Emirates' Milan-Lima Fifth-Freedom Route Nears Approval

Milan-Lima Route Nears Authorisation

Emirates, the Dubai-based carrier, is reportedly close to securing authorisation from the Italian government for a new fifth-freedom flight between Milan Malpensa (MXP) and Lima (LIM).

Sources cited by Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera indicate that approval for this route could be granted as early as October 2026, though Emirates has not confirmed immediate plans to activate services to Lima.

An Emirates spokesperson stated that the airline continuously evaluates route performance and expansion opportunities based on demand, market conditions, and aircraft availability.

Beyond Lima, Emirates is also understood to be considering additional fifth-freedom connections from Milan to cities including Los Angeles, São Paulo, Santiago de Chile, and Mexico City, demonstrating a potential wider strategic shift for its European operations.

Strategic Expansion Through Fifth Freedom Rights

A fifth-freedom flight permits an airline to operate a route from its home country to a second country via a third country, selling tickets for all segments. Emirates already operates a well-established fifth-freedom service from Dubai to New York JFK, with a stopover in Milan, a route approved by the Italian government in 2013 despite legal challenges from local airlines.

Unlike open skies agreements, Emirates must obtain specific government approval for each fifth-freedom route it intends to launch from Italy.

The airline’s pursuit of a Milan-Lima route is partly driven by aircraft range limitations; a non-stop flight between Dubai and Lima, a distance of approximately 8,000 nautical miles, is technically feasible with its Boeing 777-200LR subfleet but would likely require payload restrictions, affecting commercial viability.

Emirates currently uses other fifth-freedom services to access distant markets, such as Rio de Janeiro-Buenos Aires, Miami-Bogota, and Barcelona-Mexico City.

Market Opportunity and Competitive Landscape

The Milan-Lima route presents a significant market opportunity. Corriere Della Sera reports that over 150,000 passengers travel annually between Milan and Lima, currently requiring connections via other European hubs.

A direct Emirates service would capture a substantial portion of this traffic, which is presently served by carriers like Air France, Iberia, and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines through their respective European gateways. This expansion from Milan also appears to be a strategic move to challenge ITA Airways, the Italian flag carrier now majority-owned by Lufthansa.

ITA Airways has primarily concentrated its long-haul network from Rome, utilising Milan as a short-haul hub. By establishing a long-haul presence in Milan, Emirates could disrupt ITA Airways’ competitive advantage and attract connecting passengers away from its network, creating a new competitive dynamic in the Italian aviation market.

Implications for Travellers and Industry

Should the Milan-Lima fifth-freedom route, and potentially others, materialise, travellers from Milan and surrounding regions would gain direct connectivity to South American and other global destinations, reducing travel times and increasing choice.

For the aviation industry, this move demonstrates Emirates’ aggressive network expansion strategy and its willingness to compete directly with established European carriers on long-haul routes from European points.

This development could further intensify the long-standing competitive dynamics between Emirates and Lufthansa, which has historically lobbied to restrict Emirates’ access to German airports like Berlin.

Moreover, earlier this year, Israel offered Emirates seventh-freedom rights for services between Tel Aviv and New York and Bangkok to encourage the airline's return after flights were halted following the October 7, 2023, terror attacks.

While Emirates has not yet accepted this offer, these various strategic manoeuvres underscore the airline’s ongoing efforts to expand its global footprint and challenge existing market structures, compelling other airlines to adapt their own network strategies.