Emirates is already thinking about increasing capacity on its new Dallas-Fort Worth route, three months ahead of the launch of the first direct service between the Texas airport and the Gulf.
The Dubai carrier will launch daily services on 6 February using a 266-seat Boeing 777-200LR, but could quickly upgrade the service to a larger -300ER.
"Knowing how our US points react, this should work well and we'll consider moving up to the 354-seat 777-300ER," said Adnan Kazim, Emirates' divisional senior vice-president planning and research.
Kazim said the decision to launch Dallas flights was driven by several factors, including the strong mix of corporate and ethnic traffic the region offers for Dubai and beyond, and the connections available through the American Airlines hub.
"We see the opportunity for good connections to Mexico and the northern part of South America," he said.
Emirates already has an interline agreement with American at New York, and Kazim said the airline may consider extending this pact.
Jeff Fegan, chief executive of Dallas/Fort Worth International airport, said securing the first Gulf service is an important boost for the airport.
"We've been working with Emirates for many years and we're really excited about the access the route offers to the Middle East and Asia," he said.
Fegan added that the access the Dubai hub offers to the Indian subcontinent will be of great appeal to North Texas's large Indian population.
As well as New York, Emirates already serves three other US cities - Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco. It will also launch Seattle services on 1 March.
Source: Flight Daily News
