10.6 billion dirhams in half-term profits of the Emirates Group, a growth of 13%

Dubai, November 6, WAM / The Emirates Group today announced record financial results for the first half of the fiscal year 2025-2026, from April 1 to September 30, 2025.

The group recorded pre-tax profits of 12.2 billion dirhams ($3.3 billion) for the first six months of the fiscal year, making it the fourth year in a row in which the group achieved record half-term profits.

After calculating income tax fees, the group’s net profit after tax amounted to 10.6 billion UAE dirhams ($2.9 billion).

The group recorded earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of 21.1 billion dirhams ($5.7 billion), a growth of 3% over the same period last year, which recorded 20.4 billion dirhams ($5.6 billion), which reflects the strength of operational profitability.

The group achieved revenues amounting to 75.4 billion dirhams ($20.6 billion) during the first six months of the fiscal year 2025-2026, a growth of 4% compared to 70.8 billion dirhams ($19.3 billion) for the same period last year.

The group ended the first half of the fiscal year 2025-2026 in a record cash position, with its balances reaching 56.0 billion dirhams ($15.2 billion) on September 30, 2025, compared to 53.4 billion dirhams ($14.6 billion) on March 31, 2025.

The group was able to leverage its strong cash reserves to support business needs, including paying installments for new aircraft orders and repaying other debts.

The group paid 2 billion dirhams ($545 million) remaining from the owners’ share, amounting to 6 billion dirhams ($1.6 billion), as announced at the end of the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and CEO of Emirates Airline and Group, said that the Emirates Group continues its outstanding performance with consistency and confidence, achieving record half-year financial results for the fiscal year 2025-2026, reaffirming the strength of its business model and its ability to achieve sustainable growth year after year, while the results of the first half reaffirm Emirates’ global leadership and consolidate its position as the most profitable air carrier in the world, thanks to the efficiency of its operations, the strength of its brand, and growing confidence. its clients.

His Highness added: “This exceptional performance is due to the strong and continuous demand for travel, and the growing customer confidence in our services and products, which has reflected positively on the growth of revenues and profitability.”

His Highness continued: “Emirates Airlines and dnata have invested billions of dirhams to enhance operational efficiency, expand their capabilities through innovation and technology, and ensure the well-being of employees who represent the cornerstone of our success and the sustainability of our performance. These commitments form the core of our corporate culture, and are what enable us to maintain our competitiveness in a rapidly changing market.”

His Highness said: “This strong performance gives us the necessary momentum to continue investing in the future with confidence, and to expand the scope of our operations in parallel with Dubai’s aspirations to consolidate its position as a leading global city for business, tourism and innovation.”

His Highness concluded: “Despite the geopolitical events and economic challenges in some markets, global demand for air transport and travel services has been strong, and we expect demand to remain strong for the rest of the year 2025-2026, and we look forward to increasing our capacity for revenue growth, especially with the addition of the new A350 aircraft to the Emirates fleet, and the operation of the new dnata facilities.”

To keep pace with the expansion of operations and commercial activities, the Emirates Group’s employee base has grown, compared to March 31, 2025, by 3%, bringing the total number of employees to 124,927 employees on September 30, 2025, and Emirates Airlines and dnata continue to organize recruitment campaigns to support future requirements.

Emirates Airlines continued to enhance its network of destinations and connectivity options through its hub in Dubai, and during the first half of the fiscal year 2025-2026, the carrier launched new services to Da Nang in Vietnam, Siem Reap in Cambodia, and Shenzhen and Hangzhou in China.

By September 30, 2025, Emirates’ passenger and cargo network extended to 153 airports in 81 countries and territories. The network was strengthened by adding an additional 28 weekly flights to: Antananarivo, Johannesburg, Muscat, Rome, Riyadh and Taipei.

To provide more connectivity options to customers, during the first six months of 2025-2026, Emirates entered codeshare and interline partnership agreements with Air Seychelles, Condor and Orini.

During the period between April 1 and September 30, Emirates took delivery of five new Airbus A350 aircraft, adding more Business Class and Premium Economy Class seats to its fleet. During the same period, 23 aircraft (6 Airbus A380 aircraft and 17 Boeing 777 aircraft) were fully modernized as part of its $5 billion aircraft modernization program, allowing the carrier to provide its latest cabin products to more markets, including Premium Economy Class. By September 30, Premium Economy Class became available to customers traveling between Dubai and 61 cities around the world.

The carrier also opened a check-in lounge for first class customers at Dubai International Airport, providing first class customers and Platinum members of the Emirates Skywards program with a luxurious private area and an exceptional experience.

