Overview
- Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed praised Emirates as a national pride and said the airline has carried more than 860 million passengers over four decades.
- Sheikh Mohammed thanked Chairman and CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and a workforce of more than 100,000 employees for sustaining the success.
- Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan called the milestone a journey of ambition and described Emirates as the world’s best airline and a bridge connecting people and cultures.
- Emirates began on October 25, 1985 with $10 million in seed funding and two wet‑leased PIA aircraft flying to Karachi and Mumbai.
- Company figures highlight a fleet of 260 aircraft as of March 2025 serving about 160 destinations in more than 85 countries, an average fleet age of 10.7 years, a mix of Boeing 777, Airbus A380 and A350 jets, and more than 300 aircraft on order, with the airline also sharing a fleet‑evolution video this week.