Emirates and flydubai say their partnership continues to expand passenger choices, with both airlines reporting steady growth in shared routes, loyalty benefits and fleet upgrades.
Network expansion
The two carriers now offer a combined network of 245 destinations across 103 countries. Emirates passengers can access 103 flydubai destinations, while flydubai customers gain entry to 107 Emirates routes. Popular shared destinations include Kathmandu, Baku, Krabi, Belgrade and Zanzibar.
New additions this year include Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Siem Reap and Da Nang on the Emirates network, while flydubai has launched services to Chisinau, Iasi, Vilnius, Riga and Nairobi.
Rising passenger numbers
Both airlines carried more than 5 million passengers on codeshare flights over the past year, marking a 10 percent annual increase. Since the partnership began in 2017, more than 22 million travellers have flown across the joint network.
The airlines also reported higher demand for premium cabins, with Emirates seeing a 20 percent rise in bookings for First, Business and Premium Economy. Premium Economy bookings across the partnership grew by 130 percent.
Travel experience
Passengers travelling between the two carriers benefit from coordinated schedules, streamlined check-in and baggage transfers, and access to Terminal 3 for most connecting routes. flydubai Business Class passengers departing from Terminal 2 also receive Meet and Assist services, seated check-in and Fast Track security.
Loyalty programme
Emirates Skywards members continue to use a unified loyalty currency across both airlines. Nearly 18 million members have earned 311 billion Skywards Miles and redeemed 303 billion Miles to date.
The programme recently introduced Classic Rewards, which lets travellers redeem fixed-rate Miles for flights. Reward seats on flydubai start from 5,000 Miles, covering more than 130 destinations including seasonal routes such as Mykonos, Bodrum and Olbia.
Members can also use Cash+Miles on flydubai, with 3,500 Miles offering Dhs 100 off ticket prices.
Fleet and growth plans
Both airlines are investing in fleet upgrades. Emirates is continuing a major retrofit programme covering around 220 aircraft, including new Premium Economy cabins. flydubai has retrofitted 15 aircraft this year and opened a dedicated Business Class check-in area at Terminal 2.
Emirates and flydubai currently operate 363 aircraft combined. Emirates flies 267 widebody A380, B777 and A350 jets, while flydubai operates 96 B737 aircraft.
The carriers say they remain aligned with Dubai’s D33 Economic Agenda, which aims to grow the emirate’s combined aviation network to 400 destinations in the coming years.
