# Emirates Burj Khalifa A380 flypast

> Emirates’ A380 flypast ad reached 7.7 million YouTube views on a live counter.

- Owner: Emirates
- Kind: Campaign
- Sector: Auto & mobility
- Seed date: 2022-01-14
- Peak date: Week of Jan 17, 2022
- Date basis: Dates use the stated precision; chart positions are date anchors.
- Spread Score: 48 (Notable, provisional), v1.2
- Mechanics: Real-world spectacle, Platform jump, Press loop, Controversy, Newsjacking

## Summary

Emirates released the A380 flypast ad on January 14, then a making-of film. Viewers discussed it on YouTube, forums and LinkedIn; press covered the stunt and emissions criticism. Emirates announced a television, cinema and digital rollout.

## Timeline

- 2021-10-13 — Emirates (Open web) — Emirates filmed the A380 flypasts on October 13 and 14 before releasing the ad.
- Oct 2021 — James Ward (Instagram) — Ward photographed the filming from his garden and posted the image on Instagram in October.
- 2022-01-14 — Emirates (YouTube) — Emirates published the Expo ad with Nicole Smith-Ludvik atop Burj Khalifa and an A380 flying behind her.

The full timeline, metrics and sources are on the case page, or via the Pro API (https://howitspread.com/developers).

Canonical URL: https://howitspread.com/cases/emirates-burj-khalifa-a380-flypast

Cite as: How It Spread (2026). “Emirates Burj Khalifa A380 flypast.” Case HIS-00734. Spread Score v1.2: 48/100. Updated 2026-10-17. https://howitspread.com/id/HIS-00734