Emirates (airline) facts for kids
An Emirates Airbus A380-800
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| Founded | 15 March 1985 |
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| Commenced operations | 25 October 1985 |
| Hubs | Dubai International Airport |
| Frequent-flyer program | Emirates Skywards |
| Subsidiaries |
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| Fleet size | 260 |
| Destinations | 148 |
| Parent company | The Emirates Group |
| Headquarters | Garhoud, Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Key people | |
| Revenue |  US$ 34.83 billion (2024-25) |
| Net income | US$ 5.19 billion (2024-25) |
| Employees | 69,465 (2024-25) |
Emirates is a very large airline based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is one of the two main airlines of the UAE. Emirates is part of The Emirates Group, which is owned by the government of Dubai. It is the biggest airline in the Middle East.
Emirates flies over 3,600 flights every week from its main hub at Dubai International Airport. It reaches more than 150 cities in 80 countries across six continents. This means it connects people all over the world! Emirates is known for its large planes and excellent service.
Contents
How Emirates Started
Emirates was created on March 15, 1985. This happened because another airline, Gulf Air, started to reduce its flights to Dubai. The royal family of Dubai supported the new airline.
Emirates began with $10 million and two planes borrowed from Pakistan International Airlines. It was important for the airline to run without government money. Pakistan International Airlines also helped by training Emirates' flight attendants for free. The airline's current chairman, Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, was its founder. After it started, Emirates quickly grew its fleet of planes and added many new places to fly to. In October 2008, Emirates moved all its flights at Dubai International Airport to a special terminal called Terminal 3.
Emirates' Fleet of Aircraft
Emirates uses a mix of large Airbus and Boeing planes. It is one of the few airlines that only flies wide-body aircraft, which are big planes with two aisles. As of January 2025, Emirates is the world's largest operator of the Airbus A380, with 116 of these huge planes. The Airbus A380 is a very important part of Emirates' fleet, especially for long flights with many passengers. Emirates also has the most Boeing 777 planes in the world, with 133 of them.
Company Information
Emirates is part of The Emirates Group, which is owned by Dubai's government. The airline has made a profit almost every year since it started. It has grown very quickly, often doubling in size every few years.
The Dubai government owns Emirates completely. However, the government does not put new money into the airline or tell it how to run its daily flights. Emirates has also paid a lot of money back to the government as dividends.
Employees and Benefits
Emirates has many different types of jobs, including airport services, engineering, and catering. The company has several smaller businesses, and its parent company has more than 50. As of March 31, 2020, Emirates had nearly 60,000 staff members. This included over 21,000 flight attendants and more than 4,300 pilots.
Emirates offers good benefits to its employees, like health plans and paid time off. The company also shares its profits with employees. In 2023, employees received a bonus equal to 24 weeks of pay. In 2024, they got 20 weeks of pay. In 2025, Emirates Group gave its employees a 22-week bonus because of record profits.
Protecting the Environment
Emirates says its planes use less fuel than other airlines. This means they produce fewer emissions. In 2023, the airline announced it would invest $200 million over three years. This money will go towards research to reduce the use of fossil fuels in airplanes. They are looking into new types of fuel and energy.
Emirates' Brand and Look
Emirates has used different slogans over the years. In the 1990s, their slogan was "So be good to yourself, Fly Emirates." Later, they used "Fly Emirates. Keep Discovering" and "Hello Tomorrow." Their current slogan is "Fly Better."
In August 2008, Emirates introduced new uniforms for its 16,000 staff. The uniforms include the famous Emirates hat and red details. Flight attendants wear service waistcoats. Male flight attendants wear a chocolate brown suit.
Since 1985, Emirates planes have had a part of the United Arab Emirates flag on their tail fins. They also have the "Emirates" logo in both Arabic and English on the side of the plane. In November 1999, the look of the planes changed slightly. The English logo became bigger and moved towards the front.
In 2022, Emirates made two famous commercials. They showed a flight attendant standing on top of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. The woman in the videos was a trained stuntwoman.
Sponsorships
Emirates sponsors many different things, especially in sports.
Buildings and Landmarks
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From 2011 to 2022, Emirates sponsored the Emirates Air Line cable car in London. This cable car goes over the River Thames.
Since 2015, Emirates has sponsored the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, England. It is now called "Emirates Spinnaker Tower." The tower was painted blue and gold with red Emirates letters. This was decided after talking with local residents.
Sports Sponsorships
Emirates is a big sponsor in the world of sports.
Cricket
Emirates sponsors Cricket Australia and its logo is on the shirts of international cricket umpires. It was also a partner of the International Cricket Council (ICC). This included major ICC tournaments like the Cricket World Cups.
Emirates also sponsors cricket teams and stadiums. It holds the naming rights for the Emirates Riverside and Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
Football (Soccer)
Emirates used to sponsor FIFA and the FIFA World Cup. However, they stopped this sponsorship in 2015.
Emirates is the main shirt sponsor for many famous football clubs around the world. These include Arsenal F.C. (since 2006), A.C. Milan (since 2010), Real Madrid C.F. (since 2013), and S.L. Benfica (since 2015). They also sponsor the FA Cup and the Emirates Cup.
