Dubai-based Emirates is adding Shanghai to its list of Airbus A380 destinations, when the airline begins its non-stop service from Dubai on 27th April 2011.

Shanghai will be Emirates' third destination in Greater China for its Airbus A380s, following the launch of the aircraft to Beijing on August 1, 2010 and to Hong Kong on October 1, 2010.

Emirates' 489-seater A380, which will be the first scheduled A380 service to Shanghai, will operate three days a week on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays as EK302 departing Dubai at 03:10 and arriving at Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 15:30 local time. The return flight EK303 departs Shanghai at 23:30 and arrives in Dubai at 04:30 local time the following day.

The arrival time of the Emirates' A380 in Dubai offers passengers from China with transfers to an extensive list of Emirates' destinations in the Middle East, which saw the addition of Basra on February 2, 2011; Africa; and, with the launches of services to Geneva and Copenhagen in June and August 2011 respectively, to 27 destinations in Europe.

For first class passengers there are 14 flat-bed, massage-equipped private suites and the first class cabin also has two onboard shower spas.

For first and business class passengers there is an on-board lounge featuring a fully-stocked bar and a selection of hot and cold canapes.

Business class seats that convert to flat beds up to inches 2.2 meters long, and economy class passengers benefit from a seat pitch of up to 33 inches.

Passengers in all classes can enjoy Emirates' ice (information, communication, entertainment) digital widescreen inflight entertainment system, which features over 1,200 channels including Chinese movies, music, and many Hollywood films with Chinese subtitles or language dubs.

Currently Emirates operates twice-daily services each to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, and daily services to Guangzhou; while the airline's fleet of 15 A380s are currently operating on services from Dubai to London Heathrow (twice-daily), Manchester, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Toronto, Seoul, Bangkok, Beijing, Jeddah, New York, Hong Kong, Sydney, and Auckland.