- Emirates secured rights to fly to Berlin on 10 September 2026
- Berlin becomes Emirates’ fifth German gateway after Frankfurt, Munich, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg
- The service is limited to seven weekly flights with no fifth-freedom rights
- The UAE pledged €40 billion in investment to Germany alongside the aviation deal
- Lufthansa has contested the expansion citing competitive distortions
Emirates has secured the rights to launch direct flights to Berlin, marking a regulatory breakthrough after more than 22 years of lobbying. The policy shift by the German government was finalised on 10 September 2026 during an official state visit to Berlin by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The agreement coincided with a pledge from the UAE to invest €40 billion into the German economy.
Prior to this deal, a 1994 bilateral air services agreement capped UAE carriers at four German gateways including Frankfurt, Munich, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg. Emirates is permitted to add Berlin Brandenburg Airport as its fifth point of entry without surrendering any existing German routes. The service is limited to a maximum of seven weekly flights.
Emirates is strictly prohibited from running onward flights from Berlin to third-country destinations. In exchange for Berlin access, Emirates’ frequencies at its other four German destinations will remain frozen at current operational levels. Lufthansa has contested the expansion, arguing it shifts local aviation jobs to the Gulf and creates competitive distortions. German Transport Minister Steffen Bilger welcomed the decision.