During the first half of the financial year 2025-2026, Emirates accelerated the implementation of its store strategy by opening travel stores in Accra, Bangkok, Geneva, Jakarta, Mauritius, Osaka, Seoul and Singapore.

Emirates Airlines continued its progress in its environmental initiatives, by promoting the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) wherever available and possible, at 37 airports, and in April, Emirates Airlines joined the Aviation Circular Economy Coalition, a network of organizations committed to building a circular economy for aviation and creating new paths to accelerate carbon reduction through the high-value circular economy in the global supply chain.

During the first half of the fiscal year 2025-2026, Emirates Airlines invested significantly to strengthen its global brand presence, as it signed multi-year sponsorship deals to become a platinum partner of the German club Bayern Munich, an official sponsor of the Real Madrid basketball team, and the distinguished partner and official carrier of the Investec Cup and Challenge Cup tournaments of the European Union of Professional Rugby Clubs. It also extended its partnership with the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour as the main partner and official carrier of the association until the year 2030, in addition to sponsoring the Olympique Lyonnais shirt until 2030.

The total capacity during the first six months of the fiscal year increased by 5% to reach 31.3 billion available ton-kilometres, due to the expansion of flight operations.

Passenger capacity, measured by the number of available seats multiplied by the number of kilometers traveled, also increased by 5%, while passenger traffic, measured by revenue per passenger per kilometer, increased by 4%, with a seat suitability rate of 79.5%, compared to 80.0% during the same period last year.

Emirates Airlines transported 27.8 million passengers between April 1 and September 30, 2025, a growth of 4% over the same period of the previous year.

Emirates Sky Cargo transported 1.25 million tons in the first six months of the fiscal year, a growth of 4% compared to the same period of the previous fiscal year.

It continued customer demand for specialized cargo products and its distinguished network of passenger and freighter cargo operations. However, the average return on air freight declined by 6% as a result of declining demand in some market segments amid concerns related to tariffs.

Emirates SkyCargo also received three Boeing 777 freighter aircraft.

In April, the carrier launched the “Emirates Express Shipping Services” service, an innovative product that relies on the strength of the carrier’s global network to provide fast door-to-door shipping services specifically for businesses.

Consolidating its position as the most profitable air carrier in the world according to the semi-annual results, Emirates Airlines achieved record profits before tax for the first half of 2025-2026 amounting to 11.4 billion dirhams ($3.1 billion), compared to 9.7 billion dirhams ($2.6 billion) for the same period last year, and Emirates’ profits after tax amounted to 9.9 billion dirhams ($2.7 billion).

Emirates Airlines’ revenues, including other operating income, recorded 65.6 billion dirhams ($17.9 billion), a growth of 6% compared to 62.2 billion dirhams ($16.9 billion) for the same period last year.

He attributes this record revenue growth to continued strong demand for travel across various markets, and customer preference for Emirates products and services, especially in premium cabins.

EBITDA remained strong, recording 19.7 billion dirhams, a growth of 3% compared to 19.1 billion dirhams for the same period last year.

Emirates Flight Catering achieved a growth in revenues from external customers by 13%, reaching 555 million dirhams, as it provided 7.7 million meals, a growth of 2%, to 116 air carriers during this period.

Emirates Entertainment and Retail Company also acquired the remaining 25% stake in Air Ventures LLC in the United States, securing full ownership of the entity that operates retail outlets and restaurants at airports.

Dnata recorded a new record performance in terms of revenues during the first half of the financial year, exceeding the $3 billion barrier for the first time during this period.

Dnata’s revenues, including income from other operations, increased by 13% to record 11.7 billion dirhams, compared to 10.4 billion dirhams during the same period of the last fiscal year.

Dnata’s total profits before tax amounted to 843 million dirhams, a growth of 17% compared to the same period of the previous fiscal year, and dnata’s profit after tax amounted to 697 million dirhams.

Dnata showed its operating profitability, as its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization amounted to 1.4 billion dirhams, a growth of 5% compared to 1.3 billion dirhams in the first six months of the last financial year.

Dnata Airport Operations maintained its position as the largest contributor to dnata’s revenues, as this contribution amounted to 5.5 billion dirhams, a growth of 15% over the revenues of the first six months of the last fiscal year, while the contribution of dnata’s aircraft catering and retail operations to total revenues amounted to 4.1 billion dirhams, an increase of 11%.

Dnata’s travel division contributed AED 2 billion to revenues, an 11% growth compared to AED 1.8 billion in the same period of the last fiscal year.

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