Football clubs currently sponsored by Emirates:
- Arsenal (England)
- Arsenal WFC (England)
- Lyon (France)
- AC Milan (Italy)
- AC Milan WFC (Italy)
- Real Madrid (Spain)
- Real Madrid B (Spain)
- Real Madrid W (Spain)
- Benfica (Portugal)
- Benfica B (Portugal)
- Benfica under-19 (Portugal)
- Étoile du Sahel (Tunisia)
- FC Dallas (USA)
Rugby
Emirates has sponsored rugby teams like the Warrington Wolves and the Lions in South Africa. It also sponsors USA Rugby and the World Rugby referees. Emirates has sponsored the Rugby World Cup since 2007 and will sponsor the Women’s Rugby World Cup starting in 2025.
Basketball
Emirates has partnered with Beirut Club in Lebanon since 2019. In February 2024, Emirates became the official airline of the National Basketball Association (NBA). This deal also gave them the naming rights for the NBA Cup, which is now called the Emirates NBA Cup. An Emirates patch is also on NBA referee jerseys.
Other Sports
- Horse Racing: Emirates sponsors many horse racing events, including the Dubai International Racing Carnival.
- Tennis: It sponsors all four major tennis tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, US Open, and Wimbledon Championships.
- Formula One (F1): Emirates was the official airline sponsor of Formula One from 2013 to 2022.
- Australian Football: Emirates sponsors Collingwood Football Club.
- Baseball: Since 2016, Emirates is the official airline of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
- Cycling: Since 2017, Emirates has sponsored the UAE Team Emirates, a professional cycling team.
- Sailing: Emirates is the main sponsor of the Emirates Team New Zealand, which won the 35th America's Cup.
Spokesperson
In 2015, actress Jennifer Aniston appeared in two commercials for Emirates. Since 2023, Penélope Cruz has been the brand ambassador for Emirates.
Expo 2020
Emirates was a main partner of the Expo 2020 event held in Dubai. To celebrate, Emirates painted some of its planes with special colors (orange, green, and blue). These colors represented the themes of the event: Opportunity, Sustainability, and Mobility.
Where Emirates Flies
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As of August 2024, Emirates flies over 3,000 flights each week. It connects 137 destinations in 77 countries across six continents from its hub in Dubai. In November 2024, Emirates added more flights to its Dubai-Antananarivo route for the holiday season.
In October 2024, Emirates restarted direct flights to Adelaide, South Australia. This gave travelers another option to fly to the United Kingdom or Europe. In March 2025, Emirates announced plans to add flights to three new cities in Asia: Shenzhen in China, Da Nang in Vietnam, and Siem Reap in Cambodia. This helps connect more places in Asia and the Pacific to Dubai.
Airline Partnerships
Emirates works with other airlines through partnerships. However, it is not part of any of the three big global airline groups like Oneworld, SkyTeam, or Star Alliance. Emirates decided to stay independent so it can react quickly to changes in the market.
Emirates has agreements to share flights (called codeshare agreements) with many airlines. This means you can book a flight with Emirates, but part of your journey might be on another airline's plane. Some of these partners include Air Canada, Qantas, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines.
Emirates' Divisions
Emirates Executive
Emirates Executive started in 2013. It offers private flights for companies and individuals. It uses a special Airbus ACJ319 business jet that can carry 19 people. This jet has private suites, a lounge, a dining area, and even bathrooms with showers.
Emirates SkyCargo
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Emirates SkyCargo is the part of Emirates that carries cargo (goods and packages). It started in 1985, the same year Emirates began. In 2001, it started using its own cargo planes, like the Boeing 747 Freighter. SkyCargo flies to special cargo-only destinations, as well as many places on Emirates' regular passenger network. During the 2020 pandemic, SkyCargo even used passenger planes to carry more cargo.
The Look of Emirates Planes
First Livery (1985–1999)
The first design on Emirates planes was similar to the second one. The name "Emirates" was written in a different style and was smaller. It also had the Arabic name next to it. All planes with this first design were either repainted or stopped flying by 2005.
Second Livery (1999–2023)
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The second design for Emirates planes was introduced in November 1999. It had the UAE flag on the tail and a white body. The golden word "Emirates" was painted on the upper part of the plane. This design was put on all Emirates planes by 2005. The Arabic name was still there but smaller. In 2005, the word "Emirates" in red was added to the belly of the plane.
Current Livery (2023–Present)
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On March 16, 2023, Emirates showed off its new plane design. The new design has a more flowing look for the UAE flag on the tail. The wingtips are now red with the Emirates logo in white Arabic writing. Passengers sitting by the window can see the UAE flag colors painted on the inside of the wingtips.
What It's Like Inside an Emirates Plane
Cabin Classes
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Emirates offers different types of seating, called cabin classes.
- First Class
First class on Emirates planes offers very private spaces. Some have doors that close completely, like a small room. These suites have a minibar, a coat rack, and a large screen for movies. The seat can turn into a fully flat bed. On the Airbus A380, first class also has two bathrooms with showers and access to a bar area.
