A Toast to Tea: Emirates and Dilmah celebrate 33 years together and 33 million cups of tea served

Emirates passengers to receive commemorative gift when travelling on International Tea Day

Dubai, UAE, 20 May 2025: Celebrating International Tea Day on 21 May, Emirates and Dilmah Tea will be presenting a complimentary pack of luxury leaf artisan teas to customers on all flights, commemorating a successful 33-year partnership, and more than 33 million cups of tea served every year. Emirates Lounges across the world will also offer crafted Dilmah tea cocktails and mocktails, as well as traditional hot teas paired with sweet treats.

On International Tea Day, customers in all classes on flights over 2.5 hours will receive the special edition giftbox inflight, containing a trio of Dilmah’s most celebrated teas; the Emirates Signature Tea – Dombagastalawa FBOP1 scented with Rose, Almond and Ginger which is ideal for celebrations, Moroccan Mint Green Tea which enhances peace of mind, and Ceylon Tea with Strawberry that represents a sense of joy.

Across all Emirates Lounges worldwide on 21 May, First and Business Class customers will be able to sample cocktails and mocktails crafted with Dilmah tea and expertly paired with delicious desserts. In the Dubai lounges, an exclusive Dilmah Elixir mocktail and cocktail will be paired with a fragrant coconut vanilla cake, lemon cake and moreish apple tart. From 15 to 31 May on flights from Dubai to the UK, Emirates’ cabin crew will offer Dilmah tea pairing tips for the Afternoon Tea service in First and Business Class.

Tea Artistry with Emirates and Dilmah

Emirates brews more than 33 million cups of tea annually for customers inflight, as well as serving a range of teas in Emirates’ airport lounges worldwide. In First Class, Emirates offers a selection of 6 Dilmah gourmet blends; from the energy boosting Original Earl Grey, to a mellow Pure Chamomile Flowers, healthy and antioxidant Sencha Green Extra Special, to intense and majestic Brilliant Breakfast, the most popular option in First Class – Moroccan Mint Green Tea, as well as Emirates’ Signature Tea – Dombagastalawa Estate Ceylon FBOP1 grade, with safflower, marigold flowers, rose, ginger and almond.

In Business Class, Emirates offers 5 luxury leaf teas, Earl Grey – a deliciously fragrant gourmet tea with natural bergamot, as well as Ceylon tea, Pure Camomile Flowers, Green Tea Natural and Green Tea Moroccan Mint. In Premium Economy and Economy Class, customers can savour a choice of Ceylon or Natural Green Tea.

Emirates Cabin Crew receive a dedicated tea training to discover the sustainable origins of Dilmah tea, experience the unique flavours, learn to brew the perfect cup, and further enhance flavour with an array of accoutrements including fresh mint, honey and lemon. Cabin crew also learn about tea and food pairing, where key recommendations for customers can include pairing seafood, soft cheeses and sushi with green tea, matching beef, game, sweet desserts or hard cheeses with black tea, or combining floral teas such as Chamomile with dishes that have a citrus or tart flavour profile, like Emirates vegan Zucchini tart.

The Importance of International Tea Day

The UN General Assembly 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, marks May 21 annually as International Tea Day. The day is designed to ‘raise public awareness of the importance of tea for rural development and sustainable livelihoods and to improve the tea value chain to contribute to the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.’

Emirates longstanding partnership with ethical tea grower Dilmah delivers a significant socio-economic benefit to the Sri Lankan economy, its plantation industry and plantation community, as well as raising global awareness of the importance of tea.

33 Years of Emirates and Dilmah Tea

For more than three decades, Emirates has partnered with family-owned Dilmah Tea, the celebrated Sri Lankan tea company. Dilmah is the first producer-owned ethical tea brand globally, where the tea is cultivated, handpicked and packed at origin – perfectly preserving its natural goodness and ensuring its unrivalled position as one of the finest teas in the world.

The Dilmah tea estates sit majestically amidst impressive views of abundant waterfalls, rising mountain tops and lush landscapes, producing exceptional quality Ceylon Tea. Ceylon Tea is made from the finest quality tea leaves in pristine estates at the highest elevation, and the tea gets its unique characteristic and flavours from the rich biodiversity of the forest that surrounds it. Handpicked in the central hills of Sri Lanka, the tea leaves are withered, rolled, fermented, and fired to produce tea with sophisticated aromas, tastes, and textures -fresh from plantation to cup.

Dilmah’s founder, the late Merrill J. Fernando first offered tea that is handpicked and ethically made in Sri Lanka in the early 1980’s, nicknaming his teas ‘natures gift of goodness.’  Honouring his legacy, Merrill’s sons Dilhan and Malik continue his mission, offering ‘cups of kindness’ to the world, maintaining their father’s promise of quality and kindness to people and nature. Emirates’ partnership with Dilmah benefits thousands of children, youth, women and men who are in need of nutrition, education, vocational training and more, delivered through Dilmah’s MJF Charitable Foundation.