Germany grants Emirates daily Berlin flights in €40B UAE investment deal

Bilateral aviation agreement and flight caps

The German federal government has concluded a revised bilateral air traffic agreement with the United Arab Emirates, authorizing Dubai-based carrier Emirates to serve Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER). The agreement allows Emirates to operate up to seven flights per week between Berlin and Dubai, establishing daily direct intercontinental service. Berlin becomes the fifth German destination for the airline, joining Frankfurt, Munich, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg. The decision follows years of lobbying by Emirates president Tim Clark, who repeatedly requested capital landing slots during past official visits to Germany.

Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger announced the settlement on Thursday following bilateral negotiations.

After years of negotiations, we have finally reached a sustainable result. By granting a UAE airline a further and thus fifth landing point in Germany in addition to its previous four landing points, we are connecting Germany even better to the UAE.

Investment commitments and high-level meetings

The traffic authorization coincided with a state visit to Berlin by UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Sheikh Mohammed signed joint declarations of intent committing the UAE to invest 40 billion euros across Germany in the coming years. During his schedule in the capital, the UAE president also met with Berlin Governing Mayor Kai Wegner and signed the Golden Book at the Rotes Rathaus. Wegner had previewed the upcoming long-haul route during a session of the Berlin House of Representatives at midday before federal authorities confirmed the bilateral investment pact in the evening.

Sheikh Mohammed welcomed the strengthening of travel links between the two destinations.

Every year, tens of thousands of people from Berlin visit the United Arab Emirates, and we hope that this trend will continue to grow.

Rejection of fifth freedom rights and Stuttgart slots

While Emirates achieved its goal of entering Berlin, federal negotiators limited the scope of the concession. Emirates had initially requested 14 weekly flights split between seven frequencies to Berlin and seven to Stuttgart, but German authorities restricted the approval to Berlin alone. In addition, the agreement strictly excludes fifth freedom traffic rights, barring Emirates from using Berlin as an intermediate stop for onward flights to third countries such as the United States. Singapore Airlines remains the only foreign carrier with such rights in Germany, which it uses on its route connecting Singapore, Frankfurt, and New York.

Regional economic reaction and airline competition

Regional authorities in Berlin and Brandenburg expressed support for the route, with the Brandenburg Ministry of Transport noting improved access to a primary transfer hub for Asia. Wegner stated that daily flights between Berlin and Dubai would link two growing economic regions and support business development across eastern Germany. Deutsche Lufthansa had long opposed granting Emirates access to Berlin, expressing concern over the loss of transfer passengers who currently fly through its main hubs in Frankfurt and Munich to reach Asian destinations. Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings already operates flights between BER and Dubai. The issue of international connectivity at BER had featured prominently across major party platforms ahead of the Berlin state election scheduled for 20 September 2026.