Emirates has soared to new heights this month, clinching a series of prestigious international awards that reaffirm its position as the world’s leading luxury airline. From Forbes Travel Guide’s Verified Air Travel Awards to the World Travel Awards and The Times Travel Awards, the Dubai-based carrier continues to redefine excellence in global aviation.

For the second consecutive year, Emirates was crowned “Best International Airline” by Forbes Travel Guide, chosen by more than 9,000 frequent fliers, luxury travel advisors, and Forbes inspectors.

The publication praised Emirates’ relentless pursuit of perfection, noting its “continual refinement of every aspect of the passenger experience.” Among its standout initiatives: a new lounge-style check-in area for First Class and Skywards Platinum members, and its distinction as the first autism-certified airline, with over 30,000 trained staff supporting neurodiverse travelers.

The airline also took home Forbes’ “Best International First Class” for its opulent private suites aboard the Boeing 777-300ER—complete with floor-to-ceiling doors, zero-gravity seats, Bulgari fragrances, caviar service, and even chauffeured transfers.

Emirates’ Dubai First Class Lounge earned the title of “Best International Airline Lounge”, celebrated for its fine dining, spa services, and direct boarding access—a rarity even among five-star carriers.

Echoing similar acclaim, Emirates was voted “Best Long-Haul Airline” at The Times and Sunday Times Travel Awards 2025, outpacing competitors in a reader poll of 900,000 travelers.

The recognition highlighted Emirates’ exceptional cabin crew, First Class suites with showers, and A380 fleet, as well as its expanding global network, which now includes Shenzhen, China, and Siem Reap, Cambodia.

At the Conde Nast Readers’ Choice Awards, Emirates achieved an impressive 87.86 score in the Best Airline category, while at the World Travel Awards 2025 it was named the Middle East’s Leading Airline Brand. The carrier also dominated regional First Class categories, reaffirming its leadership in premium travel.

As the world’s largest operator of international First Class seats—offering more than 26,800 suites per week—Emirates continues to set industry benchmarks for comfort, innovation, and hospitality.

Earlier in 2025, it also received accolades from The Telegraph Travel Awards (“Best Long-Haul Airline”), YouGov (“Most Recommended Global Brand”), and the Business Traveller Middle East Awards, where it won Best Airline Worldwide for the 12th consecutive year.

Completing its trophy haul, Emirates’ Skywards loyalty programme was named Best Global Airline Loyalty Program at both the International Loyalty Awards and World Travel Awards Middle East.

With an ever-growing list of honors and a commitment to redefining air travel luxury, Emirates once again proves that its service truly reaches “above and beyond.”

King Abdulaziz International Airport has continued to set unprecedented records since the beginning of this year, starting 2026 with exceptional performance during January. The total number of passengers reached 5.45 million, achieving a growth rate of 7.3% compared to the same month in 2025.

The airport also recorded a total of 29,200 flights, reflecting an 11% growth compared to the same period last year. The total number of baggage handled amounted to 6.6 million bags, with an 8% increase compared to January of the previous year.

The airport experienced its highest operational week in history, with 1.28 million passengers between January 11 and 17, 2026, highlighting the ongoing operational momentum. Additionally, January 17 marked the airport's highest operational day, with 195,300 passengers and 1,089 flights, demonstrating the efficiency of operational processes and the infrastructure's readiness to meet the growing demand for travel.

These results are part of Jeddah Airports Company’s efforts to enhance the travel experience, meet passenger needs, and provide more travel options, in line with the accelerating growth in air traffic and aligned with the aviation program's objectives.

It is noteworthy that Jeddah Airports Company has been managing and operating King Abdulaziz International Airport since its establishment in 2022, and is working on implementing the aviation program derived from the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, in line with the goals of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

Singapore was named the world’s second-richest country in 2025 based on gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, though its standing declined once average working hours were factored into the analysis, according to The Economist.

With a GDP per capita of about US$90,700, the city-state trailed only Switzerland, which led the list at roughly US$100,000. Norway followed closely in third at US$86,800. However, when adjusted for hours worked, Norway overtook its rivals to claim the top position globally, while Qatar and Denmark secured second and third places respectively. Singapore fell to eighth place, ranking just behind the Netherlands under the new measure.

Figures from Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower indicated that local employees clocked an average of 43.3 working hours per week in 2024. In contrast, data from the International Labour Organisation showed that Norwegian workers averaged just 33.2 hours weekly over the same period — a significant gap that contributed to Norway’s rise in the adjusted rankings.

In a related study conducted by Remote.com, Singapore ranked 25th out of 60 nations in the 2025 Global Life-Work Balance Index, earning a score of 57.85 out of 100. New Zealand, Ireland, and Belgium dominated the list with scores of 86.87, 81.17, and 75.91 respectively. Despite its mid-tier ranking overall, Singapore remained Asia’s best-performing country for work-life balance.

Dubai International Airport (DXB) has once again set a new global benchmark, winning the coveted title of “World’s Leading Airport” at the 2025 World Travel Awards (WTA). The UAE’s flagship aviation hub triumphed over more than 20 top global competitors — including Singapore’s Changi Airport, London Heathrow, and Doha’s Hamad International — to secure the honor for the sixth consecutive year.