In November 2017, Emirates introduced new first-class cabins for its Boeing 777 planes. These have six suites in a 1-1-1 layout. The middle suites have "virtual windows" that show real-time views from outside the plane using cameras. These suites also have a tablet to control lights and temperature, and to order food.
- Business Class
Business class seats on Boeing 777 planes can recline into angled lie-flat beds. They have a massage function, privacy screens, and large screens for entertainment. On the Airbus A380, business class seats can become fully flat beds and have personal minibars. Business class passengers on the A380 can also use an on-board bar.
- Premium Economy Class
In December 2020, Emirates announced its new Premium Economy cabin. These seats offer more legroom and can recline further than regular economy seats. They also have a 13.3-inch screen for entertainment. As of August 2025, 22 Airbus A380 planes have this new class. Emirates is also adding premium economy to its older Boeing 777 and A380 planes.
- Economy Class
Emirates economy class seats have good legroom. On Airbus planes, they have 31-32 inches of space, and on Boeing planes, they have 34 inches. All seats have adjustable headrests and access to the entertainment system. Newer planes also have power outlets for laptops.
Food and Drinks
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Emirates Flight Catering provides food for flights leaving Dubai International Airport. This is one of the biggest airline catering facilities in the world. Emirates offers special meals for different diets, allergies, or religious needs. All meals are prepared according to Halal guidelines. In 2018, Emirates started a project to build a huge indoor farm. This farm will grow fresh leafy greens for all its flights.
In-Flight Entertainment (ICE)
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Emirates was one of the first airlines to offer personal entertainment systems on planes in 1992. All three cabin classes have a personal entertainment system called ICE (information, communication, entertainment).
ICE was introduced in 2003 and now offers 4,000 channels on most flights. It is available on Emirates' Airbus A350, A380, and Boeing 777 planes. In 2012, Emirates added larger, high-definition screens. These new screens are the first to be fully high definition.
- Information
The ICE system gives passengers direct news updates from BBC News. It also has a moving map that shows where the plane is flying. Cameras on the outside of the plane let passengers see the view during takeoff, flight, and landing. Emirates was also one of the first airlines to offer high-speed internet on its flights.
- Communication
ICE allows passengers to send and receive emails. It also has a chat service so you can talk to other passengers on the plane. In 2008, Emirates started allowing passengers to use their mobile phones to call or text people on the ground.
- Entertainment
The ICE system has movies, music, and video games. It offers over 600 movies, more than 2000 TV channels, over 1000 hours of music, and over 100 video games. You can choose what you want to watch or play, and pause, fast-forward, or rewind. ICE is available in more than 40 languages.
Sustainability Efforts
Emirates is working to reduce its carbon emissions. Since 2017, it has been looking into using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This is a type of fuel that is better for the environment. Emirates has partnered with companies like Neste and Shell Aviation to get SAF.
In January 2023, Emirates successfully flew a Boeing 777 plane using 100 percent SAF in one of its engines. In November 2023, they did a similar test with an Airbus A380. Following these tests, Emirates operated its first commercial flight using a SAF blend on October 24, 2023, from Dubai to Sydney.
The airline now has suppliers for SAF at several airports around the world, including Paris, London, Singapore, and Dubai.
Accidents and Incidents
Emirates has had some aircraft incidents, but thankfully, no passengers or crew have died in any of them.
- On April 9, 2004, an Airbus A340 was damaged during takeoff in Johannesburg. It returned safely.
- On March 20, 2009, an Airbus A340 had trouble taking off from Melbourne Airport. It hit some structures but landed safely with no injuries.
- On August 3, 2016, Emirates Flight 521, a Boeing 777, crash-landed and caught fire at Dubai International Airport. All 282 passengers and 18 crew survived, though 32 people were injured. Sadly, an airport firefighter died while putting out the fire. The plane was destroyed. This is the only time an Emirates plane has been completely lost.
- On April 14, 2020, an Emirates Boeing 777 was hit by a British Airways plane on the ground. No one was hurt.
- On December 20, 2021, Emirates Flight 231, a Boeing 777, almost went off the runway during takeoff from Dubai. It flew very low over houses but was not damaged, and no one was injured.
- On July 1, 2022, an Airbus A380 had a tire burst during a flight from Dubai to Brisbane. The plane landed safely.
- On March 27, 2024, an Airbus A380 was damaged when an emergency vehicle hit it at Moscow Domodedovo Airport.
- On March 28, 2024, an Emirates Boeing 777 almost crashed with an Ethiopian Airlines plane over Somaliland.
- On May 20, 2024, Emirates Flight 508, a Boeing 777, hit birds before landing in Mumbai. The plane was damaged, and many flamingos were killed.
- On June 15, 2024, Emirates Flight 262, an Airbus A380, stopped its takeoff from São Paulo after an engine problem.
- On September 25, 2024, Emirates Flight 547, a Boeing 777, started smoking during refueling in Chennai. Passengers were safely taken off the plane, and the flight was delayed.
Images for kids
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Emirates flight attendants
See also
In Spanish: Emirates para niños
