Emirates has been recognised as the Best Airline for 2020 at The Sun Travel Awards, and the Best Long-Haul Airline at The Times and The Sunday Times Travel Awards.

Following an unprecedented year for travel, hundreds of thousands of votes were cast by readers looking to celebrate the best in the industry.

Emirates’ range of world-class products and services on board its modern, wide-body aircraft helped to secure the award wins, with passengers able to enjoy over 4,500 channels of entertainment on ice – the airline’s award-winning inflight entertainment system – as well as regionally inspired meals and complimentary beverages.

The award wins come as Emirates continues to safely resume operations and rebuild its network to provide more opportunities for travel, connecting customers to more than 95 destinations via Dubai.

The wins underscore Emirates’ commitment to offer a better and safer customer experience in the air and on the ground across every class of travel.

Emirates has re-introduced its iconic A380 products and onboard experiences, including the Onboard Lounge and Shower Spa, as well as social areas in Business Class and First Class on select Boeing 777- 300ER aircraft following a thorough review and the implementation of additional health and safety measures.

Emirates was recently rated the safest airline in the world in its response to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Safe Travel Barometer. It topped the ranks with a ‘Safe Travel Score’ of 4.4 out of 5.0 among 230+ airlines evaluated worldwide.

The airline has set industry-leading safety standards at every step of the customer journey, including the distribution of hygiene kits, personal protective equipment for cabin crew, and enhanced cleaning procedures including the disinfection of aircraft lavatories every 45 minutes on flights longer than 1.5 hours.

Customers can stop over or travel to Dubai this winter as the city is open for international business and leisure visitors. From eclectic landmarks, pristine beaches, and world-class shopping malls – the city remains one of the most popular global destinations.

Emirates is one of the world’s largest international airlines with a global footprint across six continents.

The airline currently operates 36 flights per week from the UK to Dubai – three daily from London Heathrow, one daily from Manchester, four weekly from Glasgow and four weekly from Birmingham.

Emirates, which runs the world’s biggest airline by international traffic, resumed services to the Maldives on July 16 after a three-month hiatus in the wake of border closures by the Maldivian authorities to control the coronavirus outbreak.

The Dubai-based airline now offers 10 flights per week to the Maldives, with a daily Dubai-Male connection, and a second service operating on Mondays, Wednesday and Sundays.

The Maldives reopened its borders on July 15.

With the border reopening, 30-day free on-arrival visa is issued to all tourists with a confirmed booking for a stay at any registered tourist facility in the country.

There is no mandatory quarantine or testing on arrival, but tourists have to complete an online health declaration form and provide a negative PCR test result taken at least 96 hours prior to their departure.

Visitors with symptoms of the Covid-19 respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus or those travelling with someone who has similar symptoms are also tested at their own expense.