Emirates and Qatar Airways are two of the largest airlines in the Middle East, both part of the “ME3” group, which includes Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways. Many people often compare Emirates and Qatar Airways to determine which airline is bigger. Various metrics can be used for this comparison, such as fleet size, passenger capacity, route network, revenue, available seat miles, and more. Below is a comprehensive comparison of Emirates and Qatar Airways based on several factors.
Emirates, which calls itself the world’s largest international airline, is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. They are the world’s largest airline in terms of Available Seat Kilometers (ASKs), however, they rank 14th in sheer capacity, still behind those of American carriers.
On the other hand, Qatar Airways, based in Doha, Qatar, continues to expand its capacity. Though it is still behind Emirates in terms of ASKs, its growth of 10% per year is quite notable.
So let’s compare Emirates and Qatar Airways in terms of fleet (active, grounded, and in order), route network, ASK, capacity, and growth strategy and determine who was the bigger airline in 2024. We also included an analysis of whats to come based on these present numbers and growth strategies.
Available Seat Kilometers (ASKs)
We begin with Available Seat Kilometers (ASKs), arguably the most crucial measure of an airline’s passenger carrying capacity. It’s calculated by multiplying the total number of seats available for passengers by the total number of kilometers those seats were flown. This metric effectively captures both the size of the aircraft fleet and the distance it operates, making it a primary indicator of an airline’s production and scale, especially vital for carriers with extensive long-haul networks.
In 2024, Emirates registered a formidable 361,964,771,486 ASKs, marking a solid 6.4% increase year-over-year (YoY). This figure significantly overshadowed Qatar Airways’ 257,228,169,594 ASKs, even though Qatar Airways posted a higher growth rate of 9.5% YoY. The absolute difference of over 104 billion ASKs underscores Emirates’ substantially larger operational scale, cementing its position as the world’s 4th largest airline by this metric, while Qatar Airways held the 7th spot globally.
Capacity
Next, we consider Capacity, which refers to the total number of seats an airline makes available across its entire network over a specific period. While related to ASKs, it doesn’t factor in the distance flown, focusing purely on the volume of seats offered. For 2024, Emirates offered a total capacity of 71,751,102 seats, a 5.1% increase from the previous year. Again, this surpassed Qatar Airways, which offered 55,369,527 seats despite achieving a stronger capacity growth of 10.4% YoY.
Emirates provided over 16.3 million more seats than its Doha-based rival, representing roughly 29.6% greater capacity. Interestingly, Emirates ranked 14th globally by sheer seat capacity, a lower rank than its ASK position suggests. This disparity indicates that while offering more seats overall than Qatar Airways, Emirates achieves its high ASK ranking by flying these seats over longer distances, utilizing larger aircraft on average.
Routes and Network
The comparison shifts when looking at Routes, defined as the number of unique airport-pair segments an airline serves. This metric reflects the breadth or extent of an airline’s network coverage. Here, Qatar Airways demonstrated a wider reach in 2024, operating 379 routes—a 2.4% increase YoY. This was significantly more than Emirates’ 283 routes, which saw a more modest 1.8% increase.
Qatar Airways’ larger route count points to a more dispersed network strategy, potentially encompassing more destinations, including secondary cities or regional markets, alongside its core long-haul services. This expansion aligns with its stated strategy of consistent growth and was supported by factors like capitalizing on relaxed bilateral agreements to expand its Australian network, further strengthened by an investment in Virgin Australia.
Frequency
Frequency measures the total number of flights (departures) operated by an airline during a period. It indicates the operational tempo and how often services are offered. Consistent with its larger route network, Qatar Airways also led in frequency for 2024, operating 200,385 flights, marking an 8.7% YoY increase.
Emirates operated 172,445 flights, showing a 4.2% YoY growth. Qatar Airways’ higher frequency, combined with its wider network and significant narrowbody fleet component, suggests it may serve many destinations more often than Emirates, potentially utilizing smaller aircraft for some services. Emirates’ lower frequency relative to its high ASK and capacity figures further reinforces its model of using larger aircraft on typically longer routes.
Hub Strategies
The airlines’ Hub Strategies also differ subtly. Both rely heavily on connecting traffic through their respective hubs. However, Qatar Airways exhibits one of the highest connection rates among major global airlines, with nearly 85% of traffic passing through Doha connecting onwards. This highlights how integral transit passengers are to sustaining its extensive network.
Emirates’ Dubai hub also thrives on connections, but the proportion is lower, estimated at nearly two-thirds (around 66%), suggesting a potentially stronger mix of origin and destination traffic alongside connecting passengers.
Fleet Strength and Futue Plans
Finally, the Fleet composition and order book reveal crucial strategic alignments and future plans. The fleet encompasses all aircraft operated, including those active, temporarily unavailable (e.g., for maintenance), and on order. In 2024, Qatar Airways had a slightly larger active fleet of 240 aircraft (34 narrowbodies, 206 widebodies) compared to Emirates’ 229 active aircraft (1 narrowbody, 228 widebodies). However, Emirates operated a larger fleet than Qatar Airways in 2024 if you will include planes on AOG.
