Emirates Airlines is concluding 2025 with significant momentum, having secured five new international awards at the 32nd World Travel Awards. This brings the total number of accolades to over 20 for the year, solidifying its status as a leading brand in the aviation industry. The awards span a range of categories, including branding, inflight entertainment, first-class service, the Skywards rewards program, and first-class lounge facilities.
Among the five major honors received at the World Travel Awards for 2025 were: Best Airline Brand in the World, Best Inflight Entertainment, Best Airline Rewards Program for the Emirates Skywards, Best First Class Airline in the World, and Best First-Class Lounge globally, awarded for its facility in Dubai International Airport’s Terminal 3.
A Year of Achievements
In November, travelers from around the globe voted Emirates as the “Best Airline in the World” for the eighth consecutive year at the prestigious Ultra Travel Awards. This was based on votes from the 1.2 million members of the Ultra Travel network. Additionally, the airline won the award for Best Premium Economy Class, while Sir Tim Clark received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the global aviation sector. Regionally, Aviation Business Middle East recognized Emirates with the titles of “Best First Class of the Year” and “Best Airline of the Year.”
Emirates also earned distinctions as the “Best International Airline,” “Best International First Class Airline,” and “Best International Airport Lounge” at the annual Forbes Travel Guide Awards 2025, alongside winning the Best Airline for Long Haul Flights at the Times and Sunday Times Awards 2025. Furthermore, the Wings Club recently honored Sir Tim Clark with a distinguished achievement award.
In September, Emirates achieved two prestigious APEX awards at the APEX/IFSA exhibition in Long Beach, California, winning for its inflight entertainment system “ice” as the Best Global Inflight Entertainment for 2026 and being named a World Class Airline for demonstrating exceptional standards in customer experience and branding.
Earlier in 2025, Emirates had already amassed several significant awards, including recognition as the Best Long Haul Airline at the Telegraph Awards, and was ranked as the most recommended global airline by YouGov. The airline also received multiple honors from Business Travel Middle East, including Best Airline in the World for the twelfth consecutive year, Best First Class, Best Premium Economy Class, and Best Airport Lounge in the Middle East.