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Emirates wins ULTRAs ‘Best Airline in the World’ award for 8th year in a row
Dubai, UAE, 18 November 2025: Emirates has been voted ‘Best Airline in the World’ for the 8th consecutive year, at the esteemed ULTRAs travel awards held in Dubai yesterday. Based on votes from Ultratravel’s global network of 1.2 million travellers, Emirates also scooped the ‘Airline with the Best Premium Economy Class’ award, as well as a prestigious ‘Lifetime Achievement Award for Services to Global Aviation’ presented to Sir Tim Clark.
Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, said;
‘It’s an honour to celebrate our eighth year as ‘best airline in the world’ at the ULTRAs and thank you to all the travellers who gave us their vote. At Emirates, we want every customer to ‘fly better,’ and that’s why we never stop investing into the Emirates experience – to provide the very best in international air travel. Whether it’s expanding our network across the world, upgrading our aircraft through a multibillion-dollar retrofit programme, introducing new Hospitality training for cabin crew or introducing innovative technologies to facilitate seamless travel – we continue to elevate our own standards every year.’
Emirates wins ‘Best Airline in the World’
Emirates has been honoured as the best airline in the world due to the exceptional customer experience it offers, as well as a global network of more than 150 destinations, and fleet of Airbus A380s, A350s and Boeing 777s that offer unparalleled comfort, reliability, and connectivity. Emirates is renowned for its world-class inflight experience, including regionally inspired gourmet cuisine, award-winning entertainment and an array of 6,500 channels on ice, and luxurious premium cabins featuring private suites, onboard lounges and shower spa’s. Emirates’ commitment to innovation also extends to its airport facilities, elite lounges and chauffeur drive services, as well as innovative digital solutions, a dedication to sustainability initiatives, and significant investment into training for its world-class cabin crew.
Emirates wins ‘Airline with the Best Premium Economy Class’
This honour from Ultratravel celebrates Emirates’ newest cabin class, which already holds other global recognitions including ‘Best Premium Economy’ by the AirlineRatings.com Airline Excellence Awards. Emirates is the only airline in the region to offer a Premium Economy class, where customers enjoy dedicated check-in desks at the airport, luxurious cream-coloured leather seats with a generous pitch of up to 40 inches, calf rests and footrests for additional comfort, generous meals and a premium wine selection, inflight entertainment on a 13.3-inch screen, and an intimate cabin with an exclusive feel. Emirates Premium Economy is now available to customers flying between Dubai and 61 cities.
Emirates President, Sir Tim Clark honoured with ‘Lifetime Achievement Award for Services to Global Aviation’
Celebrating his extraordinary contributions to the aviation industry, Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, has been honoured with a distinguished lifetime achievement award from the ULTRAs in recognition of his impressive career which spans from 1972, through to joining Emirates in 1985, and ascending to President in 2003. Under his leadership, Emirates expanded from a modest operation into one of the world’s largest international carriers, known for its innovation, ambitious fleet strategy and global network. He was also recently recognised by the Wings Club Foundation with the prestigious Distinguished Achievement Award.
More 2025 Awards for Emirates
These 3 latest awards for Emirates build on an already impressive portfolio of accolades won in 2025. Emirates also won ‘Best International Airline,’ ‘Best International First Class,’ and ‘Best International Airline Lounge’ from the Forbes Travel Guide Verified Air Travel Awards 2025, as well as ‘Best Long-Haul Airline’ at The Times and The Sunday Times Travel Awards 2025.
Emirates was presented with several more honours for its First Class offering at the World Travel Awards 2025 regional final – ‘Middle East’s leading airline – First Class’ and ‘Middle East’s leading airline lounge – First Class.’
Earlier in 2025, Emirates was honoured with several awards including ‘Best Long-Haul Airline’ at The Telegraph Travel Awards, ‘2025’s Most Recommended Global Brand’ by YouGov, and multiple categories at the Business Traveller Middle East Awards, such as ‘Best Airline Worldwide’ for the 12th consecutive year, ‘Best First Class’, ‘Best Premium Economy Class’, and ‘Best Airport Lounge in the Middle East.’
Additionally, Emirates Skywards was named as the ‘Best Global Airline Loyalty Program’ at the International Loyalty Awards 2025 and the World Travel Awards ‘Middle East’s leading airline rewards programme’.
About the ULTRAs
Amongst the most respected awards in the industry, the ULTRAs are determined from the votes of a global network of 1.2 million travellers. Ultratravel readers are active and affluent travellers and will spend over $1 billion on international travel in 2025.
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About Emirates
The Emirates story started in 1985 when we launched operations with just two aircraft. Today, we fly the world’s biggest fleets of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, offering our customers the comforts of the latest and most efficient wide-body aircraft in the skies.
We inspire travellers around the world with our growing network of worldwide destinations, industry leading inflight entertainment, regionally inspired cuisine, and world-class service.
For more information see www.emirates.com/zm and www.emirates.com/zw
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Gillian Langmead; Langmead & Baker Ltd
Cell: +260 (979) 060705;
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Or visit http://www.theemiratesgroup.com/english/media-kit/media-kit.aspx