Dubai : Emirates has been named ‘Best Overall Airline in the Middle East’ at the 2026 APEX Best in Airline Awards, further cementing its reputation as one of the world’s leading travel brands. The accolade was announced at a ceremony in Dublin, Ireland, where the airline was recognised for consistently delivering exceptional customer experience.
Based on verified passenger feedback, Emirates achieved outstanding scores across five pillars – seat comfort, cabin service, food and beverage, entertainment, and connectivity.
1. Emirates scores highly for seat comfort
Whether travelling on an Airbus A380, A350 or Boeing 777, Emirates customers consistently praise the airline’s commitment to comfort. Thoughtfully designed cabins, generous personal space and ergonomic seating combine to create an environment where passengers can relax, work or sleep with ease, even on the world’s longest routes.
As part of Emirates’ ongoing fleet retrofit programme, every cabin continues to be enhanced with the latest generation of seating and onboard features. From October onwards, Emirates Economy Class customers will benefit from the introduction of new lightweight Safran Z400 seats, specifically designed for comfort and convenience, featuring an adjustable eight-way headrest for enhanced neck and head support.
The award-winning Emirates Premium Economy cabin offers spacious cream leather seats with generous recline, full leg and footrests, and a six-way adjustable headrest designed for long-haul comfort. Customers also enjoy integrated charging ports, side cocktail tables and a 13.3-inch personal entertainment screen.
Emirates Business Class continues to evolve with sophisticated new seating inspired by Safran’s luxurious S Lounge design, already featured on the airline’s A350 fleet. Each seat creates a greater sense of privacy and converts into a fully lie-flat bed complete with a dedicated mattress and pillow. Wireless charging, customisable mood lighting, enhanced storage, minibar amenities and multiple charging options further elevate the onboard experience.
Emirates First Class continues to set the benchmark for luxury air travel, with fully enclosed private suites described by travellers as a ‘hotel room in the sky’. Designed to maximise privacy and wellbeing, the suites feature electronically controlled doors, personalised climate settings and ambient mood lighting. The seat reclines seamlessly into a lie-flat bed and can be adjusted to the airline’s signature ‘zero gravity’ position for optimal rest and relaxation.
2. Emirates recognised for exceptional cabin service
Hospitality remains at the heart of the Emirates experience. Representing more than 140 nationalities and speaking over 70 languages, Emirates cabin crew convey a hospitality philosophy that is built around 4 pillars – excellence, attentiveness, innovation and passion. Behind the service is an extensive training programme inspired by world-class hospitality standards, including principles drawn from Michelin-starred dining. Crew members are equipped with technical expertise, as well as the skills to anticipate customer needs and deliver meaningful moments of care throughout the journey.
Onboard, carefully choreographed service flows ensure a seamless and personalised experience, from the thoughtfully timed meal service and cabin lighting transitions to proactive comfort checks and authentic customer interactions.
3. Emirates excels with its food and beverage offering
Dining remains one of the most memorable elements of the Emirates experience. Across every cabin class, global culinary influences are combined with destination-inspired flavours. Freshly prepared multi-course meals are complemented by a curated selection of beverages – including soft drinks, juices, tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages. Children’s meals are offered on most routes, while complimentary organic baby food, milk formula and baby bottles are available for infants.
Emirates regularly introduces new treats and seasonal specialities for customers, from complimentary popcorn and warm cookies to premium ice cream on selected routes, as well as dedicated meals that reflect global celebrations from Christmas to Eid to Diwali to Lunar New Year. Customers can also choose from a wide range of special meals catering to dietary, medical and cultural requirements, including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and low-sodium options.
Emirates Premium Economy offers an elevated dining experience with meals presented on Royal Doulton china with stainless-steel cutlery and linen tablecloths. Customers appreciate the generous portions, fresh seasonal ingredients and thoughtfully selected wines, beers, spirits, as well as the exclusive Chandon sparkling wine.
In Business Class, customers enjoy gourmet multi-course menus inspired by regional cuisines, paired with an extensive selection of premium wines, spirits and complimentary champagne. Business Class customers can even experience chef-crafted dishes expertly paired with Moët & Chandon champagnes while inflight, underscoring Emirates’ continued efforts to bring fine gastronomy to cruising altitude.
Emirates First Class offers one of the most sophisticated dining experiences available in the sky. Through its signature dine-on-demand service, customers can enjoy à la carte meals whenever they choose, accompanied by premium seasonal ingredients and unlimited caviar. Gourmet vegan dishes are available on selected routes, alongside a dedicated Movie Snacks Menu featuring favourites such as Wagyu sliders, lobster rolls, popcorn and edamame.
The airline’s beverage programme is equally distinguished. Emirates remains the only airline in the world to serve Dom Pérignon in First Class across its global network. First Class customers can explore a carefully curated collection of premium spirits and exceptional wines sourced from some of the world’s most prestigious wine regions.
4. Emirates provides world-leading entertainment with ice
For many travellers, Emirates’ award-winning ice entertainment system has become synonymous with the airline itself. Offering more than 6,500 channels of content, ice provides unparalleled choice across film, television, music, podcasts, live sport and educational content. Widely recognised as one of the most comprehensive entertainment platforms in aviation, ice features nearly 3,000 movies, 3,000 music albums, more than 600 television channels and box sets, over 200 documentaries, and a vast selection of children’s programming.
Through partnerships with leading platforms including HBO Max, Disney+, Paramount+, Discovery+, BBC, Bloomberg Originals, Shahid and Spotify, customers can access an unrivalled library spanning blockbuster films, critically acclaimed television series, documentaries and exclusive content. ice also features podcasts, language-learning programmes, interactive games and live sports and news channels.
5. Emirates Wi-Fi impressing customers globally
Connectivity has become an essential part of the modern travel experience, and Emirates is setting a new industry standard through its partnership with Starlink. The next-generation inflight connectivity programme is delivering ultra-fast, low-latency internet that enables passengers to stream, work, browse and stay connected with the same ease as on the ground.
Announced in November 2025, the agreement will see Starlink installed across Emirates’ entire in-service fleet, with completion expected by mid-2027. The complimentary service provides customers with high-speed connectivity in the sky, reinforcing the airline’s long-standing commitment to innovation and customer convenience.
Emirates has accelerated the rollout programme, with 33 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft already equipped with Starlink technology and the first 3 Airbus A380’s now entering service with the system onboard. Hundreds of thousands of customers have already experienced Starlink-enabled flights, enjoying seamless streaming, gaming, video calls, remote working and social media access throughout their journey.
APEX Best™ in Airline Awards
APEX leverages its partnership with TripIt® from Concur®, the world’s most used travel-organizing app, to gather anonymous passenger feedback based on neutral, third-party passenger feedback and insights for the honours. For the 2026 Awards, over one million flights were rated by passengers across more than 600 airlines from around the world using a five-star scale.
