The Emirates Group will reward employees with a 20-week salary bonus after delivering the strongest financial performance in its history, even as regional conflict disrupted aviation operations across the Middle East during the final month of its fiscal year.
Dubai’s aviation giant, which includes Emirates airline and dnata, reported record profit before tax of AED24.4 billion (US$6.6 billion) for the financial year ended March 31, 2026, up 7 per cent year-on-year. Group revenue rose 3 per cent to AED150.5 billion, while cash assets climbed 12 per cent to AED59.6 billion.
The bumper employee payout, reported by local media and confirmed in internal communications, significantly exceeded the 13-week bonus many staff had expected under performance-linked targets.
The announcement comes at a time when Middle East aviation has been grappling with severe operational disruption triggered by escalating military tensions involving the US, Israel and Iran earlier this year.
Despite the turmoil, Emirates retained its position as the world’s most profitable airline for a second consecutive year. The carrier alone posted profit before tax of AED22.8 billion and revenue of AED130.9 billion, while dnata recorded AED1.6 billion in profit before tax on revenues of AED23.6 billion.
In a message to employees, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum praised staff for navigating one of the most difficult operational periods in the company’s history.
“March 2026 will fade into memory, but we will never forget your bravery and incredible resilience,” he wrote.
“You were called upon during one of the most complex and challenging times in our history and you showed up with commitment and passion. For that, I will remain forever grateful to you.”
In the Group’s annual report, Sheikh Ahmed said the first 11 months of the financial year had been exceptionally strong before regional conflict severely disrupted Gulf airspace.
“On 28 February, military activity massively disrupted global commercial air traffic in the Gulf region, including in the UAE,” he said. “Emirates and dnata quickly mobilised to support our people and affected customers, protect our assets, and ensure business continuity.”
He added that Dubai’s aviation infrastructure and coordinated government response helped maintain operations.
“We are fortunate to be based in Dubai, where years of infrastructure investments and a cohesive aviation ecosystem has enabled the government to quickly secure safe corridors for commercial flights.”
The Group’s total workforce expanded 8 per cent to 130,919 employees during the year as Emirates and dnata accelerated global recruitment to support future growth. Emirates reportedly reviewed 3.5 million job applications and onboarded more than 9,700 employees in the UAE alone.
The company also continued investing heavily in expansion and modernisation, spending AED17.9 billion on aircraft, facilities, technology and infrastructure during the year. Emirates added 15 Airbus A350 aircraft to its fleet and announced additional aircraft orders worth US$41.4 billion at the 2025 Dubai Airshow.
The airline now operates to 152 cities in 80 countries, while Emirates SkyCargo transported 2.4 million tonnes of freight during the reporting period.
After accounting for the UAE’s increased corporate tax rate under Pillar Two rules, the Emirates Group posted profit after tax of AED21 billion, up 3 per cent from the previous year.
Looking ahead, Sheikh Ahmed said the company remains cautious but confident despite continuing geopolitical uncertainty.
“The Emirates Group enters 2026-27 with very strong cash reserves, which enable us to progress with our plans to strengthen our business without knee-jerk cost control measures,” he said.
“Our fundamentals are strong. The Emirates Group’s proven business model is unchanged. Dubai’s place at the nexus of global commerce, trade and travel flows is unchanged.”