DUBAI: Emirates has today launched a new, five times-a-week service from Dubai (DXB) to Santiago International Airport (SCL), via the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo (GRU), marking the airline’s first arrival in Chile.
On board the inaugural Boeing 777-200LR flight, which was welcomed at both Sao Paulo and Santiago airports with a water cannon salute, was a group of special guests and media.
Hubert Frach, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, West said: “We are very pleased to see the interest this new route has created since it was announced in late January, reflected in strong bookings from and to Santiago. Santiago is a very popular leisure and business destination, and this new service will offer customers across our global network, particularly from key inbound markets such the Far East, Middle East and West Asia, a great travel option to South America.”
“The new service will also give travellers from Chile the opportunity to experience Emirates’ superior product and service, and offer them more convenient travel options with Emirates to Sao Paulo, Dubai and onward to destinations across our network,” he added.
“The arrival of Emirates in Chile is an important symbol of trust and confidence in the country, to our authorities and to how Groupe ADP, VINCI Airports and Astaldi Concessioni, through Nuevo Pudahuel, are setting a new standard of service at Arturo Merino Benítez Airport. We are proud that Emirates accepted our proposal because it will not only forever change how Chileans travel to the Middle East, but also because we are strengthening our relations with our operators”, said Nicolas Claude, CEO Nuevo Pudahuel.
Emirates’ newly refurbished Boeing 777-200LR to operate the new route
The aircraft deployed on the route is Emirates’ newly refurbished two-class Boeing 777-200LR which offers 38 Business Class seats in a 2-2-2 layout, and 264 seats in Economy Class. While the Business Class seats are in the same design and shape of Emirates’ latest lie-flat seats, they are now two inches wider for a more comfortable journey. The seats retain the champagne coloured finish and diamond stitch pattern on a full leather cover, and the ergonomically designed headrest revealed on Emirates’ newest Boeing 777 Business Class seats in November.
In addition, the new Business Class cabin features a social area – unique to the Boeing 777-200LR fleet. The mini lounge area features snacks such as crisps, sandwiches and fruit, as well as beverages for customers to help themselves to during the flight. Economy Class seats onboard the 777-200LR have also been refreshed to the latest colour palette of soft greys and blues. The ergonomically designed seats come with full leather headrests that have flexible side panels and can also be adjusted vertically for optimum support. Customers can enjoy up to 3,500 channels of on-demand entertainment on ice with 600 movies, over 200 hours of TV, and thousands of music tracks every month. The aircraft is also equipped with Wi-Fi and Live TV across all classes. Business Class passengers also benefit from a complimentary chauffeur drive service in Dubai, Santiago and other select destinations as well as access to Emirates’ global network of airport lounges.
Flight details and connections to Emirates’ global network of over 160 destinations
Flight EK263 will depart Dubai on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 09:05hrs local time, arriving in Sao Paulo at 17:00, before departing again at 18:30 and arriving into Santiago at 21:40 on the same day. The return flight EK264 will depart Santiago on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 01:10 local time, arriving in Sao Paulo at 05:55. EK264 will depart once again from Sao Paulo at 07:45 bound for Dubai where it will arrive at 05:15 the next day, connecting to flights to many of the points beyond on the extensive Emirates and flydubai partnership network.
Timings of the new service are scheduled to provide seamless connections to many Asian and Middle East routes, via a convenient stopover in Dubai. Passengers travelling from Sao Paulo can benefit from a morning departure in Sao Paulo and morning arrival in Dubai, making connecting to new destinations in Southeast Asia, China, Turkey, Egypt, Middle East, Africa and Europe convenient.
Chile is a popular destination for business and leisure travellers around the world, in particular from Asian destinations such as China, South Korea, Japan, Thailand and India. Chile is also home to large Chinese and Middle East communities that can now take advantage of the new service.
The new service will see Emirates fly an additional five times a week to Sao Paulo, complementing the airline’s existing daily A380 flight between Dubai and Sao Paulo. In total, Emirates will now fly 12 times a week to Sao Paulo. Emirates’ Santiago flight will be a linked service with Sao Paulo, meaning that customers in South America can now travel between the two cities in unprecedented style and comfort. Citizens from both Brazil and Chile only need ID cards to travel to either country.
Flying Emirates to Chile
Chile is one of the most stable and prosperous nations in South America filled with stunning landscapes, historic beauty, local charm and delectable foods. Tourism in Chile has seen a sustained growth over the last few years with 5.6 million international visitors visiting the country in 2016 compared to 4.43 million in 2015. Chile has many different adventures to offer tourists: stargazing in the driest desert in the world, millennial glaciers in the southernmost part of the planet, enchanted forests, and lakes located at the foot of massive volcanoes. Chile is also one of the top producers and exporters of wine in the world.
Visiting Dubai
Passengers flying with Emirates can book a Dubai Stopover package which will allow them to stay in Dubai for a few days on their way to one of over 160 destinations.
Chilean and Brazilian nationals do not need a visa when visiting Dubai so they can enjoy everything a visitor could want, from shopping at some of the largest malls in the region to dining options which will spoil anyone for choice. Visitors can also enjoy beaches, family-friendly hotels, theme parks, and even ski slopes at the Mall of the Emirates. Having become the fourth-most-visited city in the world, Dubai is known for its eclectic mix of offerings, from futuristic architecture to vibrant traditional culture.
Cargo carriage supports trade opportunities
Emirates’ new route also supports increased demand for trade between Chile and the United Arab Emirates, with Emirates SkyCargo offering up to 14 tonnes of cargo capacity on the aircraft per flight for Chilean exports such as fish, seafood, cherries, flowers and general perishable goods.
Emirates Skywards
With return flights on the new Dubai-Santiago service, Emirates Blue Skywards Members can earn up to 13,000 Skywards Miles in Economy Class and 24,700 Miles in Business Class. Gold Skywards Members can earn up to 19,500 Skywards Miles in Economy Class and 31,200 Miles in Business Class. Members can also upgrade from Economy to Business on the Dubai to Santiago route from 60,000 Skywards Miles (for a one-way trip.) See mile calculator here.
Emirates Skywards, the award-winning frequent flyer programme of Emirates, offers four tiers of membership – Blue, Silver, Gold and Platinum – with each membership tier providing exclusive privileges. Emirates Skywards members earn Skywards Miles when they fly on Emirates or partner airlines, or when they use the programme’s designated hotels, car rentals, financial, leisure and lifestyle partners. Skywards Miles can be redeemed for an extensive range of rewards, including tickets on Emirates and other Emirates Skywards partner airlines, flight upgrades, hotel accommodation, excursions and exclusive shopping. News Desk
