Flying out of Dubai for holidays? 10 ways to have a smooth flying experience

Dubai - Huge rush is expected during the summer vacation period.

Dubai International (DXB), the world's busiest international airport, will get even busier in the coming weeks following the start of the summer holiday season this week with customer numbers anticipated to reach 16 million over the peak months of July and August.

The airport has urged passengers to have a smooth start to their vacation by arriving early to the airport. It has also issued some smart travel tips.

1. Be sure to check which airport and terminal you are departing from/arriving into beforehand.

2. Arrive early at the airport. It is best to leave a minimum of three hours for check-in and passport control. Take into consideration daily rush hours and available routes in calculating your commuting time to the airport.

3. Leave extra time for your journey to the airport as the roads can be very busy during the holiday season.

4. Check with the airline in advance for information on your baggage allowance. Irrespective of the allowance, a single unit of baggage weighing more than 32kg will not be accepted at check-in. You should expect to be charged for baggage more than the limit set by your respective airline.

5. It is always simpler to pack liquids, aerosols and gels (LAGs) in your check-in baggage. However, if you must carry LAGs in your hand luggage, make sure they are in a clear re-sealable plastic bag. Each item should not be more than 100ml and the total content of all items should not be more than one litre.

6. Beat the queues by checking-in online. Customers with baggage can make use of the quick-baggage drop counters, while those carrying only hand luggage can proceed directly to Immigration.

7. Remember to put anything metal -- watch, jewellery, mobile phone, coins, belt -- into your hand luggage well before you arrive at the X-ray machine. This will save time at security screening.

8. Eligible visitors (nationals of countries that get visa on arrival) and UAE residents (Emirates ID card) can use smart gates to avoid queuing at passport control, both while arriving and on departure.

9. You can choose DXB's Wake Up at the Gate package, the special package that allows a family of four to check in at Terminal 3 for their flight up to 12 hours before, get through security and head into departures starting their holiday in completely stress-free way. Perfect for those early morning flights the package turns the airport into a playground to explore, play and eat. Travellers can settle in for a good night's sleep before the whole family wakes up fresh and ready to travel just minutes from the aircraft.

10. Irrespective of your class of travel, the Al Majlis VIP service eases your journey through the airport, speeding you through check-in, immigration and baggage clearance - even assisting with travel documentation - while you relax in luxurious lounges.

• Dubai