In 2025, Emirates carried 55.6 million passengers, covered distances equivalent to 29,290 trips around the Earth across nearly 180,580 flights, and placed orders for 73 new aircraft. In October, the airline celebrated its 40th anniversary; however, the real story of 2025 goes beyond this milestone, as Emirates continues to shape the future of aviation and the Fly Better experience.
Whether you have been following Emirates throughout the year or are just tuning in, here are the 10 most significant achievements that defined 2025 for the worlds largest international airline.
The First Emirates A350 Takes Off
The first Emirates A350 entered commercial service in early January 2025 with its inaugural flight to Edinburgh. Since then, the airlines A350 network has expanded rapidly: today, 16 Emirates A350 aircraft operate to 18 cities, connecting travelers in comfort across Europe, West Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and soon the Americas, with the debut set to take place in Montreal in February 2026.
Turning Eastward
In 2025, Emirates significantly strengthened its presence in Asia by adding two new destinations in mainland China Shenzhen and Hangzhou with daily direct flights, as well as services to Da Nang in Vietnam and Siem Reap in Cambodia via Bangkok. The airline continues to respond to growing demand for travel and trade across East Asia and China, as business activity in the region accelerates.
More Premium Economy, Driven by Strong Demand
Throughout 2025, Emirates enhanced its fleet with more next-generation Airbus A350s and refurbished Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, all equipped with the airlines award-winning Premium Economy cabin. Today, nearly 70 cities are served by more than 100 aircraft featuring Emirates latest cabin products, covering approximately 40% of the airlines passenger fleet.
Lightning-Fast Speed with Starlink
In line with its commitment to delivering a superior and consistent onboard experience across its fleet, Emirates announced at the Dubai Airshow in November the installation of Starlink Wi-Fi on 232 aircraft. Beginning with Boeing 777s, the rollout will expand rapidly, making Emirates the worlds first airline to operate A380s equipped with Starlink in early 2026. Installations will proceed at a rate of approximately 11 aircraft per month, and by the end of next year, more than 123 aircraft will offer passengers free ultra-fast connectivity for streaming, gaming, working, and browsing in every cabin class.
Connecting with Fans Through Sport
In 2025, Emirates announced nine major sports partnerships and renewals, reinforcing its position as one of the worlds most visible sponsors heading into the 2030s. A seven-year partnership with FC Bayern Munich made Emirates a Platinum Partner of the German football powerhouse and marked the brands high-profile return to the Bundesliga.
Emirates also signed a historic extension of its partnership with World Rugby through 2035 the largest commitment in the airlines 40-year sponsorship history and the first Platinum Partnership in rugby history. At the same time, it entered into a new partnership with European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), supporting Europes premier club rugby competitions and connecting the airline with more than 70 million rugby fans worldwide.
Other notable agreements include becoming the Official Main Sponsor of Real Madrids basketball team, renewing its 18-year partnership with AC Milan, extending partnerships with Olympique Lyonnais and the ATP Tour through 2030, and collaborating with UAE Team Emirates XRG. These deals solidified Emirates sports portfolio, spanning elite football clubs, international rugby, professional basketball, Grand Slam tennis, top-tier cycling, and more.
Door-to-Door Deliveries, Faster with Emirates Courier Express
Emirates launched Emirates Courier Express, setting new standards in cross-border parcel delivery by transporting shipments directly via its passenger fleet rather than routing them through multiple hubs. Shortly after launch, the service expanded its network to include destinations in Australia and Germany, now serving 10 international markets, with further expansion planned for 2026. To date, the airline has handled more than 50,000 packages, with an average delivery time of just three days per destination pair.
25 Years of Emirates Skywards
In 2025, Emirates Skywards celebrated its 25th anniversary with a special A380 livery and monthly member activations. Today, the award-winning loyalty program has 37 million members across 190 countries. Over the past 20 years, Skywards has distributed nearly 400 billion miles through more than 100 partners, covering 1,400 destinations and 30,000 hotels. Members now redeem more than 800 flight rewards daily and enjoy one upgrade every minute. The program remains one of the most significant loyalty platforms in aviation, adding approximately 78,000 new members each week.
The Aircrafted KIDS Program Reaches Thousands of Children
In 2025, Emirates CSR initiative Aircrafted KIDS distributed more than 3,700 handcrafted school backpacks to children in need across eight countries in Africa, West Asia, and the Middle East, in collaboration with more than a dozen NGOs supporting education. The program delivered over 1,300 backpacks in Africa (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia), 700 in Asia (India, Bangladesh, Pakistan), and more than 1,600 in the Middle East (Egypt and Jordan), filled with essential school supplies and locally sourced books. Handcrafted by Emirates Engineering Maintenance Assistants, the backpacks are made using more than 50,000 kilograms of recycled materials, including seat fabrics from the airlines aircraft refurbishment program. Emirates plans to expand the initiative to additional countries in 2026.
Leading the Way in Accessible Travel
Emirates became the worlds first Autism Certified Airline, with more than 30,000 cabin crew and ground staff trained to support passengers with autism and sensory sensitivities. The airline also launched the Accessible & Inclusive Travel Hub on emirates.com, offering intuitive navigation, digital sensory guides, and tailored support by disability type or stage of travel.
Emirates introduced Travel Rehearsal programs in 17 cities worldwide, allowing children with autism to practice the airport journey before actual flights. In addition, new sensory products and calming toys help neurodiverse passengers manage overstimulation while traveling.
Upgraded services in 2025 included a safety-certified hooded pillow in Business Class that reduces the need for movement among passengers with severe mobility challenges, as well as access to more than 600 films with subtitles and 200 with audio description on the Emirates ice entertainment system for passengers with visual or hearing impairments. Emirates also implemented barrier-free design and biometric access at Dubai International Airport for passengers with disabilities and plans to launch a fleet of 10 wheelchair-accessible vehicles by early 2026.
Fly Better A Continuous Commitment and Investment
Throughout 2025, Emirates elevated the travel experience for Premium passengers and families with a series of enhancements both in the air and on the ground. In July, the airline launched Emirates First, an exclusive private check-in area at Dubai International Airports Terminal 3, featuring luxurious seating and a modern atmosphere. First Class passengers and Emirates Skywards Platinum members can enjoy seamless, seated check-in for a refined and elegant experience.
Onboard, Emirates refreshed its First Class service with collectible menus exploring wine heritage and culinary inspiration, Robert Welchdesigned caviar bowls for unlimited caviar service presented with white-glove service, and rustic slate cheese boards with wooden accompaniments.
Investing in the highest standards of luxury hospitality, Emirates opened the Centre of Hospitality Excellence in Dubai to train nearly 25,000 crew members in Michelin-level service, featuring a fine-dining restaurant, demonstration kitchens, and technology-enabled classrooms.
In the cabin, the airline introduced 12 new collectible childrens toys and bags across three age groups. These products contain at least 50% recycled materials and are inspired by Emirates global sports partnerships.
Emirates closed the year with 25 awards, including: Worlds Best Airline for the 8th consecutive year at the ULTRAs, Best International Airline and Best International First Class Airline by Forbes Travel Guide, Best Long-Haul Airline by The Telegraph, and Worlds Best Airline by Business Traveller Middle East for the 12th consecutive year. The airline also received the APEX Best Global Entertainment Award for its ice system and the WORLD CLASS Award for overall customer experience, among many others.
Emirates presence in the Greek market began in 1996. Over the past 29 years, the airline has served more than 4.5 million passengers in Greece. The first airline to directly connect Athens with Dubai, Emirates has also operated the only direct daily flight linking Greece with the United States since March 2017, 365 days a year.
