Updated April 2025 – because flight schedules are as fickle as British weather. In August 2023, Emirates announced adding more flights between Dubai and London Heathrow. Seven daily services? We were practically tripping over A380s at T3.
But before you book that 2am check-in, thinking you’ll dodge the crowds, here’s what happened – and where we stand in 2025.
In This Post
A Quick Recap: The Great Heathrow Boost
In late 2023, Emirates added five extra weekly flights between Dubai and Heathrow for the winter season – taking the total to seven daily flights on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. This bump began October 31, 2023, and was set to run until March 30, 2024 – giving av-geeks a festive season to remember.
The 7th daily service operated as EK41/42 and was meant to ease holiday demand, business rushes, and last-minute travellers who pretended they didn’t know it was peak season.
So… Is That Extra Flight Still Running?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: Not unless you’ve got a time machine set to Winter 2023/24.
As of April 2025, Emirates has reverted to its standard six-daily A380 flights between Dubai and London Heathrow. The seasonal seventh flight was just that seasonal. There’s currently no public indication that it’ll return for Summer 2025 or the next winter season… but never say never in airline schedules.
The Current Heathrow Line-Up (as of 2025)
Emirates is still throwing a whole fleet at Heathrow. Here’s how it stacks up now:
- 6x daily A380s between DXB and LHR
- All operated by superjumbos (because Emirates does not do subtle)
- Flights are spread throughout the day – from early-morning arrivals to late-evening departures, maximising onward connections and Skywards status flexing
Emirates Wider UK Game Plan
It’s not just Heathrow that gets all the love. Emirates’ UK network is looking solid in 2025:
| City | Daily Flights | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| Heathrow | 6 | A380 |
| Gatwick | 3 | A380 |
| Stansted | 2 | 777 |
| Manchester | 3 | A380 |
| Birmingham | 2 | 1x A380, 1x 777 |
| Glasgow | 1 | A380 |
| Newcastle | 1 | 777 |
With over 125 weekly flights, Emirates remains the UK’s unofficial Middle Eastern flag carrier.
So… Will the 7th Heathrow Flight Ever Return?
Maybe. Emirates has been known to scale up during high-demand periods. But for now, the seventh daily LHR rotation remains a seasonal treat, not a permanent fixture.
If you’re looking for winter 2025 and hoping to snag a seat on EK41/42 again, keep an eye on the schedules – Emirates isn’t afraid of a surprise announcement.
Next Stop…
