Emirates closed Arabian Travel Market 2026 having signed more than 30 agreements at the industry event, spanning tourism boards across 16 countries, and organisations at the centre of new customer segments and communities.
Premium Economy is a standout draw
The highlight of the airline’s stand was its first electrically powered Premium Economy seat, shown publicly for the first time at ATM 2026. Thousands of visitors were able to sit in the seats and explore the latest functions and comfort in Premium Economy.
It drew steady traffic throughout the show, with visitors also experiencing the A380 Shower Spa and Onboard Lounge, the Boeing 777 Game Changer First Class Suite, and A350 Business and Economy Class seats, which included the U-Dream headrest.
Growing visitor flows through partnerships
Emirates signed or renewed agreements with tourism authorities across Africa, Europe, Asia and the UAE, working to convert awareness in source markets into visitor arrivals and supporting travel ecosystems.
In Africa, the airline signed new agreements with Kenya Tourism Board and Mozambique’s ANDITUR.
In Europe, Emirates signed with Visit Finland ahead of the 1 October Helsinki launch, Fjord Norway, Bologna Welcome and Parma Welcome, while Emirates Holidays partnered with the Spain Tourism Office.
In West and Southeast Asia, agreements were reached with Tourism Malaysia, the Japan National Tourism Organization, the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation, Seychelles Tourism Board and Ministry of Tourism and Culture, and the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, and renewed its partnership with the Madagascar’s Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts. Closer to home, the airline renewed with Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority and signed with Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority.
Tapping into new customer segments
Several new agreements are creating inroads for the airline to tap into new travel segments beyond traditional leisure and corporate business.
In education, the airline partnered with the Knowledge and Human Development Authority to support Dubai’s ambition as a global study destination, and with ICEF, becoming a preferred global airline partner for education travel.
In medical and wellness travel, an agreement with the Medical Tourism Association positions Emirates as the preferred airline for longevity and wellness travel alongside traditional medical travel.
In sports, a partnership with Cutting Edge will build travel packages for fans attending major fixtures across cricket, football, motorsport, golf, tennis and more.
The airline also moved deeper into marine crew travel through agreements with Cisalpina Tours International and MSC Cruises, covering seafarer rotations, dedicated crew fares and enhanced baggage allowances.
Further agreements with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, the Finnish and Vietnamese Business Councils, Huawei, Dubai Duty Free, Alibaba Fliggy, DERTOUR Group, Emirates Islamic and Al Etihad Payments to bring Jaywan to Emirates bookings, extended the airline’s reach across distinct communities and channels.
Emirates and Kuwait Airways also signed to expand their interline partnership into a reciprocal codeshare.
Recognitions and accolades
During ATM, Emirates was recognised for product and service excellence, winning several global and local accolades.
At the 2026 World Travel Awards Middle East, Emirates received four honours: Middle East’s Leading Airline – First Class 2026; Middle East’s Leading Airline Brand 2026; Middle East’s Leading Airline Lounge – First Class 2026; and Middle East’s Leading Airline Rewards Programme 2026.
The airline was also named Best Long-Haul Airline at the inaugural Independent Travel Awards 2026 and received the Al Rehla Golden Travel Award in the UAE.
These recognitions underscore Emirates’ continued focus on product innovation, customer experience and connectivity, as the airline continues to work to further elevate its onboard and onground experiences.
Emirates has experienced a strong recovery in demand following earlier disruption and is now operating at approximately 93% of its pre-disruption capacity. Against this backdrop, discussions at the event also reflected the broader outlook for Dubai’s tourism and aviation ecosystem.
