Emirates Group Achieves Historic AED24.4 Billion Profit for 2025-26

Post by : Bianca Suleiman

The Emirates Group has unveiled its outstanding financial performance for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, reporting the highest profit, revenue, and cash reserves in its history, despite significant operational hurdles in the final month of the year.

For this financial year, the group announced a staggering profit before tax of AED24.4 billion (US$6.6 billion), marking a 7 percent year-on-year increase. The profit margin before tax stood at 16.2 percent.

Total revenue reached a historic AED150.5 billion (US$41 billion), reflecting a 3 percent rise from the previous year, with cash assets escalating to AED59.6 billion (US$16.2 billion), a notable 12 percent growth. EBITDA was reported at AED41.1 billion (US$11.2 billion), showcasing robust operational performance across the board.

Emirates airline retained its title as the world's most profitable airline, with a profit before tax of AED22.8 billion (US$6.2 billion), a 7 percent rise from the prior year, resulting in a profit margin of 17.4 percent.

Emirates also registered record revenue of AED130.9 billion (US$35.7 billion), a 2 percent uptick year-on-year, with cash holdings peaking at AED54.9 billion (US$15 billion), a 10 percent increase since March 2025.

On another front, dnata exhibited robust growth across all sectors, achieving a profit before tax of AED1.6 billion (US$437 million), signifying a 2 percent increase with a profit margin of 6.8 percent.

Dnata's revenue surged by 12 percent to an all-time high of AED23.6 billion (US$6.4 billion), while cash reserves increased by 28 percent to AED4.7 billion (US$1.3 billion).

Additionally, the Emirates Group declared a dividend payment of AED3.5 billion (US$1 billion) to its parent company, the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD).

This fiscal year saw the corporate tax for the group rise from 9 percent to 15 percent due to the implementation of Pillar Two tax regulations in the UAE. After tax deductions, the net profit reached AED21 billion (US$5.7 billion), indicating a 3 percent increase compared to the previous fiscal year.

Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum articulated that these results reflect the resilience of the Emirates Group's business model, highlighting its focus on safety, innovative strategies, operational excellence, skilled personnel, and robust partnerships.

He acknowledged the strong demand for their services throughout the year, along with the enduring profitability stemming from strategic investments in technology, customer satisfaction, workforce development, and brand enhancement.

Sheikh Ahmed attributed the growth in Dubai's aviation sector and infrastructure to the vision and endorsement of key leaders, including Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, and Maktoum bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.

The emirate's well-established aviation ecosystem and infrastructure investments ensured the seamless operation of commercial flights amid challenging circumstances. Emirates and dnata progressively reinstated operations at Dubai International Airport, while cargo activities surged to facilitate the essential movement of goods throughout the UAE.

During the financial year, the Emirates Group channeled AED17.9 billion (US$4.9 billion) into acquiring new aircraft and advanced technologies as part of its expansion plans.

Furthermore, the group’s workforce expanded by 8 percent to 130,919 employees, with the number of UAE nationals topping 4,000, illustrating the commitment to nurturing and retaining local talent.