Emirates overflight fees top AED 3 billion as carrier expands fleet and network
Emirates overflight fees rose to more than AED 3 billion in the 2025–2026 financial year as the carrier expanded capacity, network reach and its Airbus A350 fleet.
The increase in overflight charges, recorded in Emirates Group’s latest financial results, accompanies modest growth in passenger numbers and a small rise in unit revenue.
Overflight charges climb above AED 3 billion
Emirates Group reported that fees paid for using foreign airspace — commonly referred to as overflight or air navigation charges — exceeded AED 3 billion in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026.
This represented a 5.6% increase from AED 2.92 billion in the prior financial year, according to the company’s financial disclosure.
Such charges are levied by states for air traffic control and navigation services when an aircraft transits their airspace without landing.
They are typically calculated using factors like aircraft weight, distance flown inside the airspace and the classification of the airspace traversed.
Passenger traffic and unit revenue trends
During the 2025–2026 financial year Emirates carried 53.2 million passengers, illustrating continued demand across its long‑haul markets.
Seat factor, or passenger load factor, eased slightly to 78.4% from 78.9% in the previous year, reflecting a marginal softening in utilisation on some routes.
At the same time the airline reported a 4% rise in yield per passenger per kilometre, with the metric increasing to 38.1 fils.
Overall operating capacity — combining passenger and cargo available tonne‑kilometres — grew by about 1% to 60.6 billion available tonne‑kilometres for the year.
Network footprint and commercial partnerships as of March 31, 2026
Emirates’ network reached 152 cities across 80 countries by March 31, 2026, reinforcing its role as a global long‑haul carrier based in the UAE.
The airline also strengthened commercial connectivity through 32 codeshare agreements and 117 interline partners, allowing customers seamless access to more than 1,700 cities beyond Emirates’ own route network.
Those partnership arrangements support transfer traffic and feed demand into Emirates’ hubs, helping the carrier offer wider itinerary choices without adding direct services to every market.
The expanded partner ecosystem also complements Emirates’ strategic focus on international connectivity and network depth.
Fleet expansion driven by Airbus A350 deliveries
Fleet investment remained a priority, with Emirates taking delivery of 15 Airbus A350 aircraft during the fiscal year.
The introduction of these jets has allowed Emirates to deploy its latest cabin products more widely, including premium economy seating and next‑generation in‑flight entertainment systems.
By the end of the financial year, 19 A350s were in service, operating to 21 destinations, and the total fleet stood at 277 aircraft with an average age of 10.8 years.
The A350s are part of Emirates’ broader fleet renewal and capacity strategy aimed at improving efficiency and passenger experience on selected routes.
Costs, fuel bill and operating expense composition
Total operating costs for the year increased by roughly 2%, with fuel and staff expenses remaining the largest individual cost components.
Fuel’s share of operating costs fell to 29% from 31% in the prior year, reflecting lower average fuel prices and improved fuel efficiency on newer aircraft types.
Emirates recorded a total fuel bill of about AED 31.2 billion for the year, down from AED 32.6 billion the previous financial year, a decline attributed to an approximate 7% reduction in average fuel prices.
Ownership costs, including depreciation and amortisation, continued to be a meaningful portion of the cost base as the carrier expands and refreshes its fleet.
Emirates’ financial disclosure paints a picture of a carrier balancing growth with cost pressures, navigating higher overflight charges while continuing to roll out new aircraft and extend partnerships across its global network.