The World Travel Awards, widely regarded as the “Oscars of the travel industry,” recognize outstanding achievements in travel, tourism, and hospitality. Established in 1993, the awards are decided through votes from travel industry professionals and the general public across more than 200 countries.

According to Dubai Airports, DXB served a record-breaking 92.3 million passengers in 2024, surpassing its pre-pandemic peak of 89.1 million in 2018. The milestone reaffirms DXB’s position as the world’s busiest airport for international passenger traffic, a title it has consistently held since 2014.

By late 2025, officials projected annual traffic to exceed 95 million passengers, reflecting Dubai’s continuing growth as a global aviation and tourism hub.

Serving as the primary base for Emirates Airline and flydubai, DXB connects travelers to over 240 destinations across six continents via nearly 100 international carriers. The airport features an extensive range of world-class facilities — including luxury lounges, a five-star hotel (Dubai International Hotel), zen gardens, an outdoor swimming pool, a gym, and cinema halls — designed to enhance passenger comfort and experience.

Commenting on the recognition, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said the award “reflects the commitment of thousands of people who work tirelessly to make DXB the best in the world, driven by innovation, hospitality, and operational efficiency.”

In contrast, Singapore’s Changi Airport, long celebrated for its architectural marvels such as the Rain Vortex, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, faced increased scrutiny in 2025 following passenger complaints about baggage delays.

The airport operator, Changi Airport Group, later issued a public apology and announced service enhancements to restore its signature efficiency standards.

Dubai’s achievement underscores the Emirate’s strategic investment in aviation infrastructure and its vital role in positioning the UAE as a top global gateway. Industry analysts view DXB’s consistent success as a reflection of Dubai’s broader ambition — to maintain its leadership in global connectivity and tourism excellence.

Etihad Airways has triumphed at the 2025 World Travel Awards, bringing home three prestigious titles: World’s Leading Airline Customer Experience, World’s Leading Airline Economy Class, and World’s Leading Airline Lounge Business Class for its Premium Lounge at Zayed International Airport. These accolades were presented to the airline at the World Travel Awards Grand Final Gala Ceremony in Bahrain.

Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways, expressed his pride in the achievements, saying, "Winning three global titles is a testament to the passion and dedication our entire team brings to every journey. These awards reflect our unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional experiences across all cabins and touchpoints, from the moment our guests arrive at Zayed International Airport to their in-flight journey."

Etihad was nominated in 13 categories, including World’s Leading Airline, World’s Leading Airline Rewards Programme (Etihad Guest), and World’s Leading Airline Cabin Crew. The airline’s hub at Zayed International Airport was also nominated for World’s Leading Airport and World’s Leading Airport Customer Experience.

2025 has been a record-breaking year for Etihad, marked by significant growth and innovation. A key milestone was the introduction of the new A321LR aircraft, enhancing the airline’s short- and medium-haul offerings. This aircraft features widebody comfort with two private First Class suites, 14 fully-flat Business Class seats, and 144 spacious Economy seats—all equipped with 4K screens and high-speed Wi-Fi. The A321LR’s addition strengthens Etihad’s premium offering strategy and provides an elevated travel experience on more routes with increased frequency.

Neves emphasized the impact of the A321LR, stating, "With this new aircraft, we offer a world-class experience on more routes, making it easier for guests to discover everything Abu Dhabi has to offer. Every improvement we’ve made reflects our commitment to providing travelers with the highest levels of comfort and care."

Earlier this year, Etihad also received five regional awards at the World Travel Awards Middle East 2025, including World’s Leading Airline Customer Experience and World’s Leading Airline Lounge Business Class.

The World Travel Awards are widely regarded as the ultimate recognition of excellence within the travel industry, having been established over 30 years ago to celebrate the best in travel, tourism, and hospitality.

flynas, the world’s leading low-cost carrier and the Middle East’s best LCC, has been honored with the Operational Excellence Award at the 2025 oneDXB Airport Excellence Awards, organized by Dubai Airports.The airline outperformed more than 100 regional and international carriers operating at Dubai International Airport (DXB).

This recognition at one of the world’s busiest airports underscores flynas’ commitment to excellence, innovation, and operational efficiency, as well as its continuous efforts to enhance the guest experience. The achievement also supports the airline’s growth and expansion strategy and its contribution to Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to connect the Kingdom to over 250 international destinations.

Dubai Airports, which operates and manages both Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), highlighted that this year’s oneDXB Airport Excellence Awards introduced a renewed format. The awards celebrate partners that deliver exceptional travel experiences and uphold Dubai Airports’ vision of maintaining world-class operational standards amid growing passenger volumes.

flynas, the first airline listed on the Saudi Exchange (Tadawul), currently operates 139 routes to over 70 domestic and international destinations in 30 countries, with more than 2,000 weekly flights. Since its launch in 2007, the airline has carried over 80 million passengers and aims to expand its network to 165 destinations, in alignment with Vision 2030 and its long-term growth objectives.