Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, marked 40 years of operations in Egypt with a gala dinner at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo on 25 October 2026, celebrating its role in connecting the country with the UAE and the world. The event was attended by Yomna El Bahar, Vice Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt; Sameh Fawzy, President of the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority; Magdy Ishak Azzer, chairman and chief executive of Cairo Airport Company; Abdelbaset Al Marzouqi, Deputy Head of Mission for Consular Affairs at the UAE Embassy in Egypt; and senior Emirates executives including Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer.

The evening featured performances by violinist and composer Jihad Akl, Karen Daniel and her jazz band, and Egyptian artist Ahmed Saad, and Emirates awarded top Egyptian travel agency partners in recognition of their support for the airline’s growth in the market.

“Egypt holds a special place in the Emirates story. It was one of the first destinations we launched after the airline was founded, and our relationship has grown immensely over the last four decades, driven by the trust of our customers and close collaboration with our partners,” said Kazim. “We are proud of the role Emirates has played in connecting Egypt with the UAE and global markets, and in supporting inbound travel, tourism and trade. Egypt has significant economic and tourism potential, and we see promising opportunities to keep supporting travel growth, particularly with new landmark projects such as the Grand Egyptian Museum.”

FOUR DECADES OF CONNECTING EGYPT TO THE WORLD

Emirates began flying to Cairo in April 1986, less than a year after its launch, making Egypt the first market in the Middle East and Africa region to join its network, initially with just three weekly flights. Today the airline operates five daily flights between Dubai and Cairo using a mix of Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft, and has carried over 13.2 million passengers on close to 50,000 flights between the two cities over the past 40 years. Through its Dubai hub, Emirates connects travellers from Egypt to close to 140 destinations across six continents, and says it continues to support the goals of Egypt’s national tourism strategy, which aims to attract 30 million visitors a year by 2028.

SUPPORTING EGYPTIAN TRADE AND EXPORTS

Emirates SkyCargo has carried over 170,000 tonnes of exports and imports between Cairo and the world in the last five years, using the belly hold capacity of passenger flights. Key Egyptian exports carried include fresh fruit and vegetables, seafood and other perishables such as grapes, guavas, mangoes and strawberries, while imports into Egypt include electronics, pharmaceuticals and general cargo.

CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Emirates said it continues to enhance the experience of customers travelling to and from Egypt, including through the Emirates Lounge at Cairo International Airport, which opened in 2018, and the Emirates World store, opened in January 2025, offering personalised travel advice and a one-stop shop for bookings.