17% Growth in One Year: Emirates Retains Title as World’s Most Valuable Airline Brand

▲Emirates has been named the world’s most valuable airline brand. (Photo provided by Emirates)

Reported by Chen Ruizhong / Compiled by HowToTrip

According to the latest 2016 Brand Finance Global 500 report published by UK-based brand consultancy Brand Finance, Emirates' brand value increased by 17% year-on-year to reach USD 7.7 billion, climbing impressively to 171st place globally and leading the second-ranked airline by 47 spots. Since first entering the list in 2009, Emirates has been featured for five consecutive years, with its brand value more than tripling over that period.

2015 marked the 30th year of Emirates’ operations. During that year, the airline launched services to six new destinations, expanding its global network to 150 destinations, and took delivery of 26 aircraft, making it the operator of the world’s largest fleets of Boeing B777s and Airbus A380s. The airline currently serves 37 destinations with the A380. In terms of onboard amenities, Emirates upgraded personal seat screens in both first class and economy class to the largest in the industry. Its ice inflight entertainment system, which has received Skytrax recognition for 11 consecutive years, was updated to offer more than 2,200 channels.

Emirates collaborated with Hollywood superstar Jennifer Aniston and the Dubai Jetman to promote the A380, gaining widespread media coverage and generating strong engagement on social media. The airline has amassed over 11 million followers across platforms including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Google+, and was the first airline to reach 1 million followers on Instagram, making it the largest transportation brand on social platforms.