Emirates Airlines is renowned for operating an all-widebody fleet, a unique characteristic that sets it apart in the aviation industry. Based in the Middle East, Emirates benefits from its strategic geographic location and operates one of the largest fleets of widebody aircraft globally. The airline's fleet includes 261 widebody aircraft, featuring Airbus A380 Superjumbos and Boeing 777 models, making it a leader in this category.
"Famously, Emirates is the world's largest airline to not operate narrowbody aircraft," largely due to Dubai's other carrier, flydubai, which fills that niche. This preference for large aircraft aligns with Emirates' hub-and-spoke model centered around Dubai International Airport. Positioned at a global crossroads, Emirates connects major world regions efficiently through its central hub.
Emirates' approach contrasts with US carriers like United Airlines, which utilize multiple smaller hubs and prefer smaller aircraft for flexibility. While US airlines have moved away from large aircraft like the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747, Emirates remains committed to widebodies and has significant orders for future models such as the Boeing 777X.