route uses the same ultra-long-range A380s, which gives it an average seat per departure of 484. Since the airline flies back and forth 120 times a month, the total seats for the route are 58,080, and the total ASMs are 419.9 million.
Departure | Destination | Miles | Flights | Seats | Seats/Dep | ASM |
Dubai International Airport (DXB) | Melbourne Airport (MEL) | 7,320 | 60 | 29,040 | 484 | 209,959,200 |
Melbourne Airport (MEL) | Dubai International Airport (DXB) | 7,320 | 60 | 29,040 | 484 | 209,959,200 |
Total | 14,640 | 120 | 58,080 | 484 | 419,918,400 |
New York
The first US destination on the list is New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Emirates operates twice daily flights from DXB to JFK, totaling 60 a month. Once again, the ultra-long-range configurations are used on these flights.
As a result, Emirates offers passengers 58,380 seats per month on this route with 399.8 million ASMs.
Departure | Destination | Miles | Flights | Seats | Seats/Dep | ASM |
Dubai International Airport (DXB) | John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) | 6,849 | 60 | 29,190 | 486.5 | 199,922,310 |
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) | Dubai International Airport (DXB) | 6,849 | 60 | 29,190 | 486.5 | 199,922,310 |
Total | 13,698 | 120 | 58,380 | 486.5 | 399,844,620 |
Bangkok
Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) is the first Asian destination on the list. It’s a tourist hotspot and attracts travelers from all over the world. Many flights utilize DXB as a connecting hub and Emirates codeshares with other airlines, so it’s high on the list.
Photo: Emirates
The relatively short flight is 3,050 miles long. Therefore, Emirates uses the high-capacity 517 and 615-seater A380s on this route. It’s also a high-frequency route, with 232 flights to and from BKK a month. As a result, it produces 130,920 seats, the second highest on the list, and 399.3 million ASMs.
Departure | Destination | Miles | Flights | Seats | Seats/Dep | ASM |
Dubai International Airport (DXB) | Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) | 3,050 | 116 | 65,474 | 564.4 | 199,695,700 |
Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) | Dubai International Airport (DXB) | 3,050 | 116 | 65,446 | 564.2 | 199,610,300 |
Total | 6,100 | 232 | 130,920 | 564.3 | 399,306,000 |
Manchester
Manchester Airport (MAN) is also another popular destination in the UK. Emirates operates 180 flights a month, three daily in each direction.
Photo: LifeCollectionPhotography | Shutterstock
It is a shorter route, with 3,518 miles, again prompting the use of the high-capacity A380s, allowing Emirates to provide 576.2 seats per departure. It gives the route 103,710 seats and 364.8 million ASMs.
Departure | Destination | Miles | Flights | Seats | Seats/Dep | ASM |
Dubai International Airport (DXB) | Manchester Airport (MAN) | 3,518 | 90 | 51,855 | 576.2 | 182,425,890 |
Manchester Airport (MAN) | Dubai International Airport (DXB) | 3,518 | 90 | 51,855 | 576.2 | 182,425,890 |
Total | 7,036 | 180 | 103,710 | 576.2 | 364,851,780 |
Paris
Charles de Gaulle is a popular hub in Europe, and as a result, it sees three daily flights from DXB as traffic from the east connects with DXB.
The CDG route generates 93,228 seats and 303.8 million ASMs for Emirates for June 2024.
Departure | Destination | Miles | Flights | Seats | Seats/Dep | ASM |
Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) | Dubai International Airport (DXB) | 3,259 | 90 | 46,614 | 517.9 | 151,915,026 |
Dubai International Airport (DXB) | Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) | 3,259 | 90 | 46,614 | 517.9 | 151,915,026 |
Total | 6,518 | 180 | 93,228 | 517.9 | 303,830,052 |
Auckland
The farthest flight on the list is to Auckland Airport (AKL) in New Zealand. The straight line distance from DXB is 8,810 miles. The airline operates a daily flight to the destination using the low-capacity ultra-long-range aircraft, which generates 29,040 seats and 255.8 ASMs.
Departure | Destination | Miles | Flights | Seats | Seats/Dep | ASM |
Auckland Airport (AKL) | Dubai International Airport (DXB) | 8,810 | 30 | 14,520 | 484.0 | 127,921,200 |
Dubai International Airport (DXB) | Auckland Airport (AKL) | 8,810 | 30 | 14,520 | 484.0 | 127,921,200 |
Total | 17,620 | 60 | 29,040 | 968 | 255,842,400 |
Los Angeles
The second US destination on the list is Los Angeles International Airport. It is one of the busiest airports in the world, so it’s no surprise that it is on the list. Emirates uses the ultra-long-range A380s for this route, which is 8,334 miles from DXB.
Photo: Emirates
The airline operates a daily flight to LAX, which produces 29,040 seats and 242 million ASMs.
Departure | Destination | Miles | Flights | Seats | Seats/Dep | ASM |
Dubai International Airport (DXB) | Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) | 8,334 | 30 | 14,520 | 484 | 121,009,680 |
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) | Dubai International Airport (DXB) | 8,334 | 30 | 14,520 | 484 | 121,009,680 |
Total | 16,668 | 60 | 29,040 | 484 | 242,019,360 |
Houston
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston is a hub for much of the US’ midwest traffic and is one of the airports that can handle the weight of the A380.
Photo: Mario Trusch | Shutterstock
Emirates operates a daily flight from DXB to IAH, which creates 29,040 seats and 237.1 million ASMs.
Departure | Destination | Miles | Flights | Seats | Seats/Dep | ASM |
Dubai International Airport (DXB) | George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) | 8,165 | 30 | 14,520 | 484 | 118,555,800 |
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) | Dubai International Airport (DXB) | 8,165 | 30 | 14,520 | 484 | 118,555,800 |
Total | 16,330 | 60 | 29,040 | 484 | 237,111,600 |
San Francisco
Finally, we have San Franciso International Airport (SFO). Emirates operates a daily flight to this east coast destination, which produces 29,040 seats and 235.2 million ASMs in both directions.
Departure | Destination | Miles | Flights | Seats | Seats/Dep | ASM |
Dubai International Airport (DXB) | San Franciso International Airport (SFO) | 8,101 | 30 | 14,520 | 484 | 117,626,520 |
San Franciso International Airport (SFO) | Dubai International Airport (DXB) | 8,101 | 30 | 14,520 | 484 | 117,626,520 |
Total | 16,202 | 60 | 29,040 | 484 | 235,253,040 |
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