What is a fifth-freedom flight?

A flight by an airline between two countries that are not its home, as part of a route that starts or ends at home.

Fifth-freedom flight, explained

The "freedoms of the air" are rights countries grant airlines. The fifth lets an airline carry passengers between two foreign countries on a route to or from its own country.

For travelers, a fifth-freedom flight can mean a long-haul airline's business class on a route it would not otherwise fly.

These flights are sold like any other: you can buy a seat between the two foreign cities without flying to the airline's home. They often bring a long-haul airline's widebody aircraft and business class seat to a route usually flown with smaller planes. They depend on agreements between countries, so one that runs this year may not run the next.

On a business class trip

Emirates has operated New York flights with a stop in Europe, from JFK via Milan, carrying passengers between New York and Milan on its way to Dubai.

Related terms

Nonstop and direct flights
A nonstop flight lands only at your destination. A direct flight keeps one flight number but may stop on the way, sometimes for hours.
Hub airport
An airport where an airline bases its network and connects most of its flights, such as Frankfurt for Lufthansa or Doha for Qatar Airways.

Further reading: Emirates business class guide. Every term in the glossary.