How Emirates’ High-End Partnerships Elevate Its Luxury Brand Value

Emirates closed the first eight months of 2025 with a run of headline wins that underscore a clear playbook: high-end partnerships, steady in-flight product innovation, and an unflinching focus on exceptional service. The carrier posted an industry‑leading Recommend score of 88.4% in YouGov’s Most Recommended Global Brand 2025 ranking, the only airline to make the global top 10 after more than a million surveys across 28 markets between June 2024 and May 2025. Brand Finance measured Emirates’ brand value at US $8.4 billion in 2024, up 27% year over year, crediting the airline’s luxury posture, growing network, and bold sponsorship activity. And at the 2025 Business Traveller Middle East Awards, Emirates won four major categories, including “Best Airline Worldwide” for the 12th straight year, alongside top honors for First Class, Premium Economy, and its Middle East airport lounge.

Leadership and brand positioning

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline, framed the year’s momentum around trust as much as comfort.

“This recognition underscores the deep connection and loyalty we’ve built with passengers all over the world, who trust us not only to get them to their destination, but to do so with care, reliability, and excellence. We will continue to evolve our already exceptional experience and set new benchmarks in travel to ensure Emirates is always a brand that our customers are proud to recommend,” he said.

For travelers whose trips hinge on visas, tight connections, and family reunions, the message is straightforward: service reliability and premium cabin depth are fast becoming deciding factors when choosing how to cross borders.

Sports and sponsorship strategy

Boutros Boutros, EVP Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand, has pointed to global sports as a steady pillar of Emirates’ strategy.

• Emirates renewed its ATP Global Premier Partnership in June 2025 through 2030, retaining Premier Partner and Official Airline status at nearly 60 ATP tournaments each year.
• The deal includes signature net branding and—starting in 2026—the first umpire sleeve patch sponsorship in top‑tier tennis.
• The airline also supports all four Grand Slam tournaments, reinforcing its premium identity on high-visibility global stages.

These partnerships keep the brand in front of affluent flyers who travel for sport, business, and family—groups that tend to plan early, book long‑haul, and pay close attention to route maps and transit rules.

Designer ties and loyalty partnerships

Emirates has leaned into designer collaborations that connect directly to the on‑board experience.

• In First Class, Bulgari continues to design exclusive amenity kits on select long‑haul routes.
  • The 2025 edition features Bulgari’s Le Gemme fragrances and new leather bags—four styles across men’s and women’s kits—paired with sustainable luxury items.
• Loyalty expansion: in May 2025, Emirates expanded its partnership with AEGEAN, unlocking reciprocal benefits for a combined base of over 38 million frequent flyers.
  • Dr. Nejib Ben Khedher, Divisional SVP Emirates Skywards, framed this as a way to widen reach while keeping benefits meaningful for regular travelers.

On-board experience: First Class and Premium Economy

Emirates continues to scale First Class while making Premium Economy a core network offering.

First Class highlights:
– Emirates operates the world’s largest inventory of international First Class private suites: 26,800 seats weekly.
– Service features include:
– On‑demand à la carte dining
– Unlimited caviar served in bespoke engraved bowls
– A rare‑bottle wine program with detailed tasting notes
– Gloved service and broader cheese boards
– Expanded vegan options and contemporary snacks—Wagyu sliders, lobster rolls, a “Movie Snacks Menu”
– Mini boxes of sweets to take away after landing

Premium Economy scale and positioning:
– By December 2025, Emirates plans to offer more than 2 million Premium Economy seats across 70+ cities.
– The cabin will roll out on 65 A350s and a growing number of retrofitted Boeing 777s and A380s.
– Designed to rival business class on many competitors, Premium Economy blends improved seat comfort with amenity kits and upgraded food & drink—an attractive middle option for families and work travelers balancing budget, visa timing, and rest needs.

Ground experience and inclusivity

Emirates’ First Class Lounges in Dubai extend the cabin’s premium thread from curb to gate.

