Emirates reveals ‘most watched and listened to’ content in the sky
As a year of bustling international travel concludes, Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, is unveiling the inflight entertainment habits of its passengers, divulging insights into the movies, TV shows, and music that captivated travelers on journeys to and from 140 destinations across the globe.
Emirates’ ice entertainment system, boasting over 6,500 channels, proved a hit with passengers seeking top-notch entertainment. Among the most-watched movies were the visually stunning sci-fi film Avatar: The Way of Water, the romantic comedy Ticket to Paradise starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts, and the enduringly popular action movie Top Gun: Maverick. Long-haul passengers worldwide also indulged in box sets like The Lord of the Rings trilogy and all four John Wick films.
Beyond English-language content, international movie preferences included Bollywood action films Vikram Vedha and Bholaa, the French thriller La Syndicaliste, Korean drama Return to Seoul, and the 2023 Cannes Palme d’Or winner, Anatomie d’une chute from France. Arabic speakers tuned into the Emirati film Khorfakkan, depicting the 16th-century invasion of the city.
For younger audiences, popular choices in 2023 included Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Tom & Jerry Cowboy Up!, Teen Titans Go! & DC Superhero Girls, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Emirates passengers enjoyed binge-watching TV series on long flights, with high viewership for all seasons of HBO Max’s Succession and both seasons of The White Lotus. In comedy, beloved sitcoms like Friends, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and The Big Bang Theory took the lead, while historical dramas The English and Women of the Movement, and suspense-filled drama Your Honor starring Bryan Cranston topped the drama category.
In the Kids and Teens section, trending TV included Schooled! and the renowned SpongeBob SquarePants, while younger kids tuned into Bluey, Hey Duggee, and Supertato.
On Emirates ice live TV channels, customers tuned into an array of sports and social events, with the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 emerging as the single most-watched sports event.
Emirates’ extensive music library, with over 3,000 albums and more than 40,000 tracks, showcased sophisticated musical preferences. Popular albums included Mozart’s Chamber Music, Ed Sheeran’s Subtract, and Taylor Swift’s Midnights. Kids’ favorites on ice Juniors Music included Cocomelon, Bluey, Kidzbop, and the Encanto soundtrack.
Top playlists featured the Arijit Singh Playlist, ABBA’s Timeless Pop Anthems, and Best of Fairuz and Khaleeji Classics. In Global Music, trending regions included India, Korea, and Africa, with top artists like Jimin, Burna Boy, and SB19.
Emirates ice also provided a dedicated area for Happiness and Wellbeing content, popular among flyers. Nature relaxation series and explorative documentaries were well-received, with series like Living Wild: How to Change Your Life and Storytelling with Gian Power: What’s your life story? capturing audience interest.
As 2023 concludes, Emirates is treating holiday-season travelers with the biggest movies of the year on ice. The fantasy-comedy blockbuster Barbie takes the top spot, available in multiple languages and with accessibility features. Action enthusiasts can enjoy Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One and The Equalizer 3, while adrenaline junkies can watch Gran Turismo, with an exclusive interview featuring Jann Mardenborough.
Looking ahead to 2024, Emirates promises exciting developments on ice, including exclusive content partnerships and next-generation inflight entertainment systems on the incoming A350 fleet. In January, customers can anticipate new releases like Expend4bles, The Creator, and Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, among others.
