Emirates to Launch Flights to Mashhad, Iran

Emirates is to launch flights to Mashhad, Iran from 1 September 2015, the airline’s second gateway into the country.

Emirates will operate to Mashhad with five weekly services utilizing a combination of a three class and two class configured Airbus A330-200 aircraft.

Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Divisional Senior Vice President Commercial Operations, Centre, said, “Mashhad’s addition to our global network will enable us to provide flexibility and choice for customers creating new inbound and outbound markets for tourism. We look forward to boosting traffic in and out of Mashhad and drawing in visitors from a host of points across our global network including cities in Europe, India, Pakistan, the GCC, as well as Far East destinations like Bangkok. Emirates is helping to increase capacity and connectivity to Iran as the country is consolidating its economic growth and strengthening its resurgence through attracting new trade, tourism and investment.”

Mashhad is the second largest city in Iran and attracts more than 2 million foreign visitors per year. Due to its proximity to Central Asian countries, Mashhad hosts numerous international exhibitions each year and is the second most active exhibition centre after Tehran. Last year, Emirates carried more than half a million passengers to and from Iran. The country also has 17 UNESCO-registered world heritage sites and plans to boost its total travel and tourism contribution to GDP to USD $8.9 billion by 2024 (7.5% of GDP), according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

Emirates services to Mashhad will depart on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from Dubai as EK967 at 04:10 arriving at Mashhad International Airport at 07:00. The return flight, EK968 will depart Mashhad International Airport at 08:45 arriving in Dubai at 10:45. Flight times are as per the summer scheduling. Due to the end of Daylight Savings Time in Iran, the arrival and departure times in Mashhad will be one hour earlier from 22 September.