Emirates is to launch flights to Amsterdam from May 1 next year, making it the airline's 23rd route into Europe.

The daily, non-stop service from Dubai will be operated with a combination of 777-200LR and 777-300ER aircraft, boasting a three-class configuration and the newest version of ice, the passenger revered in-flight entertainment system.

Emirates, with its exquisite Private Suites, will be the only airline offering First Class accommodation on the route, said a statement.

This is the fourth new destination to be announced this year by the Dubai-based carrier. Durban and Luanda were both launched in October and Tokyo was recently announced with a start date of March 28 next year.

'Amsterdam is already an important offline market for Emirates and we know there is significant passenger traffic heading from Amsterdam to Dubai and onto Africa, the Indian Sub-continent, Asia and the Far East,' said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, chairman and CEO, Emirates Airline & Group.

'This is also a major freight hub and one of the world's renowned flower centres. Emirates has served The Netherlands as a freighter destination for fifteen years and currently offers six 747-400 freighter flights a week between Dubai and Amsterdam. The daily passenger flight will allow us to bolster our cargo offering by making use of the belly hold capacity.'

The new European service comes on the back of exclusive lounge openings in Dusseldorf, Hamburg and Manchester and extra frequencies to Rome, building up to a double daily in February.

During December, Emirates will take delivery of two further A380s, which will be deployed to Seoul from December 14 and Paris two weeks later.-TradeArabia News Service