Emirates to Offer NBA-Themed Flights

The airline is offering these special flights during the NBA Cup.

An Emirates A380 in the NBA livery (Photo: Emirates)

[ News ]November 19, 2024 9:38 am ET

By Hemal Gosai

For some time, Emirates has been developing its partnership with the NBA. This has ranged from sponsorships to games played in the UAE. Currently, the airline is sponsoring the Emirates NBA Cup, a multistage NBA tournament that culminates into single elimination knockout rounds until just one team is left.

The tournament started on November 12, 2024 and will continue for a little over a month with the last game on December 17 in Las Vegas.

To mark the occasion, the NBA Cup trophy made its way from Dubai to New York on an Airbus A380 sporting the new NBA-themed livery, which features a bright blue fuselage, red engine cowlings, and various basketball-themed designs.

Emirates’ newest Airbus A380 special livery (Photo: Emirates)

In-Flight Experience

Fun for passengers extends far beyond just the livery. On this particular flight, passengers were able to sample a basketball-themed menu and receive commemorative memorabilia ranging from aircraft models to NBA luggage tags, photo frames, and more.

Many of these special service and product changes will continue for the entire duration of the tournament. Passengers travelling to and from 13 points across the United States and Canada will be able to enjoy flights with NBA-inspired food selections across all cabins and in the passenger lounge on the A380. For a limited time, Emirates passengers in premium cabins will also be able to enjoy NBA-themed food and beverage options at the airline’s lounges in Dubai, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Boston.

There will also be additional NBA branding across the aircraft, such as NBA-branded headrests and coasters.

Passengers will also be able to watch many Emirates NBA Cup games live on the carrier’s in-flight entertainment screens.

Long-Term Focus on the United States

Emirates has long been all in on the United States market. This growing partnership with the NBA is just a small part of a long-term strategy of growth.

The airline has invested heavily in aircraft flying to the United States with the refurbishment of many jets and the addition of premium economy. It’s also inked significant partnerships with United Airlines.

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Hemal Gosai

Hemal took his first flight at four years old and has been an avgeek since then. When he isn't working as an analyst he's frequently found outside watching planes fly overhead or flying in them. His favorite plane is the 747-8i which Lufthansa thankfully flies to EWR allowing for some great spotting. He firmly believes that the best way to fly between JFK and BOS is via DFW and is always willing to go for that extra elite qualifying mile. Hemal's opinions are his own and do not reflect those of his employer.

Author

Hemal Gosai

Hemal took his first flight at four years old and has been an avgeek since then. When he isn't working as an analyst he's frequently found outside watching planes fly overhead or flying in them. His favorite plane is the 747-8i which Lufthansa thankfully flies to EWR allowing for some great spotting. He firmly believes that the best way to fly between JFK and BOS is via DFW and is always willing to go for that extra elite qualifying mile.
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