Emirates has recorded its busiest year yet for baggage handling, setting a new global benchmark in operational excellence. Between April 2024 and March 2025, the airline handled over 2.8 million bags monthly—averaging 100,000 daily—across 140 destinations from its Dubai hub, marking a 3.7% increase from the previous year.
Despite the scale and complexity of international operations, Emirates maintained a 99.9% baggage success rate, with only 1.4 bags mishandled per 1,000—nearly 30 times lower than many other global carriers. Of the small number of delayed bags, 91% were reunited with their owners within 72 hours, even across multi-leg international routes.
In 2024, Emirates further enhanced its capabilities by launching Bag Connect, a digital tracking tool available on its app and website. This tool provides real-time updates on baggage location and supports mishandled bag tracking at 80 international stations.
At Dubai International Airport (DXB) Terminal 3, Emirates’ Lost and Found team recovered and returned 94% of valuable items—such as passports, wallets, and phones—within just 60 minutes. This rapid response reinforces the airline’s commitment to customer satisfaction.
Among the 2.8 million monthly bags, about 2,300 arrive without tags. Yet Emirates and dnata teams proactively trace the owners, successfully loading 80% of these untagged bags before flight departure.
Delays, when they occur, are often due to unavoidable issues like torn tags or disrupted transfer connections. In such cases, a sophisticated system—comprising the Dubai Airport Baggage Handling System, dnata’s Baggage Reconciliation System, and Emirates Bag Connect—automatically reassigns bags to the next available flight.
The airline attributes its outstanding performance to multimillion-dollar investments in custom-built software, highly trained staff, and continuous process optimisation. Ground teams and handlers undergo regular upskilling, ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality baggage operations.
Emirates’ approach combines advanced technology with hands-on precision. From check-in to loading and final delivery, each bag’s journey is tracked and managed through tightly coordinated steps, reaffirming Emirates’ position as a global leader in baggage handling and aviation logistics.
Looking ahead, Emirates plans to integrate AI and expand its tracking capabilities, maintaining its reputation as the world’s gold standard in baggage operations—even as global travel continues to surge.
