Emirates vs Virgin Atlantic:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Virgin Atlantic had more branded searches than Emirates among airlines in the United Kingdom. Virgin Atlantic had about 450,000 branded searches, while Emirates had 368,000. Virgin Atlantic made up 5.5% of all airline searches we track, and Emirates accounted for 4.5%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about airlines, Emirates and Virgin Atlantic each appeared in two of the five answers. Emirates was mentioned before Virgin Atlantic in every answer that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Virgin Atlantic, about 22% more searches than Emirates
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 2 of 5 answers.
Who does AI recommend more?
Emirates, named ahead of Virgin Atlantic in 2 of 2 answers
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Top airlines in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Emirates and Virgin Atlantic were each mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Emirates was listed before Virgin Atlantic in every answer that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Ryanair1st
easyJet2nd
Jet23rd- Emirates4th
- Virgin Atlantic5th
British Airways6th
Wizz Air7th
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- easyJet4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Ryanair4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Jet23 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- British Airways2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Virgin Atlantic2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Emirates2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Wizz Air1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about airlines
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which airline should I fly with from the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best airlines in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best low cost airline for flights from the UK to Europe?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“flights”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“cheap flights”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 22, 2026.
Is Emirates or Virgin Atlantic more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Emirates and Virgin Atlantic by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven airlines we track, month by month, from searches in United Kingdom.
Share of searches by month for Virgin Atlantic, Emirates. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | easyJet | British Airways | Ryanair | Jet2 | Virgin Atlantic | Emirates | Wizz Air |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 26.2% | 21.4% | 26.2% | 10.2% | 5.3% | 5.3% | 5.3% |
| Nov 2025 | 24% | 24% | 24% | 11.5% | 4.8% | 5.9% | 5.9% |
| Dec 2025 | 25.9% | 25.9% | 21.2% | 10.1% | 5.2% | 6.4% | 5.2% |
| Jan 2026 | 28% | 22.9% | 22.9% | 11.4% | 4.6% | 5.6% | 4.6% |
| Feb 2026 | 29.2% | 19.5% | 23.9% | 12% | 4.8% | 5.9% | 4.8% |
| Mar 2026 | 25.9% | 21.2% | 25.9% | 10.6% | 4.3% | 7.8% | 4.3% |
| Apr 2026 | 29.4% | 19.6% | 24% | 13.4% | 4.8% | 3.9% | 4.8% |
| May 2026 | 29.2% | 19.5% | 23.8% | 13.8% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 5.9% |
| Jun 2026 | 25.5% | 20.8% | 25.5% | 14.8% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 5.1% |
| Jul 2026 | 28.8% | 19.2% | 23.5% | 16% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 4.7% |
| Aug 2026 | 29.8% | 19.9% | 19.9% | 16.6% | 4.9% | 4% | 4.9% |
| Sep 2026 | 27.3% | 22.3% | 22.3% | 13.7% | 5.5% | 4.5% | 4.5% |
How has the Emirates and Virgin Atlantic comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands once in the 12 months ending September 2026: Virgin Atlantic took it in April 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Emirates’ share of searches among airlines in the United Kingdom moved from 5.3% to 4.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 450K to 368K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Virgin Atlantic’s share of searches among airlines in the United Kingdom moved from 5.3% to 5.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 450K.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom airlines in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Virgin Atlantic gained share of searches among airlines in the United Kingdom, from 4.9% to 5.5%.
In September 2026, Emirates rose from 7th to 6th among airlines in the United Kingdom.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Emirates’ and Virgin Atlantic’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Emirates
1 branded search term
- emirates
Virgin Atlantic
1 branded search term
- virgin atlantic
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