Emirates was voted “Best Airline in the World” for the 8th consecutive year at the prestigious ULTRAs travel awards held in Dubai on 17 November. Based on the votes of a global network of 1.2 million Ultratravel travellers, Emirates also won the “Airline with the Best Premium Economy Class” award, as well as the renowned “Contribution to Global Aviation Award”, which was presented to Sir Tim Clark.
Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, said: “We are honoured to celebrate our eighth year as the Best Airline in the World at the ULTRAs awards, and we thank all the travellers who voted for us. At Emirates, we want every customer to ‘fly better’, and that is why we never stop investing in the overall Emirates experience, to deliver the best in international air travel. Whether it is the expansion of our network worldwide, upgrading our aircraft through a multi-billion-dollar retrofit programme, introducing new hospitality training for cabin crew, or deploying innovative technologies to facilitate seamless travel, we continue to raise our own standards every year.”
Emirates wins “Best Airline in the World”
Emirates was recognised as the best airline in the world thanks to the exceptional experience it offers its customers, as well as its global network connecting to more than 150 destinations. The award also honoured the Emirates fleet, consisting of Airbus A380, A350, and Boeing 777 aircraft, which offer unmatched comfort, reliability, and connectivity.
Emirates is known for its world-class in-flight experience, which includes gourmet cuisine with local influences, award-winning entertainment with 6,500 channels on ice, and luxurious premium cabins with private suites, lounges, and shower spas. Emirates’ commitment to innovation also extends to airport facilities, elite lounges, chauffeur-drive services, innovative digital solutions, sustainability initiatives, and major investments in the training of its world-class cabin crew.
Emirates is the “Airline with the Best Premium Economy Class”
This distinction from Ultratravel honours the newest addition to Emirates’ seat categories, which has already received other global recognitions such as the “Best Premium Economy” award from AirlineRatings.com – Airline Excellence Awards. Emirates is the only airline in the wider region offering Premium Economy, where customers enjoy dedicated airport check-in counters, luxurious cream-coloured leather seats with up to 40 inches of pitch, footrests for added comfort, generous meals with premium wine selections, in-flight entertainment on a 13.3-inch screen, and an intimate cabin with an exclusive feel. Emirates Premium Economy is now available for customers travelling between Dubai and 61 cities.
Emirates President Sir Tim Clark honoured with the “Contribution to Global Aviation Award”
In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the aviation industry, Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, received the distinguished ULTRAs award for his lifetime work, acknowledging his remarkable career that began in 1972, continued with his joining Emirates in 1985, and culminated in his appointment as President in 2003. Under his leadership, Emirates grew from a small airline into one of the largest international carriers in the world, known for its innovation, ambitious strategy, fleet, and global network. He was recently also awarded the prestigious “Distinguished Achievement Award” by the Wings Club Foundation.
More awards for Emirates in 2025
Three more major awards have been added to the impressive Emirates portfolio for 2025. Emirates was honoured with the “Best International Airline”, “Best International First Class”, and “Best International Airport” awards by the Forbes Travel Guide Verified Air Travel Awards 2025, and also received the “Best Long-Haul Airline” award at The Times and The Sunday Times Travel Awards 2025.
Emirates received several additional distinctions for its first-class services at the regional final of the World Travel Awards 2025 – “Middle East’s Leading Airline – First Class” and “Middle East’s Leading Airport Lounge – First Class”.
Earlier in 2025, Emirates received multiple awards including “Best Long-Haul Airline” at the Telegraph Travel Awards, “Recommended Global Brand 2025” by YouGov, and numerous categories at the Business Traveller Middle East Awards, such as “Best Airline Worldwide” for the 12th consecutive year, “Best First Class”, “Best Premium Economy Class”, and “Best Airport Lounge in the Middle East”.
In addition, Emirates Skywards was named “Best Global Airline Loyalty Programme” at the International Loyalty Awards 2025 and “Middle East’s Leading Airline Rewards Programme” at the World Travel Awards.
About the ULTRAs
The ULTRAs awards, among the most recognised in the industry, are based on the votes of a global network of 1.2 million travellers. Ultratravel readers are active and affluent travellers who will spend over 1 billion dollars on international travel in 2025.
Emirates’ presence in the Greek market began in 1996. Over the past 29 years, it has offered its unique services to more than 4.5 million passengers in Greece and was the first airline to connect Athens directly with Dubai.
