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Emirates marks 25 years flying to Uganda

An Emirates 777 300ER departs Entebbe with Lake Victoria beyond, marking Emirates' 25 years serving Uganda.
by
5 min read

Key points

  • Two and a half decades on the Entebbe route
  • 2.8 million passengers carried on 15,900 flights
  • Direct service began in 2007 after tag flights
  • Three class 777-300ER remains the daily workhorse
  • Premium Economy showcased on a special four class 777
  • Dubai-Entebbe demand up 16% since January 2025

Impact

Travelers
Refreshed Emirates cabins and Premium Economy are being rolled out, improving comfort on Uganda routes.
Airlines
Emirates' steady capacity and product upgrades signal long term commitment to the Uganda market.
Airports
Entebbe International Airport benefits from sustained widebody service, supporting schedule resilience and connectivity.
Destinations
Joint marketing with Uganda Tourism Board is converting interest into inbound arrivals from key long haul markets.

**Royal Caribbean Group said its Galveston Cruise Terminal is the first cruise facility to secure both LEED Net Zero Energy and LEED Net Zero Carbon certifications for ongoing operations. The recognition adds to the terminal's LEED Gold for design and construction and underscores a year of measured performance. Verification wrapped in March 2025, with the Net Zero designations awarded on June 18, 2025. For travelers, the milestone does not change embarkation, but it signals a terminal powered and managed to balance energy use and carbon over a full year.

Royal Caribbean Group and the Galveston Cruise Terminal

The 161,000-plus-square-foot Galveston Cruise Terminal opened in November 2022 and serves Royal Caribbean Group ships from the Port of Galveston, near Houston. Building on its LEED Gold design status, the facility has now documented a net zero energy balance and net zero operational carbon over 12 months, a first for cruise terminals. Royal Caribbean Group partnered with terminal operator SSA Marine, consultant CodeGreen, and port leadership to audit energy, water, and waste, then tune systems to peak efficiency before USGBC conferred LEED Net Zero Energy and LEED Net Zero Carbon.

Latest developments

Royal Caribbean Group announced the dual certifications on October 20, 2025, highlighting the collaboration with SSA Marine, CodeGreen, and the Port of Galveston. The company and USGBC leaders said the achievement demonstrates a practical path to lower-impact terminal operations. A commemorative plaque now hangs in the terminal's grand lobby.

Analysis

For travelers, the headline is continuity with benefits under the hood. LEED Net Zero Energy means the Galveston Cruise Terminal balanced its source energy use over a year; LEED Net Zero Carbon confirms net zero operational carbon over that same period. Together, these standards encourage resilient systems, informed maintenance, and tighter monitoring of loads, which can reduce utility disruptions, improve climate control, and stabilize operating costs. As cruise lines and ports scale terminals, Galveston's result provides a template: measure first, retrofit systems, and verify performance over time. If you sail from Galveston, expect the same check-in flow, with a building designed to perform more cleanly.

Final thoughts

Royal Caribbean Galveston terminal earns dual LEED Zero, setting a credible benchmark for cruise-port sustainability. The step from LEED Gold to LEED Net Zero Energy and LEED Net Zero Carbon shows how design intent can translate into verified, year-over-year performance. Travelers should not see operational changes, but the terminal's measured efficiency is a win for the port community and a model other cruise gateways can follow.

Sources

Emirates and Entebbe, a 25 year route story

Emirates entered Uganda with three weekly services that were initially linked to Nairobi, then Addis Ababa, before transitioning to a nonstop Entebbe flight in 2007. The airline introduced the Boeing 777 200LR in 2015, replacing the Airbus A330 200 and increasing seats by 12 percent. Today, a three class Boeing 777 300ER operates the route and remains the only international service offering a First Class cabin from Entebbe. Over the last two years, a formal collaboration with the Uganda Tourism Board has amplified Uganda's natural landscapes, wildlife, and cultural experiences across Emirates' global network, helping convert interest into bookings.

Latest developments

On October 15, 2025, Emirates operated a one off four class Boeing 777 to Entebbe, followed by a static cabin tour for government and industry stakeholders. Guests viewed the refurbished interiors and sampled experiences across cabins, including lie flat seating in premium classes and the highly regarded Premium Economy, presented in Uganda for the first time. The showcase is part of the airline's multiyear, in house retrofit program, covering both A380s and 777s, with dozens of aircraft already completed and more to join the fleet through 2026.

Analysis

The 25 year milestone matters less as a ceremony and more as a signal of future capacity and product stability. Emirates has kept the Entebbe route on widebodies through market cycles, and the cabin refresh program should steadily improve the traveler experience as additional refurbished 777s rotate into service. The collaboration with the Uganda Tourism Board is equally consequential. A coordinated pipeline of familiarization trips and joint marketing can sustain long haul interest, particularly from the United States and India, where one stop access via Dubai can streamline itineraries to national parks and adventure hubs. Travelers eyeing peak safari seasons should monitor fare classes in Premium Economy, which may price attractively against regional business class while delivering a noticeably better long haul experience than standard economy.

Final thoughts

A quarter century on, Emirates' Entebbe route blends continuity with visible upgrades. With refreshed Boeing 777 cabins rolling out, the Dubai-Entebbe pairing, and the tourism partnership behind it, the airline is positioning Uganda for continued long haul growth. For travelers, Emirates marking 25 years flying to Uganda means more comfort options and steady one stop connectivity to the world.

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