Emirates has unveiled a striking new promotional video showcasing ice, its award-winning inflight entertainment system. Designed to highlight the incredible breadth and depth of content available onboard, the video reinforces ice’s position as the most awarded inflight entertainment system in the sky. With over 6,500 channels of premium content, Emirates continues to set the global benchmark for inflight entertainment, offering a tailored, immersive, and inclusive experience for all passengers.
The World’s Largest Inflight Media Library (according to Emirates)
Emirates’ ice (Information, Communication, Entertainment) system offers an unparalleled selection of content, making it the largest inflight entertainment library in the world. Passengers can choose from an extensive catalogue that includes more than 2,700 Hollywood and international films, over 600 movies in 50 languages, 150+ documentaries, 300+ Bollywood and South Asian films, and 350+ classic films from the 1930s onward. Live TV, with five dedicated channels including major sports events and news networks, ensures travellers stay connected to global events even at 40,000 feet.
Children are also well catered for, with over 250 dedicated kids’ and family-friendly channels, curated to meet Emirates’ commitment to being a family-first airline. The airline ensures that all inflight content meets high editorial standards through careful selection and monitoring, guided by international ratings and cultural considerations.
Global Partnerships with Leading Content Providers
Emirates collaborates with world-renowned entertainment platforms to bring passengers the most in-demand and up-to-date shows, movies, and music. This includes partnerships with HBO Max, Disney+, Paramount+, Discovery+, Shahid, BBC Earth, Food Network, and Spotify. Through these agreements, customers gain access to trending series, curated music playlists, and award-winning documentaries. Emirates is the largest global content licensee in the skies and acquires top titles as soon as they become available for non-theatrical release.
Passengers can also personalize their inflight experience through the Emirates App, which allows them to browse and pre-select their preferred movies, shows, or music, and synchronize their list with their seatback screen once onboard.
Thoughtful Curation and Editorial Direction
Behind the ice platform is a dedicated team responsible for continuously refreshing and curating the content library. Each month, Emirates introduces new collections, spotlighting films and media aligned with cultural moments and international observances. For instance, during Autism Awareness Month, ice featured a themed folder with content related to neurodiversity. During Earth Month, passengers had access to nearly 60 nature-focused documentaries.
Emirates also tailors collections to highlight brand ambassadors, such as actress Penélope Cruz, by showcasing her filmography onboard. A monthly ice magazine guides passengers through the latest content and includes information about onboard Wi-Fi, featured inflight shopping through EmiratesRED, and upcoming releases.
Innovation and Accessibility at the Core
Emirates has a legacy of pioneering inflight technology. It was the first airline to introduce personal seatback screens in all classes in 1992, inflight telecommunication in 1993, and mobile phone usage in 2008. The airline continues to innovate, now offering a user interface on its latest Airbus A350-900 designed specifically with accessibility in mind. Developed with Thales and advocacy groups, this interface includes audio-cue navigation, touch and swipe support, and voice feedback, ensuring passengers with visual impairments enjoy a seamless experience.
Emirates was also the first airline to introduce Audio Descriptive soundtracks and Closed Captions in 2008. Today, more than 600 movies offer Closed Captions and over 200 include Audio Descriptions, providing inclusive entertainment options for passengers of all abilities.
Original Productions and Cultural Storytelling
Beyond licensed content, Emirates produces original media including its Emirates World podcast series. These feature conversations with thought leaders, authors, Dubai government officials, and key figures such as astronaut Dr. Sultan AlNeyadi. In a groundbreaking 2023 moment, ice streamed a live interview with Dr. AlNeyadi as he orbited Earth aboard the International Space Station – a world-first in commercial aviation inflight content. Emirates’ latest ice promo video, now showing onboard, uses advanced CGI and was produced in partnership with the award-winning team at Framestore. The three-minute cinematic-style spot follows an Emirates crew member through a high-energy, imaginative journey that spans everything from sci-fi planets and pirate battles to Bollywood sets and polar landscapes — all representing the variety and reach of ice content.
A Platform for Every Traveller
Music lovers will find over 3,500 albums and 500 curated playlists across genres from Afrobeats and K-pop to classical and global hits. Language learners can access UTalk courses in eight languages, while self-improvement seekers can watch premium LinkedIn Learning content on leadership, productivity, and entrepreneurship.
Despite its vast size, Emirates ensures ice remains intuitive and navigable, with content recommendations, smart interfaces, and regular updates. Server upgrades on new aircraft like the A350 have tripled media storage capacity, enabling even more content without sacrificing performance.
Looking Ahead
As Emirates continues to invest in content, partnerships, technology, and user experience, ice remains a central pillar of the airline’s commitment to excellence and innovation. With a 33-year legacy of inflight entertainment leadership and a forward-thinking strategy, Emirates ice continues to redefine the passenger experience — ensuring that every journey is as entertaining as the destination itself.
