Emirates and Australia

Since it started flying to Australia in 1996, Emirates has contributed to Australian tourism, trade and FDI, while consistently giving back through investment, sponsorships, and social contributions.

In 2023-24, Emirates carried more than 2.4 million passengers and 66,000 tonnes of high value cargo on our Australia flights, boosting the country’s A$45 billion annual income through tourism.

Read more about Emirates’ contributions in Australia in our factsheet:

A 2015 study from Deloitte Access Economics shows that one Emirates’ Dubai-Sydney A380 service makes an annual contribution of A$324 million (USD$233 million) to Australia’s GDP, supporting 3,770 jobs.

Employing over 6,900 Australians globally, Emirates Airline & Group has a national footprint of aviation and tourism businesses beyond the five Australian cities it currently serves.

Emirates has invested over A$107 million in arts, community and sports sponsorships. In Australia, Emirates is a sponsor of many community groups and events, bringing together people of shared passions from all around the world. Some of the main events that highlight the strong ties between Emirates and Australia include the Australian Open, Australian Grand Prix, and the Australian PGA Championship. Emirates is the Principal Partner of the Sydney and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras, and a major partner of the Adelaide Festival as well as ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth (European Tour association). Emirates marked 20 years of its sponsorship of the Collingwood Football Club in 2019.

In addition, the Emirates Group has invested over A$125 million in developing Emirates Wolgan Valley resort – Australia’s first luxury conservation resort.

The economic partnership between Australia and the UAE has transformed dramatically since the launch of Emirates flights in 1996. Today, the UAE is Australia’s largest trade partner in the MENA region with bilateral trade reaching A$6.6 billion in 2019.

Australian exports to the UAE have had an average annual growth rate of 9% since 1996 and grew to over A$3.9 billion in 2019.

Launched in 2013, our global aviation partnership with Qantas provides customers with a seamless international and Australian network and exclusive frequent flyer benefits. The Emirates-Qantas partnership has also significantly increased competition in the Australian airline market, to the benefit of consumers.

The strategic partnership goes beyond traditional code sharing to include integrated network collaboration across 2,000 routes.

To date, over 11 million passengers have benefited from Emirates’ and Qantas’ joint network, and enhanced product and service advantages.