Emirates said on Tuesday that its airline foundation, in partnership with Emirates Auction, has raised 8.8 million dirhams ($2.4 million) to support humanitarian programmes for underprivileged children around the world.

In a press release issued by the Emirates Media Centre, the airline said the funds were generated through the auction of seven rare Emirates Skywards Platinum membership numbers, with all proceeds directed to the Emirates Airline Foundation.

The auction ran from Dec 17, 2025, to Jan 17, 2026, and attracted more than 900 bids from participants in 131 countries. Two bidders secured 20-year Platinum memberships, while five others won 15-year memberships, with the highest single bid reaching 1.6 million dirhams.

Emirates said the funds would be used to launch new initiatives and expand existing projects carried out by the Foundation in partnership with 14 non-governmental organisations across nine countries, including India, Kenya, South Africa, the Philippines and Bangladesh.

“When we brought this initiative to life, we were guided by a simple objective to look at new, innovative ways to grow the Foundation’s humanitarian work and impact,” said Emirates Airline President Sir Tim Clark, who also chairs the Foundation. He said the response from bidders reflected strong global support and would allow the charity to reach more communities and strengthen existing programmes.

Emirates Auction chairman Abdullah Matar Al Mannai said the results highlighted the impact of collaboration between national institutions and private platforms in supporting humanitarian causes, adding that the partnership would continue in the years ahead.

Following the success of the initiative, Emirates said the charity auction will become an annual event, providing recurring funding opportunities for the Foundation, which supports projects focused on housing, healthcare, education and nutrition for vulnerable children.

The Emirates Airline Foundation operates under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and is funded largely by customer and employee donations, with the airline saying nearly all contributions go directly to programmes on the ground.

Source: Emirates Press Release