Emirates Airline Reports 13% Rise in Half-Year Profits Despite Global Uncertainties

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Emirates group, including Dnata, recorded a 13% increase in half-year profit after tax to Dh10.6 billion. It is the fourth year of having a half-year profit.

Dubai-based Emirates Airline reported a 13% increase in its record half-year profit after tax to Dh9.9 billion, due to strong travel demand despite geopolitical challenges. Its income increased by 6% from the previous year as there was strong demand in the premium cabin section.

The company maintained its status as the world’s most profitable airline during the period, thanks to strong demand and a growing preference among customers for its premium products and services, as stated by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airlines.

He added that the travel appetite is expected to remain high during the second half of its fiscal year.

The airline expects to increase its capacity and income as Airbus A350 wide-body aircraft join its fleet and new facilities are opened for its global airport service company, Dnata.

Emirates group, including Dnata, recorded a 13% increase in half-year profit after tax to Dh10.6 billion. It is the fourth year of having a half-year profit. It recorded an income of Dh75.4 billion, a 4% increase, as more passengers traveled through the Dubai hub.

The group paid the remaining Dh2 billion in dividends, from the overall revenue of Dh6 billion earned during the 2024-2025 financial year.

The workforce increased by 3% to 124,927 employees from April to September, as both Emirates and Dnata were hiring to meet future needs.

Emirates carried 27.8 million passengers in the first six months of the year, which was 4% more than in the same period last year.

Capacity increased by 5% year-over-year. The airline received five new A350s, 23 Boeing 777s, and Airbus A380s with fully refreshed interiors.

The load factor, which shows how efficiently the airline fills its available seats with paying passengers, decreased slightly to 79.5% , compared to 80% the previous year.

Operating costs, including fuel, increased by 4% as operations also expanded. The fuel cost was the largest component of the cost, contributing 30%.

The airline was benefiting from continuous travel demand through Dubai, while the airline industry faced challenges due to Middle East tensions and uncertainty from trade and tariff policies.

Dubai received 13.95 million overnight visitors in the first nine months of the year, which was 5% rise, according to Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism.

The airline aims to surpass 18.7 million visitors, which was the number reached last year, as stated by Shahab Shayan of the department during the World Travel Market in London.

Dubai International Airport, Emirates’ home base, got 22.5 million passengers in the second quarter of 2025, which was a 3.1% year-on-year increase.

To support future passenger growth, Dubai is constructing a $35 billion terminal at its second airport, Al Maktoum International, which is expected to become the new hub for Emirates by 2032.

Emirates SkyCargo transported 1.25 million tonnes of cargo in the first half of the year, 4% increase. However, income from cargo decreased by 6% as there was reduced demand due to ongoing tariff concerns. Capacity was expanded with the addition of three new Boeing 777 freighters.

By the end of September, Emirates’ passenger and cargo network covered 153 airports in 81 countries and territories.

Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association, noted that 2025 is progressing well globally, despite ongoing political and economic uncertainty and trade tensions. In the first nine months of the year, passenger demand rose by 4.8% and cargo demand by 3.2%, according to IATA.

Dnata, Emirates’ airport services arm, achieved record half-year revenue of Dh11.7 billion, up 13% year-on-year. Dnata’s profit after tax rose 22% to Dh697 million, with continued expansion across its cargo, catering, retail, and travel services businesses.