Emirates Air Cargo Profile

Emirates SkyCargo is the cargo division of Emirates, the Dubai-based airline founded in 1985 and wholly owned by the government of Dubai through the Investment Corporation of Dubai, under The Emirates Group. The airline operates under IATA code EK and ICAO code UAE. Emirates has always remained outside the three global passenger alliances, and its cargo arm likewise runs an independent network. SkyCargo moves freight both in the holds of the Emirates passenger fleet and on dedicated freighters, ranking among the largest cargo carriers in the world by freight tonne-kilometres flown.

The operation is built around Dubai's geography, positioned within an eight-hour flight of most major world markets. Belly capacity is carried on the Emirates passenger fleet of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s out of Dubai International (DXB), while dedicated freighter services are concentrated at Al Maktoum International, or Dubai World Central (DWC), where SkyCargo runs purpose-built cargo terminals. In financial year 2024-25 the division carried 2.3 million tonnes of cargo and generated revenue of about US 4.4 billion dollars, contributing a double-digit share of Emirates' total revenue.

The freighter fleet is standardised on the Boeing 777F, supplemented by wet-leased Boeing 747-400 freighters and Boeing 777-300ERSF conversions to add capacity, with roughly 16 freighters active in 2024-25 and 13 more 777Fs on order toward a target of 21 by end 2026. SkyCargo handles general and specialised cargo, including pharmaceuticals and temperature-sensitive goods, perishables, live animals, valuables, dangerous goods and fast-growing e-commerce volumes from Asian markets, moving freight across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas through its Dubai hub.