Emirates has once again been honored with the title of ‘Best Airline in the World’ at the esteemed ULTRAs 2024 Awards. Recognized by thousands of travelers worldwide, the airline stood out for its outstanding products, innovative services, and exceptional value-for-money experiences. This year, Emirates’ commitment to providing superior travel experiences has earned it over 20 accolades, including being named ‘World Best Airline’ by Telegraph Travel, where it topped a list of 90 global airlines, as well as ‘Best Airline’ at The Times and Sunday Times Travel Awards.
The ULTRAs are among the most prestigious awards in the travel industry, celebrating leaders across various categories based on votes from a global community of discerning and affluent travelers. Ultratravel, an independent magazine, boasts a circulation of 1.2 million active travelers worldwide.
The award was presented to Thierry Aucoc, Emirates senior vice president of Commercial Operations for Europe and the Americas, and Jabr Al-Azeeby, Emirates Divisional Vice President for the U.K., during a ceremony held last week at Kensington Palace in London. The event attracted prominent figures from the travel industry and distinguished guests.
Focus on people and technology
Sir Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airline, expressed his excitement about receiving the award, stating that the recognition as ‘Best Airline in the World’ from the distinguished ULTRAs was thrilling. Furthermore, he mentioned that the airline’s investments in products and services, along with a focus on people, training, and technology, aimed to enhance the travel experience at every stage of the journey, ensuring customers truly ‘fly better.’ He emphasized their commitment to continually raising the bar for their customers and highlighted their multi-billion dollar refurbishment program, which would see over 200 aircraft receive fully updated interiors, further elevating the Emirates experience. He also expressed gratitude to loyal customers and affirmed that the airline would continue to advance swiftly to provide the best in international air travel.
Enhanced travel experiences
Emirates remains dedicated to enhancing travel experiences by investing in innovative products, adopting cutting-edge technologies, and expanding its network to make travel more seamless for its customers.
In the past year, the airline has rolled out eight fully refurbished aircraft, including three A380s and five Boeing 777s, as part of its $ 4 billion retrofit initiative. Additionally, Emirates has invested $ 11 million to open new premium lounges in London Stansted and Jeddah, while also refurbishing the existing facility at Paris Charles De Gaulle. The airline has also launched experiential travel stores in Hong Kong, London, and Paris.
Moreover, Emirates has broadened its global network by resuming services to Phnom Penh in Cambodia via Singapore and announcing new routes to Bogotá through Miami, as well as Madagascar via the Seychelles. Recently, the airline reported its best-ever half-year financial results, transporting 26.9 million passengers across its vast network of over 148 destinations between April 1 and September 30, 2024.
Read more: Emirates resumes daily service to Australia’s Adelaide with Boeing 777-200LR
Award-winning airline
Emirates also has recently secured the 2025 APEX World Class Airline award, recognizing its exceptional customer service and adherence to the highest global standards of safety, well-being, sustainability, and guest experience.
Last month, the airline garnered five awards at Forbes Travel Guide’s Air Travel Awards, including ‘Best International Airline,’ ‘Best Culinary Programme,’ ‘Best First Class,’ ‘Best In-Flight Cocktail Lounge’ (for the Emirates A380 Onboard Lounge), and ‘Best International Airline Lounge’ (First Class Lounge at Dubai International).
Operating the world’s largest fleet of wide-body Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft, Emirates offers spacious cabins and signature inflight features such as the A380 Shower Spa and Onboard Lounge.
Passengers will also experience the warm hospitality of the airline’s diverse crew, enjoy regionally inspired gourmet cuisine, and access the award-winning inflight entertainment system—ice—which offers up to 6,500 channels of top movies, TV shows, podcasts, and more. Last week, Emirates’ inflight entertainment system was recognized as ‘Best Inflight Entertainment’ at the Business Traveller Awards 2024. Additionally, the airline has recently partnered with Spotify, the world’s leading audio-streaming service, to provide customers with a variety of podcasts and playlists while flying.
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