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Emirates SkyCargo

Aviation

Emirates SkyCargo Overview

Emirates SkyCargo, the cargo division of Emirates Airlines, is based in Dubai, UAE and operates as a subsidiary of The Emirates Group.

Wholly owned by the Investment Corporation of Dubai, it ranks as the fourth-largest cargo airline globally by freight tonne-kilometres, according to 2020 figures.

Established in 1985, its primary hub is Al Maktoum International Airport.

To service a wide network, it combines a fleet of 11 specially designed freighters with belly hold capacity with Emirates’ passenger fleet. At the moment, the airline provides passenger flights to more than 140 locations globally and cargo flights to 26 destinations.

A pioneer in logistics innovation, Emirates SkyCargo operates two state-of-the-art cargo terminals with an annual combined capacity of 2.3 million tonnes.

These facilities include the world’s largest EU GDP-certified pharmaceutical hub, ensuring efficient and reliable transport of sensitive goods. Emirates SkyCargo’s central location enables it to serve two-thirds of the global population within eight hours, handling over 8,000 shipments a day.

It also transports between 500 and 600 tonnes of perishables every day — a total of 22,500 tonnes every month.

Emirates SkyCargo plans to double capacity and expand its freighter network over the next decade.

Emirates SkyCargo News

Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association, says aircraftleasing companies will benefit from delays at Boeing and Airbus

IATA chief: Boeing and Airbus woes are a win for jet leasing

Aircraft leasing companies in the Arabian Gulf are profiting from prolonged delivery delays at aircraft makers Boeing and Airbus, with order backlogs at the manufacturers unlikely to clear before the end of the decade. “These [aircraft leasing] guys are in a fantastic position because they have a fantastic fleet of aircraft,” Willie Walsh, director general […]

Pharmaceuticals are loaded onto an Emirates SkyCargo plane. The carrier transported almost 2m tonnes in the first half of 2024

Emirates SkyCargo bullish on US despite tariff turbulence

Emirates SkyCargo has said it remains fully committed to the North American market despite escalating trade tensions and uncertainty sparked by Donald Trump’s tariffs.  The cargo division of Dubai’s state-owned airline Emirates operates freighter services to cities such as Chicago and Houston. It also uses the belly-hold capacity of passenger aircraft to transport goods in […]

Cargo being loaded to an Emirates Boeing 777 – the airline has more on order

Emirates increases capacity to meet rising cargo demand

Dubai national carrier Emirates Airline has taken delivery of two additional aircraft to increase capacity and meet growing demand for its cargo service. The company has signed multi-year leasing deals for two Boeing 747 freighters, which have raised Emirates’ cargo capacity by 15 percent, the airline said in a statement. Emirates SkyCargo transported almost 1.2 […]

Cargo is loaded onto an aeroplane. The Middle East-Europe route accounts for 5% of global traffic

Middle East-Europe is ‘fastest-growing route for air cargo’

The Middle East-Europe route for air cargo was the fastest growing in the world in October, according to International Air Transport Association figures.  Annual growth in cargo tonne-kilometres stood at 15.3 percent in October, IATA said. The global average is 9.8 percent and the Middle East average is 4.5 percent. The Middle East-Europe route has […]

An Emirates SkyCargo plane being loaded. The airline reported 11% growth in H1 2023 – before the Red Sea disruption

Emirates reports record half-year pre-tax profit

Emirates airline recorded a post-tax profit of $2.4 billion (AED8.7 billion) for the first half of the year, down 7 percent compared to the same period last year.  This year marks the first time state-owned Emirates has had to pay UAE corporate income tax.  When compared to the previous year before tax, the airline reported […]

Emirates freighters

More freighters on order at Emirates

Emirates, Dubai’s flagship airline, has ordered more freighters in a push to expand its cargo operations, reports in local and international media said.  The airline has ordered five Boeing 777 freighters, which are due to be delivered from 2025/2026 and brings the total number of 777 freighters on order to 14. “Demand for Emirates’ air […]

Emirates SkyCargo reported carrying 2.2m tonnes of cargo, an 18% year-on-year increase

Air cargo between Middle East and Europe up by 30%

Middle Eastern carriers reported a year-on-year increase in demand for air cargo of more than 9 percent in April, industry figures said.  Air cargo between the region and Europe experienced the strongest rise with a 30 percent lift on the same time last year. Asia grew by over 10 percent, according to the latest data […]

Emirates Nigeria

Emirates to resume Nigeria service from October

Emirates will restart services to Nigeria from October 1, after suspending flights on the route for almost two years. The Dubai airline will operate a daily service to  Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city.  “We are excited to resume our services to Nigeria,” said Adnan Kazim, deputy president and chief commercial officer, Emirates.  “We thank the Nigerian government for their partnership and support in re-establishing this […]

Emirates chief executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al Maktoum said he was 'confident in our resilience and ability to respond quickly' to challenges such as the recent flooding in Dubai

Dubai to receive $1bn dividend after record Emirates profits

Emirates Group will pay more than $1 billion in dividends to its owner, the Investment Corporation of Dubai sovereign wealth fund, after it announced record profits of just over $5 billion for the year. The holding group includes Dubai-based flag carrier Emirates and aircraft and airport services company Dnata. It repaid $596 million from the […]