Emirates marked a major expansion in Southeast Asia on Tuesday, as its inaugural flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia, touched down to a ceremonial water salute and a welcome from senior government dignitaries.

 

The new Dubai–Bangkok–Siem Reap route makes Emirates the first Middle Eastern carrier to connect directly with Cambodia’s famed temple city, adding three weekly flights to its existing daily service to Phnom Penh. This brings the airline’s presence in Cambodia to 10 weekly flights, signalling growing confidence in the Kingdom’s tourism and trade sectors.

 

The arriving Boeing 777-300ER was greeted at Siem Reap Angkor International Airport by Cambodian officials including Dr MAO Havanall, Minister in Charge of Civil Aviation, alongside UAE diplomats and senior executives from Emirates. Local business leaders also attended the ceremony.

 

“This new route supports tourism, trade, and deepens UAE-Cambodia ties,” said Dr Havanall. Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, resumed daily flights to Phnom Penh in May 2024 and now adds Siem Reap to its Southeast Asian network, highlighting Cambodia’s rising global appeal.

 

Nabil Sultan, Emirates’ Executive Vice President, noted that the new route not only celebrates a year since the relaunch of services to Phnom Penh, but also strengthens Cambodia’s links with Europe and the Gulf. “Siem Reap’s cultural richness makes it a natural fit for our growth in this region,” he said.

 

The flight schedule is designed for seamless connections from key European markets including the UK, France, Germany and Spain. Emirates flight EK370 will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, arriving in Siem Reap at 21:30 local time via Bangkok. Return flights depart late evening for optimal onward connections to Dubai and beyond.

 

This expansion comes amid increasing regional competition, but Emirates is betting big on Cambodia’s tourism recovery and growing commercial ties through its support of the UAE-Cambodia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

 

-2025-06-05

 

With luxurious three-class service and a robust entertainment offering, the new Siem Reap service reinforces Emirates’ ambition to be the airline of choice for travellers to and from Cambodia—whether for business, leisure, or cultural discovery.

Cool beans. Another option to get to Siem Reap.

Does Emirates enjoy 5th freedom rights, i.e. revenue traffic between Bangkok and Siem Reap? 

If yes, it will ring in a whole new chapter in bilateral aviation between the two countries 😉