Emirates to launch flights to Washington DC

Emirates Airline has announced it will launch flights to America's capital city from September. The Dubai-based airline will start operations to Washington Dulles International Airport from September 12, it said in a statement. Emirates will operate a Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft on its DC route, it added. The announcement comes just weeks after Etihad Airways said it will launch non-stop daily flights to Washington from March 31 2013 subject to regulatory approvals. “As Emirates’ seventh US gateway and our third new American route to launch in 2012, Washington, DC is a significant next step as we continue to expand our services across the country,” said Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline & Group. “This new route will provide further impetus to the vibrant trade relationship between the United Arab Emirates and the United States, boosting exports and imports and increasing opportunities for business, industry and tourism.” Trade between the United States and the UAE reached a record-high of $18.34bn in 2011 - an increase of over 40 percent from 2010. The UAE was the 19th largest export destination for American goods in the world in 2011, with the total value of exports reaching a record high of almost $16bn. Emirates’ network now encompasses 122 cities globally, with 22 destinations in Africa, 17 in the Middle East and 18 in the Far East and Australasia. EK 231 will leave Dubai daily at 2:20am and arrive at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) at 08:50am. EK 232 will depart Dulles at 10:55am arriving in Dubai at 8:00am the following day.