Emirates airlines at 40: How a flagship carrier became a pillar of UAE soft power

When an Airbus A300 lifted off from Dubai International Airport bound for Karachi at 11.45am on October 25, 1985, few could have imagined that this modest inaugural flight, crewed by pilots borrowed from Pakistan International Airlines and operated with only two leased aircraft, would mark the birth of one of the world’s greatest aviation success stories. Forty years later, Emirates Airlines stands as a towering emblem of the United Arab Emirates’ ambition, ingenuity, and global outreach, a symbol not just of commercial achievement but of the UAE’s distinctive brand of soft power.

Emirates emerged out of a challenge and a vision. In the mid-1980s, when Gulf Air reduced its Dubai services, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who was then also overseeing the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, tasked Maurice Flanagan, the head of dnata, with launching a new airline on a shoestring budget of just $10 million.

That directive has since become legend. From two short-haul routes to Karachi and Mumbai, Emirates now serves more than 150 destinations on six continents with nearly 270 aircraft, including the world’s largest fleets of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s. It transformed Dubai from a regional trading post into a global crossroads for commerce, tourism, and culture, helping turn the emirate into one of the most connected cities on Earth.

Emirates Airlines is far more than a business enterprise. It is a deliberate instrument of aviation diplomacy. Every Emirates aircraft carrying the UAE flag functions as a flying ambassador, projecting national identity, efficiency, and modernity across the globe.

Through its sleek branding, “Fly Emirates” sponsorships of iconic football clubs like Arsenal, Real Madrid, and AC Milan, and visibility at major sporting and cultural events, from the PGA Tour to the Dubai World Cup, the airline has become one of the UAE’s most effective soft-power vehicles. These partnerships, worth hundreds of millions annually, have embedded Dubai’s name in the global imagination, associating it with excellence, cosmopolitanism, and “affordable luxury.”

Emirates’ rise mirrors the UAE’s broader Vision 2021 agenda to diversify its economy beyond oil. Today, hydrocarbons make up barely 1 percent of the UAE’s GDP, while tourism and aviation contribute over 11 percent. Dubai International Airport, voted the world’s best in 2023 and handling more than 80 million passengers annually, has become a linchpin of this success, linking 80 percent of the world’s population within an eight-hour flight.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when global travel ground to a halt, Emirates swiftly adapted, converting passenger planes into cargo freighters to transport vaccines and personal protective equipment worldwide. This agility and sense of responsibility reinforced both the airline’s reputation for professionalism and the UAE’s image as a dependable “nexus state” in global logistics.

A cornerstone of Emirates’ global stature is its impeccable safety and security record. Over four decades of operations, the airline has maintained one of the best safety records in the industry, a critical but often understated element of its soft-power appeal. Emirates’ adherence to rigorous maintenance standards, cutting-edge training programmes, and the use of one of the world’s youngest, most technologically advanced fleets have earned it consistent recognition from aviation regulators and safety auditors.

Equally important, the UAE’s robust civil aviation security framework, supported by meticulous screening, world-class airports, and stringent international compliance, has made flying through Dubai synonymous with reliability and peace of mind. In an era of global uncertainty, this trust is itself a powerful form of influence.

Emirates has mastered the art of “accessible luxury.” Its onboard service such as gourmet cuisine, premium entertainment, and attentive multicultural crews, creates an experience that feels aspirational yet attainable. Its lounges, loyalty programmes, and complimentary layover offers invite travellers to sample Dubai’s hospitality firsthand, often turning a stopover into a tourism experience.

This approach complements the UAE’s destination branding strategy, which markets Dubai as a city of “superlatives”, home to the Burj Khalifa, the world’s busiest airport, and a retail landscape defined by abundance. Each Emirates flight thus becomes a curated introduction to the UAE’s story of innovation, tolerance, and global connectivity.

As Emirates enters its fifth decade, it faces new challenges shaped by sustainability imperatives, rapid digital transformation, and evolving passenger expectations. The airline has already taken decisive steps to stay ahead of these trends, investing in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) partnerships, introducing more fuel-efficient Airbus A350s and Boeing 777Xs, retrofitting existing aircraft with advanced cabin technologies, and enhancing AI-driven operational systems to optimise routes and reduce emissions. Emirates’ long-term strategy also includes waste-reduction initiatives, expanded carbon-offset programmes, and a commitment to sustainable catering and supply chain practices. These measures underscore its determination to lead the global aviation sector into a greener, smarter, and more resilient future.

This forward-thinking mindset echoes the UAE’s own commitment to environmental diplomacy, showcased through events such as COP28 in Dubai, and ensures that Emirates remains aligned with national goals of innovation and global leadership.

Forty years after its first flight to Karachi, Emirates Airlines remains one of the most visible and trusted symbols of the UAE’s rise on the world stage. It has bridged continents, cultures, and communities not through coercion or power projection, but through connection, credibility, and care.

In doing so, Emirates exemplifies what the UAE does best: blending visionary leadership with operational excellence, turning ambition into achievement, and transforming an airline into a diplomatic instrument in the sky. As it looks toward the next 40 years, Emirates’ greatest legacy may be that it has taught the world that influence, like flight, depends not only on power but on lift, balance, and trust.

Dr Kristian Alexander is a Senior Fellow at the Rabdan Security and Defence Institute (RSDI), Abu Dhabi, UAE