Emirates swept three categories at the 2026 Business Traveller Middle East Awards, taking Best Airline Worldwide, Best First Class, and Best Airport Lounge in the Middle East for its First Class Lounge at Dubai International Airport. Winners are determined by nominations and votes from Business Traveller Middle East readers, making the awards one of the region’s more commercially credible measures of traveller sentiment. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, accepted the awards on behalf of the airline.
The wins come as Emirates accelerates a substantial fleet overhaul. Some 219 Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s are undergoing full cabin refurbishment, and ongoing Airbus A350 deliveries are adding new cabin products to the network. Refurbished aircraft and A350s now serve more than 70 destinations globally.
First Class on Emirates includes enclosed private suites, a dine-on-demand menu, unlimited caviar served with Dom Pérignon, loungewear and amenity kits by Bulgari, skincare from Byredo, a Shower Spa, and the Onboard Lounge on the A380. On the ground, the airline offers chauffeur-drive in close to 90 destinations, priority airport services, and lounge access in more than 30 cities worldwide.
The three First Class Lounges at Dubai International Airport, which took the lounge award, offer à la carte dining, complimentary spa treatments, a premium duty-free shopping area, and direct boarding from select gates.
Beyond the awards cycle, Emirates has equipped 36 aircraft with Starlink high-speed connectivity and says it will operate the world’s largest Starlink-enabled international wide-body fleet once the rollout is complete. The airline also recently launched what it describes as an industry-first Comprehensive Travel Cover insurance product. In October, it will add a daily flight to Helsinki, establishing the only year-round direct link between Finland and the UAE.
