Emirates vs China Eastern Airlines

Overview

Emirates is one of the two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates, alongside Etihad. It was founded on 15 March 1985 and began flying on 25 October 1985. It is headquartered in Al Garhoud, Dubai, and is a subsidiary of The Emirates Group, which is owned by the government of Dubai through the Investment Corporation of Dubai. Emirates is not a member of a major alliance. Its frequent-flyer programme is Emirates Skywards.

Network and hubs

All operations are based at Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport, which is the only hub. Wikipedia describes Emirates as the world's largest long-haul airline, serving more than 150 cities in about 80 countries across six continents. The infobox lists 148 destinations, so the exact figure varies by date.

Fleet

As of June 2026, Wikipedia lists 266 passenger aircraft and 24 cargo aircraft operated by Emirates SkyCargo. The passenger fleet is all wide-body and includes:

• 116 Airbus A380s (the world's largest operator)
• 127 Boeing 777s (117 777-300ERs and 10 777-200LRs)
• 23 Airbus A350-900s

Per Air Data News, 94 of the A380s were active at the time of that report. President Tim Clark said the active number should reach about 110 by the end of 2026, alongside a US$6 billion cabin retrofit programme.

On board

Emirates offers Economy, Business and, on selected aircraft, First and Premium Economy. Economy seat pitch is 31–32 inches on Airbus aircraft and 34 inches on Boeing aircraft. Premium Economy seats offer up to 40 inches of pitch and a 13.3-inch screen. Business class on the A380 has fully flat beds, and Business passengers can use the on-board bar at the rear. Entertainment is provided by the ICE system. Only some aircraft have Premium Economy so far: 24 A380s had it when the article was written, and a retrofit programme is extending it to older A380s and 777s. Check the aircraft type when booking.

Good to know

• Baggage allowances, change fees and meal details depend on fare and route. Check them on emirates.com before booking.
• Emirates Skywards is the loyalty programme.
• Lounge access depends on cabin and status. This profile does not list lounge details.
• No published on-time performance figure was found for this profile.

Overview

China Eastern Airlines is one of China's three major airlines, alongside Air China and China Southern. According to Wikipedia, it was founded on 25 June 1988 and is headquartered in Minhang, Shanghai. It is listed in Shanghai and Hong Kong, and its parent is China Eastern Air Holding Company; Delta Air Lines holds 3.55%. The airline is a member of SkyTeam, whose fact sheet (updated August 2026) describes it as one of China's three major aviation groups. Its subsidiaries include Shanghai Airlines, China United Airlines, China Eastern Yunnan Airlines and China Cargo Airlines.

Network and hubs

Main hubs are Shanghai Pudong, Shanghai Hongqiao, Kunming and Xi'an. Secondary hubs include Beijing Daxing, Chengdu Tianfu, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Qingdao and Wuhan. Wikipedia lists 232 destinations. The SkyTeam fact sheet cites a fleet of over 800 aircraft for the wider group and about 150 million annual passengers.

Fleet

Wikipedia's fleet table, dated December 2025, shows 685 aircraft in service with a further 291 on order. Types include:

• Airbus A320 family, including A321neo
• Airbus A330-200 and A330-300, with A330-900 deliveries planned from 2029
• Airbus A350-900
• Boeing 737-700, 737-800 and 737 MAX 8
• Boeing 777-300ER and 787-9
• Comac C909 and C919, with China Eastern the launch customer of the C919

On board

Business class varies by aircraft. Narrow-body aircraft have 2-2 recliner seats, while some A330s have 1-2-1 or lie-flat 2-2-2 layouts. Premium Economy is fitted on all A320neos, A350s, 737 MAXs and 787s, and on selected A330-300s and 737-800s. Economy includes a complimentary meal, and selected widebody aircraft have seatback entertainment. A July 2026 report cited by Wikipedia says widebody flights now offer free Wi-Fi in all classes.

Good to know

• Baggage allowances and change fees vary by route and fare. Check the official website before travelling.
• The loyalty programme is Eastern Miles, with Silver, Gold and Platinum tiers. Shanghai Airlines and China United Airlines also take part.
• As a SkyTeam member, it offers connections and lounge access with partners such as Delta Air Lines.
• Safety: Flight MU5735, operated by subsidiary China Eastern Yunnan, crashed on 21 March 2022.
• Published on-time performance and typical fare data were not found for this profile.