Duty-free that begins before the aircraft door
Emirates set out to move inflight retail from a trolley proposition to a planned part of the journey. The commercial logic is straightforward. A passenger deciding what to buy days before departure behaves differently from one being offered a trolley at 38,000 feet: longer consideration, larger baskets, and no constraint from what happens to be on board.
Delivering that meant a retail platform that could carry the Emirates brand at full weight, integrate with loyalty and inflight entertainment, and connect front-end browsing to the logistics that put the right item at the right seat on the right flight.
It also meant solving for the crew. A retail platform is only as good as the tooling in the hands of the people selling, and equipping cabin crew at Emirates' scale is a deployment programme in its own right.
About Emirates
Emirates is one of the world’s most prestigious airlines, known for its exceptional service, innovation, and expansive global network. Headquartered in Dubai, it operates one of the youngest and most advanced fleets, connecting over 150 destinations across six continents. The airline consistently sets new standards in commercial aviation, offering a seamless journey that blends comfort, cutting-edge technology, and a strong customer focus.
From luxurious cabin interiors and regionally inspired cuisine to award-winning entertainment and outstanding service, every aspect of the Emirates experience reflects quality and care. With continued investment in sustainability, digital innovation, and passenger comfort, Emirates remains at the forefront of modern air travel.
"The successful relaunch of EmiratesRED marks the completion of the first phase of our journey towards a fully digital retail ecosystem. This milestone has transformed our pre-order duty-free and retail experience, providing passengers with an elevated and seamless shopping journey."
EmiratesRED: Retail, Experiences & Dubai
Working with Omnevo, Emirates relaunched EmiratesRED as a digital retail platform built for pre-order and designed as the foundation of a connected omnichannel offer. The name, Retail, Experiences & Dubai, sets the ambition.
- Pre-order with seat delivery. Passengers browse a curated selection of more than 150 exclusive and hard-to-find products, and order and pay securely up to 40 hours before departure, with delivery to their seat on flights departing Dubai.
- A catalogue that stands comparison with a luxury department store, opening ancillary revenue that a trolley range cannot carry.
- Selling in the cabin. The EmiratesRED POS solution has been live on Android devices since 2025, connecting onboard sales to the same catalogue and stock picture as pre-order.
- Front end connected to logistics. Omnevo's Retail Logistics & Fulfilment module links sales to the supply chain, giving crew real-time visibility of what is on board and for whom.
- Built to connect. The platform is integration-ready for emirates.com, so browsing, booking, purchase and delivery can sit in one journey.
Phase one complete: retail moved earlier in the journey
- Retail engagement now starts up to 40 hours before departure, shifting purchase decisions out of the cabin and into the planning stage of the trip.
- 150+ exclusive products live, a range built for the pre-order model rather than constrained by trolley space.
- Seat-level fulfilment on flights departing Dubai, with front-end orders connected to onboard logistics end to end.
- EmiratesRED POS live in the cabin since 2025 on Android devices, so onboard selling and pre-order run from one catalogue and one stock picture.
- Modern payment at checkout, including Apple Pay and Google Pay.
- A350 fleet enabled, extending the enhanced pre-order experience across new aircraft.
-
What's next
- One device for every crew member. The iOS version of the EmiratesRED POS app is in pilot, with a full rollout to the cabin crew planned. Running retail on the phone crew already carry takes dedicated POS hardware out of the cabin entirely.
- Skywards integration. Paying for duty-free with Skywards Miles, strengthening loyalty redemption.
- Exclusive brand partnerships. Premium brand showcases within the digital store.
- Full emirates.com integration. One journey from booking to seat delivery.
Want to find out more?
Book a discovery call to find out how we can help you increase revenue, delight passengers and improve operational efficiency.
