Editing Emirates (airline) (section)

== History ==
{{Main|History of Emirates (airline)}}
Emirates was founded in March 1985 with backing from Dubai's ruler, [[Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum]].

On 25 October 1985, Emirates operated its first flight from [[Dubai]] to [[Karachi]] and [[Mumbai]], using the [[Airbus A300B4-200]] and the [[Boeing 737-300]], both [[Aircraft lease|wet-leased]] from [[Pakistan International Airlines]]. In 1986, Emirates added [[Colombo]], [[Dhaka]], [[Amman]] and [[Cairo]] to its route network.

On 3 July 1987, A6-EKA flew from [[Toulouse]] to [[Dubai]] as Emirates took delivery of its first owned aircraft, an [[Airbus A310|Airbus A310-304]]. Flights to [[Frankfurt]] commenced via [[Istanbul]], [[London Gatwick]] and [[Malé]]. This was followed by [[Singapore]], [[Bangkok]] and [[Hong Kong]].

During its early years, Emirates experienced strong growth, averaging 30% annually.{{cn|date=March 2025}} The [[Gulf War]] helped boost business for the airline as it was the only airline to continue flying in the last ten days of the war. In June 1991 shortly after the end of the hostilities caused by the Gulf War, Emirates finally managed to acquire slots at [[London Heathrow]]. In 1996, Emirates took delivery of its baseline [[Boeing 777|Boeing 777-200]], followed by the extended-range version in 1997 and in 1999 the [[Airbus A330|Airbus A330-200]]. In 2000, the airline placed an order for a large number of aircraft, including the [[Boeing 777|Boeing 777-300]] and the [[Airbus A380]], and also launched its frequent flyer program, Skywards.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=History Timeline {{!}} About us |url=https://www.emirates.com/english/about-us/timeline/ |access-date=1 December 2023 |website=Emirates}}</ref>

Since then, the airline has continued to expand its fleet and network, with a focus on operating flights to anywhere in the world via Dubai and competing with other major airlines on international routes. Its growth has attracted criticism from other carriers, who claim that the airline has unfair advantages and have called for an end to [[Freedoms of the air|open-skies policies]] with the UAE as a result.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Rory |date=17 January 2011 |title=Lufthansa steps up fight to bar Emirates from Berlin |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/lufthansa-steps-up-fight-to-bar-emirates-from-berlin-1.600476 |access-date=27 January 2023 |website=The National |language=en |archive-date=27 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127064036/https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/lufthansa-steps-up-fight-to-bar-emirates-from-berlin-1.600476 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Leff |first=Gary |date=9 December 2017 |title=Even Losing Their Trade Dispute With Gulf Carriers, the Big US Airlines Have Won |url=https://viewfromthewing.com/even-losing-trade-dispute-gulf-carriers-big-us-airlines-won/ |access-date=27 January 2023 |website=View from the Wing |language=en-US |archive-date=27 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127064040/https://viewfromthewing.com/even-losing-trade-dispute-gulf-carriers-big-us-airlines-won/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2017, Emirates "renewed its aircraft buying spree" and agreed to buy a number of Boeing's 787 Dreamliners for $15.1 billion. [[The Wall Street Journal|The ''Wall Street Journal'']] described the deal as a "painful loss" for Airbus.<ref>{{Cite news |first1=Robert |last1=Wall |first2=Nicolas |last2=Parasie |title=Emirates Airline Orders 40 Boeing 787 Dreamliners |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/emirates-airline-orders-40-boeing-787-dreamliners-1510482526 |access-date=27 January 2023 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=12 November 2017 |language=en-US |archive-date=12 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612162711/https://www.wsj.com/articles/emirates-airline-orders-40-boeing-787-dreamliners-1510482526 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2023, Emirates ordered $50 billion of Boeing jets with their sister airline, [[Flydubai|flyDubai]] at the Dubai Airshow.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last1=Hepher |first1=Tim |last2=Cornwell |first2=Alexander |last3=Magid |first3=Pesha |date=13 November 2023 |title=Dubai faces down airline rivals with $50 billion jet orders |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/looming-emirates-777x-deal-kickstart-dubai-airshow-sources-2023-11-12/ |access-date=13 November 2023 |archive-date=13 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113152030/https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/looming-emirates-777x-deal-kickstart-dubai-airshow-sources-2023-11-12/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Emirates ordered 90 aircraft, including both versions of the new long-haul jet.<ref name=":2" />

In April 2024, Emirates announced its plan to relocate its hub to [[Al Maktoum International Airport|Al Maktoum Airport]] when the new airport is fully completed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kamel |first=Deena |date=2024-04-29 |title=Dubai to scrap dual airport operations once move to mega-hub at Al Maktoum is complete |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/aviation/2024/04/29/dubai-to-scrap-dual-airport-operations-once-move-to-mega-hub-at-al-maktoum-is-complete/ |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=The National |language=en}}</ref>