Emirates had 32 widebodies listed as unavailable, while Qatar had 14 widebodies and 4 narrowbodies unavailable. The critical difference lies in composition: Emirates’ operational fleet was almost exclusively widebody (99.6%), perfectly matching its high-capacity, long-haul model and explaining its massive ASK generation despite fewer routes and lower frequency. Its status as the world’s largest operator of the Airbus A380, alongside a huge Boeing 777 fleet, allows it to deploy immense capacity efficiently on major trunk routes, often maximizing existing airport slots.
This specialization, however, historically offered less flexibility for routes requiring smaller aircraft. Qatar Airways’ mixed fleet, with a significant narrowbody presence (14.2% of active planes), provided greater operational flexibility, enabling service to a wider variety of destinations and supporting its higher frequency.
The Future for Both Emirates and Qatar Airways
Looking forward from our vantage point in April 2025, the order books signal future direction. Emirates has a massive commitment, with 309 widebody aircraft on order (including the Airbus A350-900 starting delivery late 2024, Boeing 777-9X, 777-8X, and 787s), indicating a huge investment to modernize and slightly diversify its widebody fleet while maintaining its large-aircraft focus. It plans to continue operating the A380 until around 2035. This fleet evolution, particularly the introduction of the relatively smaller A350, aims to enhance flexibility and open new route possibilities. Qatar Airways holds 199 orders (75 narrowbodies, 124 widebodies), reflecting a continued commitment to its mixed-fleet strategy across various market segments.
In synthesis, while Qatar Airways excelled in network breadth (routes) and operational tempo (frequency) in 2024, leveraging its fleet diversity and Oneworld alliance membership, Emirates was unequivocally the larger airline based on the core production metrics of ASKs and total seat capacity. Its strategy revolved around maximizing capacity on key long-haul routes using the largest available aircraft, complemented by interlining partnerships rather than alliance membership. As we look beyond 2024, Emirates’ immense investment in a new generation of diverse widebody aircraft suggests it is strategically positioning itself not only to maintain its scale advantage but potentially to increase the gap by gaining operational flexibility while reinforcing its dominance in the high-capacity, long-haul market.
Emirates vs. Qatar Airways 2024 Data Comparison
| Metric/Data Point | Emirates | Qatar Airways | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity & Production (2024) | |||
| Available Seat Kilometers (ASKs) | 361,964,771,486 | 257,228,169,594 | Measures total passenger carrying capacity x distance flown |
| ASKs Growth (YoY) | +6.4% | +9.5% | Year-over-year change in ASKs |
| ASKs Global Rank | 4th | 7th | Global airline ranking by ASKs in 2024 |
| Total Capacity (Seats) | 71,751,102 | 55,369,527 | Total seats offered across the network |
| Capacity Growth (YoY) | +5.1% | +10.4% | Year-over-year change in total seats offered |
| Network & Operations (2024) | |||
| Routes Served | 283 | 379 | Number of unique airport pairs served |
| Routes Growth (YoY) | +1.8% | +2.4% | Year-over-year change in number of routes |
| Frequency (Flights) | 172,445 | 200,385 | Total number of flight departures |
| Frequency Growth (YoY) | +4.2% | +8.7% | Year-over-year change in number of flights |
| Hub Connection Rate (Approx.) | ~66% (at DXB) | ~85% (at DOH) | Approximate percentage of passengers connecting via the hub |
| Fleet (as of 2024 data) | |||
| Active Fleet (Total) | 229 | 240 | Total aircraft in operation |
| Active Fleet (Narrowbody) | 1 | 34 | |
| Active Fleet (Widebody) | 228 | 206 | |
| Unavailable Fleet (Narrowbody) | 0 | 4 | Aircraft temporarily out of service (e.g., maintenance) |
| Unavailable Fleet (Widebody) | 32 | 14 | Aircraft temporarily out of service (e.g., maintenance) |
| Total Aircraft in Fleet | 261 | 258 | |
| Aircraft on Order (Total) | 309 | 199 | Commitment to future fleet expansion/renewal |
| Aircraft on Order (Narrowbody) | 0 | 75 | |
| Aircraft on Order (Widebody) | 309 | 124 | |
| Strategy & Future | |||
| Key Future Aircraft Types | A350-900, B777-9X, B777-8X, B787 | Not specified beyond narrow/widebody split | Specific models expected for future fleet |
| Primary Partnership Strategy | Interlining with local carriers | Oneworld Alliance Membership | Approach to network partnerships |
| Primary Network Focus | Maximizing route capacity (high density) | Network breadth (route expansion) | Core approach to network development |
Note: Data provided by OAG
