The Emirates identity is tied to its global web of widebody flights connecting cities around the world through the airline’s home in Dubai. In 2025, that network got both deeper and more refined. The airline’s new Airbus A350-900s finally entered service, making long-haul routes feel current and luxurious. Emirates also debuted a long-range A350-900ULR on the Dubai–Adelaide route, making Adelaide the first city in the world to receive the ultra–long-range version. The aircraft is designed for up to roughly 15 hours in the air with quieter cabins and more comfortable pressure and humidity levels.
Beyond individual city pairs, Emirates continues to grow its reach through partnerships. Its codeshare with Air Canada opens up connections to more than 200 destinations worldwide, meaning a ticket on Emirates can seamlessly extend across North America and beyond on one itinerary and one loyalty ecosystem.
Emirates remains an all-widebody airline, centered on the Airbus A380 and Boeing 777, with the A350 family joining in 2025. The headline story this year is how quickly those aircraft are being upgraded. The airline is in the next phase of a huge retrofit program covering a number of A380s and 777s, adding refreshed seats, updated interiors, and its latest inflight entertainment and connectivity — including Starlink-powered Wi-Fi on many jets.
A big part of that retrofit is Premium Economy. By the end of 2025, Emirates expects to serve 68 cities with aircraft equipped with Premium Economy, operating more than 635 weekly flights and offering over 2 million Premium Economy seats a year. Retrofitted A380s and 777s with four-class cabins were also deployed this year on marquee routes like Bangkok and Hong Kong, giving more travelers access to the upgraded hard product across Asia.
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Economy flyers continue to get more generous seat pitch than on many competitors, plus large seatback screens with a deep inflight entertainment catalog and reliable Wi-Fi,. Newer cabins add Bluetooth audio pairing at the seat and redesigned six-way adjustable headrests.
Premium Economy has become the sweet spot. Retrofitted and new aircraft feature a dedicated cabin with wider cream-leather seats, deeper recline, leg rests, and elevated dining. With the 2025 rollout bringing the cabin to dozens more routes, it’s no longer a niche product.
At the top end, Emirates continues to refine its already famous premium cabins. The newest first-class suites on select 777s and A350s offer fully enclosed, floor-to-ceiling private spaces with turn-down service, high-end bedding, and deeply personalized dining and wine service, building on the brand’s long-standing “private jet” aesthetic for those who can afford it.
In Dubai, a reimagined First Class lounge in Terminal 3 — branded “Emirates First” — opened in mid-2025 with an emphasis on quieter zones, high-end dining, and faster transitions from curb to gate for First and Skywards Platinum travelers.
Outside Dubai, the airline cut the ribbon on its most expansive outstation lounge at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport Satellite 1 terminal. The refurbished space, which can host about 250 guests, is designed to handle two A380 departures at once and mirrors the look and feel of Emirates’ home-base lounges.
For readers planning long-haul trips in 2025, Emirates still reliably feels like an occasion.
For the 2025 Matador Network Readers’ Choice Awards, we asked our global audience of 300,000-plus email subscribers to vote for the places and experiences that define travel for them. The survey covered six categories: Next Big Destination, Best Adventure Destination, Best Sustainable Destination, Best Wellness Destination, Best Wildlife Destination, and Best Airline. After the voting period closed, our team verified and tallied the results to determine a single Readers’ Choice winner in each category.
Each category included a shortlist of nominees curated by Matador’s editorial team based on reporting, industry trends, and community feedback. Voters could also write in their own picks if a favorite wasn’t listed.
In the Best Airline category, Emirates received the highest share of verified votes, earning its place as the Matador Network Readers’ Choice pick for 2025.