Destinations Emirates aux USA

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Emirates Adds Seattle, Dallas Flights in U.S.

Emirates, the largest international airline, said it will add flights to Seattle and Dallas, taking the number of U.S. destinations served to six as it seeks to channel Asian and Middle Eastern traffic via its Dubai hub.

Emirates will begin daily services to Dallas starting Feb. 2 and to Seattle from March 1 using Boeing Co. 777 widebody planes, President Tim Clark said in an interview. It already operates to New York, Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Passenger numbers at Emirates have increased fivefold to 31.4 million in a decade, establishing it as the world No. 1 by international traffic. The carrier has the biggest 777 fleet, which it’s augmenting with 90 Airbus A380s offering 45,000 seats, and may add U.S. destinations including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia and Washington, Clark said.

“We’ve always had fairly ambitious plans for the U.S. and this is part of that,” he said, adding that Emirates aimed to operate 20 Airbus A340s there 10 years ago before shelving the strategy after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. “There will be more to come, including increased frequencies and bigger planes.”

Emirates, seeking to lure price-sensitive, long-distance travelers from older competitors, is comfortable expanding its network even as economies slow, Clark said, predicting that “demand for air travel will continue to grow over the long term in spite of the many challenges the industry faces.”

U.S. customers flying from Seattle and Dallas will be able to connect with flights to onward destinations across the Mideast, East Asia, India and Africa through the Dubai hub, Emirates said in a statement. The carrier will also open its own first- and business-class lounge in San Francisco in November, having previously shared a United Airlines facility.