• Lounge features:
  • À la carte dining
  • The Timeless spa
  • A wine cellar and cigar bar
  • Premium duty‑free shopping
• Promise for high‑spend and busy‑hour travelers: calm, privacy, and consistent service before boarding.

In 2025, Emirates became the world’s first Autism Certified Airline™, marking a commitment to a more inclusive journey. For families traveling with neurodivergent children or adults, clear training and support signals make the decision to fly easier.

Network growth and cabin retrofits

The route map and cabin updates matter for planning connected long‑haul itineraries where border-control hours and transit rules are critical.

• New services in 2025: Shenzhen (China) and Da Nang (Vietnam), plus broader gains across Asia and Africa.
• Emirates is introducing the A350 to 10 destinations and progressing cabin retrofits so that by the end of 2025 nearly half of its network features the latest interiors.
• These changes facilitate mixed‑class trips for families and groups, and make it easier to align flights with visa windows and connecting schedules.

Partnerships as ongoing touchpoints

Sports partnerships are treated as a rolling calendar of live brand touchpoints.

• Premier hospitality suites at ATP events bring together frequent flyers, corporate hosts, and local partners across nearly 60 events annually.
• Boutros emphasizes the value of these steady, authentic associations to keep Emirates front‑of‑mind with premium customers worldwide.
• Grand Slams multiply reach across continents and seasons, aligning Emirates’ visuals with peak travel moments.

Awards and the full‑trip proposition

The 2025 Business Traveller Middle East awards—Best First Class, Best Premium Economy Class, and Best Airport Lounge in the Middle East—reflect a strategy that covers the entire trip.

• For travelers with visa appointments, family routines, or tight connections, the chain of care matters:
  1. Calm lounge and private suites before departure
  2. Trained crew and consistent on‑board service
  3. Reliable arrival that aligns with border controls

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, readers often connect airline service choices with border‑crossing plans because the trip only works when all parts line up.

Loyalty benefits and trip planning

The AEGEAN tie‑up adds reciprocal benefits for tens of millions of members, influencing decisions for travelers who plan trips around mileage redemptions, status, and cabin upgrades.

• Combined loyalty perks can tip the balance when choosing a hub—especially for long‑haul journeys where rest and lounge access affect the first day on the ground.
• This is another mechanism by which Emirates links its premium push to everyday planning considerations.

What’s next

Emirates plans to continue retrofits into 2026; by year‑end 2025 almost half the network should offer the newest interiors.

Expect:
– Further upgrades in First Class and Premium Economy
– New luxury tie‑ups across sports and lifestyle
– Increased digital campaigns with sports stars and influencers for co‑branded content

For travelers, that stream of activity means more routes, more modern cabins, and a clear proposition: if you want long‑haul comfort, the airline wants your trip to feel premium from check‑in to arrival.

Practical reminder for immigration‑focused travelers

For immigration readers planning trips through Dubai, official visa information is essential when building itineraries that include tight connections or visa‑on‑arrival rules. Check the United Arab Emirates’ government portal for current entry rules and visa categories: https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/visa.

This resource sits apart from airline marketing but is crucial to finalize travel plans.

Human stakes and final takeaways

The stakes behind these product and brand choices are as human as they are corporate:

• A private suite can mean a better night’s sleep before a visa appointment.
• A well‑mapped Premium Economy network can simplify multi‑city family travel with elders.
• Autism certification can give caregivers the confidence to book a long‑haul flight.
• A broad sports calendar can expand flight options during busy seasons when fans and families travel together.

Emirates’ 2025 story weaves these elements—scale, service, and a repeatable brand posture—to make long trips feel more like a well‑kept routine. The ATP deal through 2030, the first‑ever tennis umpire sleeve patch from 2026, Bulgari amenity kits, new routes to Shenzhen and Da Nang, the A350 rollout to 10 destinations, and cabin retrofits across nearly half the network are all parts of a pattern customers can count on.

Ultimately, the YouGov Recommend score of 88.4% and the US $8.4 billion brand valuation are snapshots of how that approach lands with the market. For travelers, the result is choice—more ways to pair route maps, cabin comfort, and service reliability with the visa steps that shape real lives.