Emirates the world's most profitable airline

For the full year to 31 March, Emirates Group’s profit before tax increased by 7 per cent to AED 24.4 billion, equivalent to around 6.6 billion dollars. Revenue rose to a record AED 150.5 billion. This is stated in a press release.

The airline thus retains its position as the world’s most profitable airline during the 2025/2026 reporting period.

During the first eleven months of the year, performance was very strong, with high demand and healthy margins. But on 28 February, the military conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran caused extensive disruption to commercial aviation in the Gulf region, including in the United Arab Emirates.

According to Emirates, air traffic from Dubai has gradually been restored, although capacity still remains below the levels seen before the disruption.

At the same time, Emirates continues to invest heavily in both its fleet and the customer experience. During the year, 15 new Airbus A350s were delivered to the fleet, and the company also ordered a further 65 Boeing 777Xs and eight A350 aircraft at the Dubai Airshow.

At the end of the financial year, the order book comprised a total of 367 aircraft, with deliveries planned all the way through to 2038.

Emirates carried 53.2 million passengers during the year and expanded its network to 152 destinations in 80 countries. New destinations included Da Nang, Shenzhen and Siem Reap.

The company is also continuing its investment in premium economy and upgraded cabins. So far, 91 aircraft have undergone extensive cabin refurbishments as part of Emirates' $5 billion retrofit programme.

Emirates SkyCargo also showed strong growth. The cargo division increased volumes by 3 per cent to 2.4 million tonnes of freight and took delivery of five new Boeing 777F freighters during the year.

At the same time, ground handling and catering company dnata increased revenue by 12 per cent to a record 23.6 billion dirhams.

The company says it is well protected against rising fuel prices through extensive hedging until 2028/2029, and that strong cash reserves mean its expansion plans remain unchanged.

During the year, the group increased its workforce by 8 per cent to a total of 130,919 employees worldwide.