'A national pride that has transported more than 860 million people across the world (in four decades).' This was how Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, described Emirates on the eve of its 40th anniversary.

In a post on the social platform X on Friday, Sheikh Mohammed tweeted in Arabic:“40 years ago, on October 25, 1985, the first flight of Emirates Airlines took off, carrying with it (our) great ambitions that soared toward the sky.

“Today, Emirates has become one of the world's leading airlines, connecting us directly with 152 cities, transporting people and carrying with them their dreams and ambitions to Dubai and beyond,” he added.

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Sheikh Mohammed underscored over the course of its 40-year journey, Emirates has carried more than 860 million passengers across continents.”Today, it stands as one of our national symbols of pride, a key driver of our development journey, and one of the most important airlines in the world.”

“Emirates is one of our national symbols of pride – one of the most important drivers of our development journey, and one of the most important airlines in the world.”

Sheikh Mohammed also thanked Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive, Emirates airline and Group, and his team of more than 100,000 employees“who work day and night to keep Emirates Airlines an unprecedented Emirati success story.”

Before the launch of Emirates, the Bahrain-based Gulf Air was serving Dubai International Airport. Emirates started with an initial $10 million seed funding. Its maiden flights on October 25, 1985, used two wet-leased aircraft from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) with a Boeing 737 flying to Karachi and an Airbus 300 to Mumbai.

Recalling the remarkable growth of Emirates to what it is now today, Sheikh Ahmed said last month:“When the government set up Emirates 40 years ago and we began expanding dnata's capabilities to support the city's growth, we had a clear mission - be the best at what we do; and deliver value to Dubai, our stakeholders, and the communities we serve.

The vision was clear and Emirates growing fleet, which stood firm at 260 aircraft at the end of March 2025, is expanding more than ever beyond the present 160 destinations in more than 85 countries worldwide.

The airline, with an average fleet age of 10.7 years, has a mix of Boeing 777, Airbus A380 and Airbus A350 aircraft. It also has more than 300 aircraft on its orderbook.

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