Middle Eastern airlines continue reliance on Airbus A380

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Middle Eastern airlines continue reliance on Airbus A380

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Etihad Airways Airbus A380 | Official Website

By Sky Industry News

Jul 24, 2025

The Airbus A380, the world's largest passenger airliner, remains a significant part of the fleets for several major airlines in the Middle East. Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways are among the notable operators of this aircraft.

Emirates operates the largest fleet of Airbus A380s globally, with 118 aircraft. Of these, 93 are active while 25 remain inactive. The fleet has an average age of 10.6 years and offers a total capacity of 60,616 seats. Emirates' A380 is renowned for its luxury features including private suites for first-class passengers and onboard lounges. The airline is investing $2 billion to retrofit its entire A380 fleet with premium economy cabins and refreshed interiors.

Emirates flies its A380s to over 50 destinations across six continents from Dubai International Airport (DXB). Europe is a primary destination with flights to London Heathrow International Airport (LHR) being particularly frequent.

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Etihad Airways operates a smaller fleet of ten Airbus A380s, seven of which are active. These aircraft have an average age of ten years and offer unique cabin options such as The Residence suite. Etihad's A380s connect Abu Dhabi to destinations like Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Singapore Changi Airport (SIN).

Qatar Airways also maintains a fleet of ten Airbus A380s with eight currently in service. The airline uses these aircraft on routes such as Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) and Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). Qatar's configuration includes private suites on the upper deck alongside business class seats that convert into lie-flat beds.

Overall, while each airline has tailored its use of the Airbus A380 to suit its network needs, Emirates stands out with its extensive operations compared to Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways.