DUBAI— Gulf aviation powerhouses Emirates (EK) and Qatar Airways (QR) are dominating flight hours in 2025. Qatar had 95,404.51 flight hours while Emirates had 94,567.19 flight hours in the month of August.
Emirates, operating an extensive fleet of wide-body aircraft, and Qatar Airways, which blends wide-body and narrow-body operations, together account for nearly half of the flight hours among the top ten Gulf airlines in 2025 so far.
Photo: EmiratesEmirates and Qatar Airways Lead
The figures reflecting the dominance of these two giants come from Aviation Week’s Tracked Aircraft Utilization database, which blends ADS-B flight movement data with fleet intelligence.
Emirates holds a slight edge in usage due to its all–widebody network; Qatar Airways, however, offsets this with a 15 percent share of narrow-body operations within its fleet.
Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) follows in third place, capturing about 12 percent of total flight hours among the top ten Gulf operators. Etihad ranks fourth, with a 10 percent share, and flydubai rounds out the top five with 8 percent. The remaining five carriers share the residual 20 percent.
Gulf carriers are actively investing in fleet renewal and expansion. Across the top ten, more than 1,300 aircraft are on order. Riyadh Air alone has placed orders exceeding 100 aircraft, potentially entering this elite class of operators soon.
Photo: Dubai Air showData & Methodology
Aviation Week’s ranking stems from its Tracked Aircraft Utilization tool, which correlates recorded flight movements from ADS-B with fleet-level data to assess actual versus reported usage.
This method provides more accurate insight into airline performance than simply relying on schedule data.
This concentration of flight hours in two carriers signals intensifying structural advantages. Emirates and Qatar can leverage economies of scale, stronger network connectivity, and brand strength. Smaller regional carriers must now find niche opportunities or specialized markets to differentiate.
Photo: By Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia – Qatar Airways, A7-ADV, Airbus A321-231, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58720677Bottom Line
The dominance of Emirates and Qatar Airways in 2025 illustrates how Gulf carriers continue to shape global aviation through scale, connectivity, and investment.
If current trends persist, Emirates and Qatar may push beyond 50 percent share of Gulf flight hours by year’s end.
Their aggressive aircraft orderbooks and operational discipline suggest further widening of the gap—unless challengers make dramatic operational or strategic shifts.
As these airlines push ahead with ambitious fleet expansions and network growth, the coming years will likely see them reinforce their role as leaders not just in the Middle East, but across international air travel.
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