Emirates adds extra connection flights from Dubai to Frankfurt

Emirates will strengthen its Frankfurt connections from the end of October, adding a very useful third flight to its existing two.

EK043 leaves Dubai at 0320, arriving in Frankfurt at 0735, meaning that business travellers will be able to get to the centre of German commerce for a day's work. Previously, the earliest flight arrived at 1245.

The return flight is the first of the day, leaving Frankfurt at 1000, and arriving in Dubai at 1915. Flights take roughly seven hours.

The new flights will only operate Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday until December, at which point they'll turn daily. Airbus A330 planes will be used on the routes, which don't have as comfortable a business class offering as the Boeing 777-300ER flights that are your other options.

While the new flights give you extra options if you're doing business in Dubai, they don't beat the comfort and convenience of the primary option, which is EK413 from Sydney to Dubai and then EK045 to Frankfurt. Our preferred return is EK048 from Frankfurt and EK412 from Dubai.

We prefer those flights because they're on the Airbus A380 (with fully flat beds, extra room and direct aisle access for everyone) and Boeing 777-300ER planes (with okay angled-flat beds in just an average 2-3-2 configuration).

Our flight reviews of Emirates' business class on the A380 and on the 777-300ER make it plain why we prefer those flights.

In case you were considering whether Emirates' third flight from Sydney (which we covered in May) would make these flights more attractive for a faster connection, the answer's no. But if you're looking for a good long layover in Dubai for meetings or to catch up on sleep in Dubai en route, it's certainly an option.

John Walton

Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.