Based on current growth rates, Dubai could even become the leading international destination from the UK as early as 2018.
It's an interesting idea, but in my opinion Emirates would have to look to grow to more UK airports before there is any 'danger' of that being achieved. There is only so much more passenger growth they can get out of the existing six UK airports they fly from.
To give you some idea of the scale of the challenge, the most flown to international destinations from the UK's airport for the calendar year 2012 were:
1. AMSTERDAM 7403338
2. DUBLIN 6874179
3. MALAGA 4289832
4. DUBAI 4222946
5. PALMA DE MALLORCA 4171258
6. ALICANTE 3954048
7. PARIS (CHARLES DE GAULLE) 3512273
8. TENERIFE (SURREINA SOFIA) 3279187
9. BARCELONA 3198885
10. GENEVA 3099823
Jumping ahead of Malaga may seem realistic in the short term, but EK would have its work cut out to equal AMS and DUB. Let's remember these are massive destinations from the UK with a very healthy spread of airport coverage. If EK looks to diversify a bit in the next few years and add STN, EDI, BRS, CWL, LBA, EMA, BFS etc then maybe, just maybe, they might realise that aim.