Emirates pushes for daily Berlin and Stuttgart flights pending German approval

Emirates announced that it is prepared to launch daily widebody services to both Berlin and Stuttgart, committing more than €100 million (US$112 million) per year in operational expenses, staffing, airport charges, fuel, and other costs. 

The flights are subject to approval from the German Federal Ministry of Transport.

The proposal, announced on June 9, 2026, would see the airline operate the routes using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, connecting Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) and Stuttgart Airport (STR) to its hub at Dubai International Airport (DXB).

The long-haul connectivity gap

Emirates framed the proposal around what it described as a long-haul connectivity gap at both airports. According to OAG schedule data cited by the airline, over 85% of Berlin Airport’s international connectivity is concentrated within Europe. 

Stuttgart, the economic hub of Baden-Wurttemberg and one of Germany’s most export-driven states, faces a similar shortage of long-haul services.

Currently, both cities are connected to Dubai only by narrowbody aircraft with limited onboard amenities, and only on a seasonal basis. According to the airline, a daily Emirates 777 service would represent a significant upgrade in both passenger experience and cargo capacity.

Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, said the demand is already there. “German businesses have told us they need it, the Berlin Chamber of Commerce has called for it, our own data confirms the demand is there and flights are forecast to be full,” he said. “Emirates already connects Germany to 50 destinations across Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Australasia that no German airline serves.”

In 2023, a Berlin Chamber of Commerce and Industry survey found that 75% of respondents described the long-haul offering at Berlin as deficient or insufficient, with Dubai named the top priority for connections that needed strengthening.

Economic impact of daily services

Emirates said daily services to both cities would create close to 1,000 direct and indirect jobs, citing a 2012 study by the German Aerospace Centre that the airline said remains broadly consistent today. 

Each daily 777-300ER service would also provide more than 280 tons of belly-hold cargo capacity per week, opening a new channel for time-sensitive imports and exports including pharmaceuticals, electrical equipment, machinery, and transport technology components.

The airline also pointed to the tourism potential. Germany logged nearly 1.2 million overnight stays from Gulf Cooperation Council visitors in 2024, a segment that contributed an estimated €2.3 billion (US$2.6 billion) to the German economy. The German National Tourist Board projects GCC visitor numbers will reach three million annually by the end of the decade. Emirates said direct services would put Berlin and Stuttgart on the map for this high-value tourism segment.

Of the 2.36 million passengers Emirates carried on flights to and from Germany in 2025, 60% were connecting onward through Dubai rather than traveling point-to-point. The airline’s top markets to and from Germany included Australia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam, none of which are served by German airlines from Frankfurt Airport (FRA) or Munich Airport (MUC).

Emirates said the proposed services would fill a gap rather than compete with existing routes, offering one-stop connections through Dubai on a widebody aircraft with a four-cabin configuration, compared to what it described as multi-transfer narrowbody alternatives currently available.

The airline said it remains committed to working with the German Federal Government and looks forward to the opportunity to bring long-haul connectivity to both cities.

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