Emirates celebrates 25 years of connecting Bahrain to the world

More than 7.86 million passengers carried on Emirates in the last 25 years to and from Bahrain, on close to 49,000 flights

 - Over 146,000 tonnes of cargo, transported to and from Bahrain in the last five years alone

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 13 February 2025: This year marks 25 years of Emirates’ steadfast service to the Kingdom of Bahrain. Over the years, the airline has been progressively developing its services, fostering vital trade relationships and offering travellers from the Kingdom seamless access to a vast global network spanning more than 140 destinations.

To mark the milestone, the airline hosted a commemorative dinner, welcoming distinguished government officials, VIPs, and key members of the travel trade community. The prestigious gathering served as a fitting tribute to 25 years of successful operations and partnership with the Kingdom of Bahrain.

A senior Emirates delegation headed by Nabil Sultan, Executive Vice President Passenger Sales and Country Management and Reema Al Marzooqi, Area Manager Bahrain, welcomed HE Dr Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Transportation & Telecommunications and other key government officials, trade partners, and customers. Emirates’ longest-serving employees in Bahrain: Amna Ismaeel Abdulla Ali, Akmal Baig, Naseem Al Shamsi, Emad Al Qadhi, Yasser Kazerooni, Danny Gowda, Khalil Attiya, the airline’s current Airport Services Manager, and Waheed Abu Alfath Ali, the Cargo Manager, were honoured for their contributions to Emirates’ success in Bahrain.

On 25 January 2000, Emirates’ Boeing 777-200 landed in Bahrain for the first time, launching a vital route that has since transported over 7.86 million passengers. The airline offers superior connectivity to key leisure, business, and VFR (visiting friends and relatives) destinations such as Manila, London, Kuala Lumpur, Chennai, and Dhaka.

To further enhance the travel experience and deliver on its commitment to providing the best-in-class onboard products and services, Emirates recently deployed the Airbus A350 on two of its three daily flights from Bahrain, offering passengers next-generation features across all cabin classes. Bahrain is among Emirates’ first few destinations to be served by the all-new aircraft.

Nabil Sultan, Executive Vice President Passenger Sales and Country Management at Emirates, said, “As we celebrate 25 years of flying to Bahrain, we thank our partners and customers for their ongoing support. Bahrain is a key destination in our network, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration to support trade and tourism, and to delivering on our ‘Fly Better’ promise for our travellers from and to Bahrain.”

Over the last two-and-a-half decades, Emirates’ Bahrain operations have grown from double-daily services on a mixed fleet of Airbus A300, A310, and A330 aircraft to its current 22 weekly flights using a modern fleet of Airbus A350s and Boeing 777s, offering nearly 7,000 seats each way. The airline has also deployed the iconic Emirates A380 on numerous occasions to accommodate peak travel demand, to mark the Kingdom’s National Day, in addition to showcasing its iconic onboard products at biennial editions of the Bahrain International Airshow.

In addition to its passenger services, Emirates SkyCargo has been a contributor to the Kingdom’s trade efforts, transporting over 146,000 tonnes of cargo to and from Bahrain in the last five years alone, mostly via passenger belly hold capacity. Key exports include courier items, ship and automotive parts and mobile phones to markets like India, Ethiopia and the US. Key imports include chilled meat, mail and courier and pharmaceuticals from destinations such as the UAE, India and Hong Kong. Offering unmatched levels of flexibility, Emirates SkyCargo connects oversized or irregular items, such as engines and aircraft parts, to freighters via Road Feeder Service, providing access to its extensive fleet and global network

In 2022, Emirates signed a codeshare agreement with Bahrain’s national carrier, Gulf Air to offer travellers from Bahrain enhanced connectivity and access to a larger network of destinations. With the goal of driving tourism to Bahrain, Emirates also partnered with the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority in 2023, supporting the Kingdom’s efforts to promote a diverse range of attractions and activities for visitors.