# Emirates SkyCargo (IATA EK · ICAO UAE · AWB 176)

> Emirates SkyCargo is the air freight division of the Dubai-based airline Emirates, trading under IATA designator EK with AWB prefix 176. The division belongs to the Emirates Group, owned by the Investment Corporation of Dubai, and holds no air operator certificate of its own. It runs its own Boeing 777 freighters and markets the belly capacity of the Emirates passenger fleet. Through Dubai, forwarders reach almost every wide-body destination worldwide on a single air waybill, with specialist products for pharmaceuticals, perishables, valuables and electronics. Note the split hub: freighters at DWC, belly cargo at DXB.

## Quick facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Legal | Emirates |
| IATA | `EK` |
| ICAO | `UAE` |
| AWB prefix | `176` |
| Country | AE |
| Group | The Emirates Group / Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD) |
| Tracking | https://scekprd.emirates.com/skychain/app?service=page/nwp:Trackshipmt&initial=y |

## Overview

Emirates SkyCargo is the air freight division of Emirates, the airline of the Emirate of Dubai. Emirates belongs, through the Emirates Group, to the Investment Corporation of Dubai. SkyCargo holds no air operator certificate of its own; flights are operated under the Emirates AOC (EASA TCO register: AOC AC-0001). The division was founded in 1985 together with the airline.

The operating model has two legs: own freighters and belly capacity on the wide-body passenger fleet. As at 31 March 2026 the freighter fleet comprised thirteen Boeing 777Fs, with a further eight on order at that date. Six additional Boeing 777Fs have been delivered since March 2026, alongside the first 777-300ERSF converted from a Boeing 777-300ER, which was already in commercial service in July 2026; four more freighters and a second converted aircraft were announced for the remainder of 2026. Five wet-leased Boeing 747s supplemented the fleet in early January 2026. A dedicated trucking network and more than 180 interline partners complete the picture.

The Dubai hub is split across two airports: freighters operate from Al Maktoum International (DWC), while belly cargo is handled at the Cargo Mega Terminal at Dubai International (DXB). Both facilities trade as Emirates SkyCentral. As at 31 March 2026 the freighter network covered 44 points and the wider Emirates network 152 cities in 80 countries.

In the 2025/26 financial year Emirates SkyCargo carried 2.4 million tonnes of cargo, three per cent more than the year before, on revenue of AED 16.2 billion (USD 4.4 billion), twelve per cent of Emirates' total revenue.

For forwarders the relevant details are the designator EK, AWB prefix 176 and a broad specialist portfolio: Pharma and Vital for life sciences, Fresh for perishables, Secure and Vulnerable for electronics, and Aerospace and Engineering for AOG shipments.

## Hubs

- DWC
- DXB

## Fleet

- Boeing 777F × 13

- Boeing 777F × 8

- Boeing 777-300ERSF × 1

- Boeing 747 × 5

## Sources

- [IATA - Current Airline Members: Emirates](https://www.iata.org/en/about/members/airline-list/emirates/73/)

- [Emirates Group achieves record 2025-26 financial year](https://www.emirates.com/media-centre/emirates-group-achieves-record-profit-of-aed-244-bn-us-66-bn-in-2025-26/)

- [Emirates SkyCargo charts flightpath into 2026](https://www.skycargo.com/media-centre/emirates-skycargo-charts-flightpath-into-2026--following-a-milestone-year/)

- [A Cargo Makeover: Emirates SkyCargo Boeing 777-300ER Special Freighter](https://www.skycargo.com/media-centre/a-cargo-makeover-introducing-emirates-skycargos-boeing-777-300-er-special-freighter/)

- [Emirates SkyCargo SkyChain - Track](https://scekprd.emirates.com/skychain/app?service=page/nwp:Trackshipmt&initial=y)

- [EASA - Authorised Third Country Operators (TCO Status Report)](https://www.easa.europa.eu/download/tco-lists/TCO%20Status%20Report.pdf)

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*Freight Academy — Airline Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airlines/emirates-skycargo](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airlines/emirates-skycargo)*

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