Medical tourists will soon be able to link flights, treatment and care through Emirates
UAE airline also seeks first GHA accreditation in aviation
DUBAI – Medical tourists will soon have a more connected way to plan flights, treatment and healthcare journeys through a new partnership between Emirates and the Medical Tourism Association (MTA).
The two organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at developing medical, wellness and longevity travel as a strategic customer segment for the airline. Signed on the sidelines of ATM Dubai 2026, the agreement will explore how international patients can connect travel arrangements with accredited healthcare providers and other services.
The partnership brings together Emirates’ global network of close to 140 destinations with Dubai’s position as a leading healthcare, wellness and medical tourism hub. It will focus on creating a structured approach to serving people travelling internationally for treatment, while also considering the requirements of referring physicians, insurers and employers.
Travel care
Under the agreement, Emirates will partner with MTA as its preferred airline for international medical and wellness travellers. The organisations will identify key markets and medical travel corridors, particularly across Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
They will also work towards developing tailored travel solutions and an enhanced customer experience around the needs of medical travellers. This includes examining how patients can better coordinate the different stages of a journey, from arranging travel to accessing healthcare.
For Emirates, the initiative represents an expansion into a specialised segment where international travel and healthcare are closely connected. The airline said its network and onboard and ground products provide a platform for serving these travellers, while insights from MTA will help inform propositions suited to how medical tourists plan, book and experience their journeys.
Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, said healthcare is among the important reasons people travel internationally and is growing significantly. He said the partnership would position Emirates around emerging premium demand while helping the airline develop propositions tailored to medical travellers.
Accredited providers
A key part of the partnership will involve collaboration with providers accredited by Global Healthcare Accreditation (GHA), the sector’s accreditation body. Emirates and MTA will work on thought leadership, industry engagement and shared market intelligence to identify growth opportunities and support international best practices in medical travel.
The agreement also supports Emirates’ ambition to become the world’s first GHA-accredited airline, extending the airline’s focus on standards within the medical travel sector.
MTA CEO and Founder Jonathan Edelheit said the partnership would provide a pathway connecting international demand with accredited healthcare providers through Better by MTA, its platform for medical travel services.
Connected journeys
MTA’s global network reaches more than 500,000 healthcare providers, employers, insurers and industry leaders. Its platforms also reach millions of prospective medical and wellness travellers annually, while the organisation maintains direct government relationships across more than 100 countries.
As part of the partnership, Emirates and MTA will explore opportunities to use the platform to help travellers identify accredited providers and coordinate treatment and travel arrangements. They will also examine secure cross-border payment options powered by Mastercard®.
The proposed model would bring several elements of a medical tourism journey closer together, including provider identification, care coordination, travel planning and payments. For international patients, the partnership is intended to create a more seamless journey between choosing a healthcare provider and arranging the trip needed to reach it.