Emirates Group achieved a pre-tax profit of AED 12.2 billion (USD 3.3 billion) in the first half of the 2025–26 financial year, marking the highest half-year financial performance in its history. This also represents the fourth consecutive half-year in which the Group has reported record profitability.
After accounting for income tax expenses, net profit rose by 13% year-on-year to AED 10.6 billion (USD 2.9 billion).
4% Revenue Growth and Strong Cash Position
In the first half of 2025–26, Emirates Group’s revenue increased by 4% to AED 75.4 billion (USD 20.6 billion).
The Group also reported a robust EBITDA of AED 21.1 billion (USD 5.7 billion), representing a 3% increase compared to the same period last year.
The cash balance, which stood at AED 53.4 billion as of 31 March 2025, rose to a record AED 56 billion (USD 15.2 billion) by 30 September 2025. Thanks to this strong liquidity, the Group successfully financed new aircraft deliveries while meeting existing debt obligations.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum: “Emirates Maintains Its Position as the World’s Most Profitable Airline”
Commenting on the results, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, said:
“The Group has surpassed the first-half results of last year, achieving a new record profit for the first half of 2025–26. I am pleased to see that Emirates has maintained its position as the world’s most profitable airline during this period. This performance was made possible by continued demand for our products and services, customer satisfaction, and the dedicated contributions of our employees.”
Al Maktoum also highlighted the company’s focus on innovation and technology investments, stating: “The Group’s strong profitability enables us to sustain these investments and scale in line with Dubai’s growth as a global aviation hub.”
Expansion Across Emirates’ Global Network
In the first half of 2025–26, Emirates further expanded its global network.
New destinations added included Danang, Siem Reap, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou, bringing the airline’s network to 153 airports across 81 countries and territories.
Additionally, 28 weekly flights were added to routes serving Antananarivo, Johannesburg, Muscat, Rome, Riyadh, and Taipei, increasing connectivity capacity.
Emirates also signed new codeshare agreements with Air Seychelles, Condor, and Aurigny, offering passengers more connection options.
Fleet Expansion and Ongoing Renewal Programme
During this period, five new A350 aircraft joined the Emirates fleet.
Under the airline’s USD 5 billion cabin renewal programme, 23 aircraft were fully refurbished.
As of 30 September, the Emirates Premium Economy cabin was available on routes connecting Dubai with 61 cities.
Passenger capacity increased by 5%, with 27.8 million passengers carried in the first half of 2025. The average passenger load factor stood at 79.5%.
Employment Growth and Continuity
In line with expanding operations, Emirates Group’s total workforce increased by 3% to 124,927 as of 30 September 2025.
The company continues global recruitment campaigns across both Emirates and dnata divisions.
“Despite geopolitical developments and economic fluctuations, global demand for air transport remains strong. We believe this resilience in demand will continue for the rest of the year.”
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
