Emirates (Arabic: طَيَران الإمارات DMG: Ṭayarān Al-Imārāt) is an airline based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The airline is a subsidiary of The Emirates Group, which is wholly owned by the government of Dubai’s Investment Corporation of DubaiIt is the largest airline in the Middle East, operating over 3,600 flights per week from its hub at Dubai International Airport, to more than 140 cities in 81 countries across six continents Cargo activities are undertaken by Emirates SkyCargo.
Emirates is the world’s fourth largest airline by scheduled revenue passenger-kilometers flown, the fourth-largest in terms of international passengers carried, and the second-largest in terms of freight tonne kilometers flown. Emirates had the longest non-stop commercial flight from Dubai to Auckland until it was surpassed by Qatar Airways flying from Doha to Auckland.
During the mid-1980s, Gulf Air began to cut back its services to Dubai. As a result, Emirates was conceived in March 1985 with backing from Dubai’s royal family, with Pakistan International Airlines providing two of the airline’s first aircraft on wet-lease. With $10 million in start-up capital it was required to operate independently of government subsidy. Pakistan International Airlines provided training facilities to Emirates’ cabin crew in its academy. The airline was headed by Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the airline’s present chairman. In the years following its founding, the airline expanded both its fleet and its destinations. In October 2008, Emirates moved all operations at Dubai International Airport to Terminal 3.
Emirates operates a mixed fleet of Airbus and Boeing wide-body aircraft and is one of the few airlines to operate an all-wide-body aircraft fleet. As of September 2016, Emirates is the largest Airbus A380 operator with 96 planes in service and a further 46 in orders. Since their introduction, the Airbus A380 has become an integral part of Emirates fleet, especially on long-haul high-traffic routes. Emirates is also the world’s largest Boeing 777 operator with over 130 planes in service.
Weight concept
The weight concept applies to all routes, excluding travel to or from destinations in Canada, North America and South America. For travellers in Emirates Economy Class, your baggage allowance depends on the type of fare you’ve purchased.
When you fly with Emirates to and from destinations outside the Americas, you can enjoy the following checked baggage allowances:
| Economy Fare Brand | Business Class | First Class | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ticket issued | Special | Saver | Flex | Flex Plus | All fare types | All fare types |
| Before 20 June 16 | 30kg | 30kg | 30kg | 30kg | 40kg | 50kg |
| On/after 20 June 16 | 20kg | 30kg | 30kg | 35kg | 40kg | 50kg |
If your allowance has increased after having a ticket reissued, we strongly recommend that you carry proof of your original baggage allowance (a print out or screenshot of the original ticket).
You can check in as many pieces of baggage as you need, as long as the total weight is less than the maximum baggage allowance of your class. However, each individual item must weigh less than 32kg in total.
If an individual item has total dimensions (length + width + height) greater than 300cm (118 inches), it can’t be checked in as baggage and will need to be sent as cargo or freight. There are no exceptions to this rule.
Piece concept (for Canada, North America, South America and flights from Africa)
If your journey includes any destinations in Canada, North America or South America, or you are flying from Africa, different baggage rules apply.
The total dimensions (length + width + height) of each piece must not exceed 150cm (59 inches). You’ll be charged an additional fee for any individual items exceeding dimensions of 150cm (59 inches), up to a maximum of 300cm (118 inches). If an individual item has total dimensions greater than 300cm (118 inches), it can’t be checked in as baggage and will need to be sent as cargo or freight.
If you check in two pieces of luggage (in any of our three classes), the total combined dimensions of both pieces should not exceed 300cm (118 inches).
Baggage allowances
For travel to and from Canada, North America and South America, and for travel from Africa, you can check in two bags of up to 23kg each in Economy Class, and two bags of up to 32kg each in First Class or Business Class.
Please note if you purchased a ticket before 1 August 2017 with a flight to or from Brazil, you can take two bags of up to 32kg each in Economy Class.
Travel from Australia, New Zealand or Asia
If your journey from Australia, New Zealand or Asia to North or South America includes a stopover in Dubai greater than 24 hours, or a sector in Europe or Africa, the weight concept will apply for the entire ticketed journey.
Travel including any destination in Africa
If your journey commences in Africa, different rules apply depending on when your ticket was issued. Please read our FAQ for details.
Interline baggage policy
If your travel starts in the United States and the first airline on your booking is not Emirates, different rules may apply.
Interline flights are flights that are on the same ticket as your Emirates flights, but they are operated by another airline and do not have an ‘Emirates’ flight number (Emirates flight numbers start with EK). These airlines may have a different baggage allowance to Emirates. You can read the interline partner baggage allowances for information on allowances and charges for carry-on baggage and checked bag.
Personal motorised vehicles are not allowed on board
For safety reasons, we can’t accept personal motorised vehicles such as hoverboards, mini-Segways and smart or self-balancing wheels on our flights. We can’t carry them either as checked-in baggage or as hand luggage as they contain large lithium batteries. This regulation still applies even if you’re connecting to our flights from an airline that has accepted them.
Items containing explosives are not allowed on board
All fireworks and any other items containing explosives, for example Christmas crackers, firecrackers, bottle rockets, poppers and sparklers are forbidden to be carried either as carry-on baggage or as checked baggage on our flights.
