Emirates

Emirates was founded on March 25, 1985 by the Government of Dubai under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who remains the airline's Chairman and CEO to this day. The airline was launched with a seed capital of just US$10 million provided by Dubai's government and an initial wet-lease of two aircraft from Pakistan International Airlines — a Boeing 737 and an Airbus 300B4. The founding rationale was to make Dubai a global aviation hub, recognizing that Dubai's lack of natural resources made its future prosperity dependent on services, trade, and tourism. From the outset, Emirates was managed on strictly commercial principles and without operating subsidies — a point the airline has repeatedly emphasized in response to accusations from US and European legacy carriers of unfair state support.

Emirates carried 260,000 passengers in its first year and posted profits from its second year onward. Growth was rapid: within a decade the airline was operating Boeing 777s to destinations across Asia, Europe, and North America. The arrival of the Airbus A380 in 2008 — Emirates placed the largest A380 order in history — was transformational, enabling the airline to offer unprecedented passenger capacity while maintaining its premium cabin experience. Emirates' relentless focus on product investment — upgrading cabins, adding First Class suites, developing the iconic ICE entertainment system — has made it the world's benchmark for long-haul travel quality.

The opening of Dubai International's Terminal 3 — designed exclusively for Emirates — in 2008 provided the scale infrastructure to match the airline's global ambitions. In 2024-25, Emirates reported record profit of USD 5.8 billion (up 20%), record revenue of USD 34.9 billion, and awarded staff a 22-week salary bonus.