Emirates has been named World Class Airline at The APEX Official Airline Ratings™ awards, becoming one of the first airlines to be recognized in this new award category that stands at the pinnacle of all APEX Passenger Choice awards. In addition, Emirates was renewed as Five Star Airline by APEX, and clinched its fourth APEX Passenger Choice Award® for Best Entertainment at the APEX/IFSA Awards ceremony, the industry’s largest in-person event of the year.

Developed in conjunction with Yates and Partners, the new “World Class Airline” award is unique in considering not only an airline’s services and products, but also its health and safety, and sustainability efforts – reflecting the expectations of today’s customers and key focus areas for the airline industry.

Like all APEX awards, the “World Class Airline” accolade was based on independently verified and audited ratings from over a million air travelers.

“This is an honor dear to my heart, as it celebrates the amazing work of our worldwide team at Emirates in reaching the new pinnacle of APEX World Class. This recognition is due to the tireless work and efforts by the people of Emirates in delivering safe journeys, stepping up to sustainability initiatives, and in delivering the highest standards of service. I’m confident the World Class paragon will play a very important role in our industry, helping advance a focus on sustainability for the betterment of our world. On behalf of all of us at Emirates, we’re proud to be one of the first airlines worldwide to be named APEX World Class,” said Sir Tim Clark, President, Emirates Airline.

“Emirates’ continuous improvements in passenger experience permeate in their every effort. The exceptional service, leading IFEC, pristine health safety practices, and new fuel-efficient aircraft orders underline the values we hold dear with Emirates as an APEX World-Class airline,” said Joe Leader, Chief Executive Officer of APEX.

Operating modern and fuel-efficient aircraft always has been central to Emirates’ business model and it the airline’s ongoing, multi-billion dollar commitment to passenger comfort, and to reducing its environmental impact. Emirates also has a long-standing comprehensive fuel efficiency program that actively investigates and implements ways to reduce fuel burn and emissions, wherever it is operationally feasible. At the recent Dubai Airshow, the airline signed an agreement with GE Aviation to develop a program that will see an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER, powered by GE90 engines, conduct a test flight using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Emirates is also a proud member of the Clean Skies for Tomorrow coalition, established by the World Economic Forum.

Against the backdrop of the pandemic, Emirates led the industry on many initiatives to assure customers and build travel confidence. This included: being the first to introduce complimentary COVID-19 travel medical cover for all customers, fast-tracking refunds, offering generous waiver and rebooking policies, and helping its loyalty program members retain tier status and miles. In addition to enhanced hygiene protocols, Emirates also rolled out several initiatives to enhance health and safety, and ease the customer journey, including being the first airline to sign up to roll out the IATA Travel Pass across its global network, fast-tracking the installation of advanced biometrics technology at its Dubai hub for smooth processing and a contactless airport experience.

Emirates’ signature services and products continue to win over customers and offer excellent experiences and value for travelers in all cabin classes. Last month, the airline announced a major investment in a retrofit program that will see 105 of its modern wide-body aircraft fitted with its latest Premium Economy product, which has proved immensely popular since it was first introduced in January 2020.

From the industry’s first fully-enclosed Private First Class Suites on its Boeing 777 Gamechanger aircraft, to the iconic Shower Spas and Lounges on the Emirates A380, Emirates’ customers have some of the best perks 40,000 ft. above ground. Emirates’ ice inflight entrainment system offers customers in all cabin classes an unmatched choice of on-demand content on over 4500 channels – from blockbuster movies to popular TV shows and documentaries. Passengers can also create their own music playlists on the Emirates app ahead of their flight and then sync it to the ice system when they board for a customized experience. Emirates’ award-winning onboard menu also caters to every taste palate for travelers flying from over 120 cities across 6 continents.

The APEX Official Airline Ratings™ is the first rating program in the world to score airlines entirely based on certified passenger feedback. As part of this program, airlines are segregated into four categories; Global Airlines; Major Airlines; Regional Airlines, and Low-Cost Carriers. In partnership with TripIt® from Concur®, the world’s highest-rated travel-organizing app, the industry-first award category is based on neutral, third-party passenger feedback. More than one million flights across nearly 600 airlines worldwide have been rated by passengers and independently certified by a professional external auditing company.