Emirates has announced it is ready to operate daily widebody flights to Berlin and Stuttgart, allocating more than €100 million a year to operate the two routes, subject to approval by Germany's Federal Ministry of Transport.
The planned investment covers operating expenses, staff salaries, airport fees, fuel and costs associated with operating daily flights to the two German cities, according to a post on the Emirates website.
Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates, said the airline is ready to provide daily flights to Berlin and Stuttgart and connect them with its global network, adding that the two cities are important economic centers in Germany with limited long-haul air services available to them.
He noted that the airline's data indicates demand for the two proposed routes, stressing that Emirates currently connects Germany with around 50 destinations in Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Australia to which German airlines do not offer direct flights.
Data from aviation analytics company OAG show that more than 85% of international connectivity via Berlin Brandenburg Airport is concentrated within Europe, even though the German capital has a population of around 3.9 million and is home to many economic, diplomatic and cultural sectors.
Stuttgart, the economic center of Baden-Württemberg, also suffers from limited long-haul air connectivity, despite the state's export-driven economy and its large number of manufacturers, suppliers and trading partners.
If approvals are obtained, the flights will be operated by Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, providing more than 280 tonnes of weekly belly cargo capacity on each daily service, supporting the transport of pharmaceuticals, electrical equipment, machinery and transport technology components.
Emirates expects the two routes to create hundreds of direct and indirect jobs. The airline cited a 2012 study by the German Aerospace Center that estimated around a thousand jobs could be created by operating daily flights to the two cities.
Emirates carried around 2.36 million passengers to and from Germany in 2025, 40% of whom traveled between Dubai and Germany, while 60% continued their journeys via Dubai to other destinations in the airline's network.
The main markets served by Emirates flights to and from Germany during the year included Australia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, destinations to which German airlines do not offer direct flights from Frankfurt or Munich, according to the airline's data.
Emirates stressed that the proposed flights to Berlin and Stuttgart would complement Germany's existing aviation network and provide additional connection options rather than competing with existing flights.
A 2023 study by the Berlin Chamber of Commerce and Industry showed that 75% of respondents felt long-haul services from the German capital were insufficient, with Dubai among the top destinations for which stronger air connectivity was sought.
Germany recorded around 1.2 million overnight stays by visitors from Gulf Cooperation Council countries in 2024, with their contribution to the German economy estimated at around €2.3 billion.
The German National Tourist Board expects the number of visitors from GCC countries to rise to 3 million a year by the end of the decade, giving the proposed direct flights an opportunity to support tourism to Berlin and Stuttgart.
Emirates affirmed its commitment to working with the German federal government to obtain the necessary approvals to operate the two routes and provide long-haul connections from Berlin and Stuttgart via Dubai to its global network.
To view the post on the Emirates website, click here.
