Lifestyle
Emirates Boosts Connectivity: Travelers Now Linked to 1,700 Cities Beyond Its Network
Emirates has expanded its global network by nearly 1,700 cities in the past year, doubling the number of cities it offers beyond its own network. This has allowed an average of more than 61,000 passengers to connect seamlessly on the shared networks of Emirates and its partners on a weekly basis.
The airline is providing a variety of additional travel options in addition to 31 codeshares, 118 interline, and 13 rail and helicopter services partners by establishing new partnerships and strengthening existing ones throughout the transport ecosystem. An expanded network reach with more and better connections for travelers, seamless single ticket itineraries, enhanced baggage transfers, frequent flyer benefits, lounge access, and other advantages to ensure a smooth travel experience at every touchpoint is the result of having 162 partners in over 100 countries.
Emirates’ robust network of over 140 destinations and the frictionless connectivity provided at DXB make popular destinations even more accessible to customers of partner airlines. These destinations are complemented by industry-leading experiences on the ground and in the air, all of which are readily accessible.
Emirates has established 16 new partnerships in the past year, including codeshares with Avianca and Batik Air Malaysia. Additionally, the airline has finalized and implemented interline arrangements with KAM Air, Sri Lankan Airlines, Condor, Flynas, Viva Aerobus, Sun Express, Maldivian, Siberia Airlines, and Kenya Airways.
Codeshare partnerships with Trenitalia, Spanish Rail Renfe, Austrian Rail OBB, and Swedish Rail SJ have enabled Emirates customers to access fast connections to destinations throughout Europe with just one ticket, whether by plane or train. Emirates was the first full-service carrier to establish an innovative interline alliance with BLADE, an urban air-mobility company, to offer customers helicopter flights between Nice and Monaco on a single ticket.
“In the past year, we have intensified our strategy of expanding our global presence and deepening our presence across six continents by establishing new partnerships with like-minded airlines, rail partners, and air mobility operators. This has enabled us to offer a vast array of onward destinations, connectivity options, and seamless “last mile” access to travelers in a manner that has never been possible.” Although organic growth will always be the primary focus of our strategies, we will persist in utilizing the complementary networks of our partners to assist our consumers in easily reaching every corner of the world. Emirates Airline Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer Adnan Kazim stated, “Our partnership growth ambitions are in alignment with Dubai’s D33 strategy to make our home and hub the most connected city in the world, attracting business, tourism, and investment from all over the globe, as world-class connectivity keeps economies strong and resilient.”
Emirates has established robust networks that not only connect customers to unique points but also offer the benefits of schedule optimization, seamless connectivity at DXB with access to Terminal 3, and reciprocal loyalty benefits as a result of its numerous partnerships over the years. Its foundational partnership with flydubai serves as an exceptional illustration of how collaboration results in enhanced consumer benefits and more seamless journeys. Currently, clients have the option of selecting from 275 codeshare flights and over 230 destinations in 100 countries on an average day. Emirates customers have the option to reserve flights to more than 90 distinctive flydubai destinations, while flydubai customers have the option to select from more than 100 Emirates destinations. Consequently, since the partnership was established in 2017, more than 17.5 million passengers have connected to the joint networks of Emirates and flydubai.
For leisure travelers traveling to popular destinations such as the Maldives, Emirates’ distinctive interline partnership with Maldivian allows them to access 16 islands beyond Male. Emirates’ partnership with Pro Flight Zambia offers a captivating safari experience, including unique regional getaways such as Lower Zambezi National Park, a short journey from Lusaka. This partnership provides access to 13 points served by the southern African airline.
The airline’s significant partnerships with United, Air Canada, and Qantas continue to provide unparalleled access to over 350 destinations in North, Central, and South America, as well as Australia and New Zealand. These partnerships have expanded connection opportunities, provided unparalleled reciprocity across loyalty programs, and provided other world-class customer benefits, such as lounge access.
Emirates is committed to enhancing connectivity and choice across a variety of strategic partnerships in its network, including the expansion of city pairings on a single ticket.
United, Air Canada, and other partner airlines can provide Emirates customers with access to over 375 destinations in the Americas, including Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, and Central and South America. From Dubai, customers can select from a variety of distinctive destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, and South Asia when connecting on Emirates’ network afterwards.
Europe: Through seven codeshare, 33 interline, and 12 rail and air mobility partners, including Condor, ITA Airways, Air Malta, Air Baltic, Aegean Airlines, TAP Portugal, and Siberia Airlines, travelers can access more than 380 cities. Additionally, Emirates’ rail partners in Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Austria, and Sweden offer on-ground transfers and the flexibility to explore multiple cities on a single ticket.
Asia: Emirates’ Asian network is further strengthened by the airline’s 12 codeshare partners and 42 interline partners, which provide access to more than 500 popular destinations in the Far East, West Asia, Indian Ocean, and Middle East.
Qantas customers can access over 45 cities in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa beyond Qantas’s existing international network by flying Emirates to Dubai, while Emirates and Qantas have a long-standing partnership that provides access to over 85 Australian cities.
Emirates’ footprint in Africa has expanded to over 210 regional points through 5 codeshare and 18 interline partners, providing customers with a greater number of flight options to lesser regional points throughout the continent. This expansion provides superior connectivity and value.
The airline’s loyalty program, Emirates Skywards, and Emirates SkyCargo collaborate closely with codeshare and interline partners to support and complement network and loyalty program frameworks, ensuring that both passengers and cargo customers receive the full benefits of the airline’s key partnerships. On the operational side, Emirates Airport Services are essential in ensuring that teams are available to assist customers, allowing them to seamlessly transition from one flight to another and utilize the airline’s dedicated lounges in Dubai and at outstations.