Flying out of Dubai this weekend? Reach the airport early, urges Emirates

Dubai - More than 450,000 passengers expected to travel from, to and through Terminal 3 at Dubai Airport over next two weekends.

Dubai carrier Emirates Airline has issued an advisory as the summer rush begins at Dubai airport. The Dubai-based carrier has urged customers to build in extra time to their journeys to avoid potential delays, and arrive at the airport three hours before departure.

Emirates is expecting more than 450,000 passengers to travel from, to and through Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport (DXB) throughout the next two weekends on over 1,600 flights. The busiest days for the airline will be this weekend and the next one, July 2-3 and July 9-10, although high passenger traffic is expected to start today (July 2), and will run through July 12.

In addition, close to 100,000 passengers will be arriving in Dubai on Emirates flights to start their summer holidays during that same period.

All Emirates and DXB touchpoints are fully prepared to manage the increase in passenger traffic, with measures and protocols in place designed to enhance safety as travellers move through Terminal 3.

Travellers are strongly urged to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their flight departure to avoid delays. Passengers are encouraged to build in extra time for their journey with expected heavy road traffic coming into Terminal 3.

Passengers are also reminded to review the latest travel requirements to their booked destination, including whether forms, vaccination certificates or negative PCR tests are required on the Emirates Travel Hub, which has the latest information for every country on the airline’s route network.

They can physically check-in and drop off their luggage at any Emirates counter 24 hours before departure.* All passengers physically checking in at the airport are requested to check-in no later than 3 hours before departure. Customers who present themselves less than 60 minutes before their scheduled flight departure will not be accepted for travel. They can also check-in online 48 hours to 90 minutes before flight departure. Those who opt to check-in online are reminded to visit the Emirates check-in counters or contactless kiosks to complete the required travel documentation checks and formalities.

Travellers are also advised to make sure they get to their boarding gate on time. Gates open 90 minutes before departure, boarding starts 45 minutes before each flight and gates close 20 minutes before departure. If passengers report late Emirates will not be able to accept them for travel. Check-in and gate closure timings are strictly followed for on-time departures.

Passengers can look forward to an easier and hassle-free airport experience with contactless check-in, its biometric path and enhanced digital verification of Covid-19 medical information.

Significantly reducing wait times, Emirates’ contactless kiosks are completely controlled by personal mobile devices without the need to touch the screens. Along with check-in, customers can choose seats on board, drop off their bags, and even pay for ancillary products like extra baggage.

Customers can also utilise Emirates’ biometric path for a contactless journey via 18 check-in desks and 7 biometric boarding gates, with virtually no document checks and less queuing.

Emirates is also providing more ways for its passengers to fulfil their pre-departure health requirements through digital verification.

Travellers flying between Dubai and London, Barcelona, Madrid, Istanbul, New York JFK, Moscow, Frankfurt, Charles De Gaulle, and Amsterdam can also now use the IATA Travel Pass to manage their Covid-19 travel documentation, including vaccination and latest PCR test results.

Emirates is also connecting the Alhosn app with its check-in systems, in addition to its existing integration with the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). Customers will have the advantage of digital retrieval and verification of Covid-19 medical records for a paperless experience regardless of where in the UAE they had completed their vaccination, or PCR and antigen tests.

• Dubai