Emirates is set to expand its network even further this year with the start of services to the West Coast of the U.S. On 1st September 2008 Emirates will open its third U.S. gateway with non-stop flights between the Californian city of Los Angeles and Dubai.
 
Operating daily, the service will be the first non-stop operation connecting Dubai, the Gateway to Arabia to L.A., the Gateway to Hollywood. Emirates will fly its Boeing 777-200LR on the route, offering 266 seats in a three class configuration.
 
HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: “Los Angeles represents Emirates’ commitment to the American market.  We have evaluated the U.S. for expansion opportunities and have carefully examined our existing services in Houston and New York- both of which have been very successful. We look forward to recreating this success by connecting Los Angeles to Dubai and beyond.”
 
Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor of Los Angeles said: “I am pleased that Emirates has chosen L.A. as its U.S. West Coast gateway and I look forward to the start of service later this year.  The route opens a new destination for business and leisure travellers in the Gulf region, a part of the world not previously served from Los Angeles.  It will also enable travellers to reach every region of the world non-stop from LAX.”

The new service will operate out of the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport, (LAX).

L.A. is the fourth new destination that Emirates has announced it will be introducing in 2008. The airline has already announced its plans to start services to Cape Town on 30th March plus Calicut, India and Guangzhou, China, both on 1st July of this year.  The new route joins Emirates’ growing network of American destinations including a double daily service to New York’s JFK International Airport and its daily service to Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport.