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The three pyramids of Giza beside Cairo, seen from the air

Home›The Journal›Emirates Celebrates 40 Years in Egypt

The Journal · Cairo

Forty Years of Emirates in Egypt, Celebrated at the Grand Egyptian Museum

The Grand Egyptian Museum was the setting for a milestone on October 25. Emirates marked 40 years of flights to Egypt with a gala dinner at the museum, celebrating more than 13.2 million passengers carried between Cairo and Dubai since April 1986.

At a glance

Emirates Celebrates 40 Years in Egypt at a glance

First flight
April 1986, three times a week
Today
Five daily Dubai to Cairo flights, A380 and Boeing 777
Passengers
More than 13.2 million on close to 50,000 flights
Cargo
Over 170,000 tonnes in the last five years
Celebration
Gala dinner at the Grand Egyptian Museum, October 25, 2026

Gala at the Grand

A gala at the Grand Egyptian Museum

Emirates chose a fitting stage for its anniversary. On October 25, the airline hosted a gala dinner at the Grand Egyptian Museum, near the Pyramids of Giza, to mark 40 years of operations in Egypt and to honor its leading Egyptian travel agency partners. Guests were entertained by Jihad Akl, Karen Daniel and her jazz band, and Ahmed Saad.

Among those attending were Yomna El Bahar, Egypt's Vice Minister of Tourism and Antiquities; Sameh Fawzy, President of the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority; and Magdy Ishak Azzer, Chairman and Chief Executive of Cairo Airport Company.

Forty years in numbers

Emirates began flying to Cairo in April 1986, less than a year after the airline itself was launched, and Egypt was its first market in the Middle East and Africa. It started with three flights a week. Today it operates five daily flights between Dubai and Cairo on the Airbus A380 and Boeing 777, and in four decades it has carried more than 13.2 million passengers on close to 50,000 flights.

The route matters for trade as well as travel. Over the last five years, Emirates SkyCargo has carried more than 170,000 tonnes of goods between Cairo and the world in the holds of passenger aircraft, with Egyptian fresh produce, seafood and strawberries among the key exports, especially between November and March.

Adnan Kazim, Emirates' Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, said that Egypt holds a special place in the Emirates story and has significant economic and tourism potential.

Visit Egypt by way of Dubai

For American travelers, the Dubai to Cairo route makes an elegant two-country journey possible: a stopover in Dubai, then a short flight to Cairo and the museum where Emirates held its celebration. The Grand Egyptian Museum, which opened on November 1, 2025, is the largest archaeological museum in the world devoted to a single civilization, and the complete Tutankhamun collection is its great draw.

Travelers have embraced it. Egypt Independent reported in September that the museum had welcomed more than 6.5 million visitors in its opening months, placing it among the most visited museums in the world.

Plan at least two full days for Giza: one for the museum and one for the Pyramids and the Sphinx. Our guide to Cairo luxury hotels and the Grand Egyptian Museum lists where to stay, our essay on the Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum in a long weekend suggests an itinerary, and our Egypt travel guide covers the Nile, Luxor and Aswan. For Dubai, start with our Dubai hotel guide.

Dubai and Cairo week

A Dubai and Cairo week

One way to use the route, at a gentle pace:

Days 1 to 3, Dubai

Arrive, settle in by the beach, then the Burj Khalifa, the old souks along the Creek and an evening in the desert.

Day 4, to Cairo

A morning flight to Cairo and an afternoon at leisure, ideally with a view of the Pyramids from your hotel.

Day 5, the Grand Egyptian Museum

A full day for the galleries and the Tutankhamun collection.

Day 6, the Pyramids and the Sphinx

An early start on the Giza Plateau, then Saqqara or Islamic Cairo in the afternoon.

Questions readers ask

How long has Emirates flown to Egypt?

Since April 1986. Egypt was Emirates' first market in the Middle East and Africa.

How many flights does Emirates operate between Dubai and Cairo?

Five a day, on the Airbus A380 and Boeing 777.

Where did Emirates celebrate its 40 years in Egypt?

At a gala dinner at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza on October 25, 2026.

How busy is the Grand Egyptian Museum?

Very popular. Egypt Independent reported more than 6.5 million visitors in its opening months, so book tickets ahead and arrive early.

Sources

Checked on 10/26/2026. Prices and dates are approximate and can change. See our standard.