All passengers and crew survived, but one firefighter died.
The incident brought the world's busiest international airport to a halt for several hours.
The Boeing 777-300 was flying in from India when it reportedly slumped onto the runway in Dubai and burst into flames.
Video footage shows parts of the plane shooting into the air after the landing.
All 300 passengers and crew on board, including two Australians, managed to escape the aircraft.
Fourteen people were admitted to hospital, and one firefighter died battling the blaze.
This passenger says it was a terrifying ordeal.
"No, no, we were inside the plane when the cabin ... when the smoke was (there) ...Then, immediately, they evacuated. After that, we had to walk. Then, after some time, this all came. After that, only we came to know something like there's a fire in the engine or something. We don't know the technical thing, actually. I don't know what happened."
It is the first significant accident for the United Arab Emirates airline.
It appears to have occurred after the crew, including an Australian co-pilot, attempted to abort the landing for a second try amid unconfirmed witness reports of landing-gear problems.
Airline chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum says the plane had undergone maintenance last year and the pilot had over 7,000 hours of flying experience.
Sheik Ahmed says it is too early to pinpoint the cause of the crash but it is unlikely there was a security breach.
"I always rule out that there is anything in terms of a security issue at this stage, and I don't think so. There was one fatality. It is actually one of the firefighters, a man at Dubai International Airport. But nothing from the people who are on board that aircraft, from the passengers and, also, from the cockpit and cabin crew."
Emirates Airline says those on board the flight came from 20 different countries, including Britain, the United States and Saudi Arabia.
The deputy consul-general of the Indian consulate in Dubai, Muraleedharan K, says all assistance is being provided to affected travellers.
"We will be offering all of our services, whatever they want, to all the passengers. I have assured all the passengers that they will be provided with all assistance, whatever is required."
