E-Paper
Sign In
Dubai rolls out new tool for passengers to check smart gate eligibility at DXB
The introduction of the new feature comes at a critical time as the airport is currently navigating its peak summer travel period
- PUBLISHED: Fri 24 Jul 2026, 1:07 PM
As Dubai International Airport (DXB) braces for a massive surge in summer passenger traffic, a newly launched digital feature is promising to make the journey through passport control smoother and faster than ever.
Dubai Airports, in collaboration with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai, has introduced the “Smart Gates Eligibility Pre-Check.”
Recommended For You
The service allows departing and arriving passengers to instantly confirm whether they are eligible to use the airport’s biometric Smart Gates before they even reach immigration, effectively eliminating the guesswork that often leads to unnecessary queuing at traditional passport control counters.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
The rollout of the new feature comes at a critical time. DXB is currently navigating its peak summer travel period, with daily passenger averages forecast to exceed 265,000. In 2025, the airport recorded a historic 95.2 million passengers, retaining its title as the world’s busiest international airport, and the momentum has continued into 2026.
With millions of travellers passing through the terminals, efficient crowd management and seamless passenger flow are top priorities. The Smart Gates Eligibility Pre-Check is designed specifically around the objective of making the airport journey more seamless for guests.
“Every improvement at DXB is designed around the objective of making the journey through the airport more seamless for our guests,” Dubai Airports stated in an announcement on X. “The new Smart Gates Eligibility Pre-Check gives travellers instant confirmation of their Smart Gates eligibility before they reach Passport Control, making it easier to navigate their journey through DXB.”
How to use the pre-check tool
The Pre-Check service is highly accessible and requires no app downloads. Passengers can access it via “Pocket Flights,” DXB’s real-time flight information platform, or by scanning dedicated QR codes strategically located across all terminals and gates.
To check eligibility, travellers simply need to:
Open the Pocket Flights portal (dxb.pocketflights.com) on their smartphone.
Select the “Smart Gates PreCheck” option.
Use their phone’s camera to scan the photo page of their passport within the on-screen frame.
Within seconds, the system provides instant confirmation regarding the passenger's eligibility to use the smart gates. If approved, passengers can bypass the regular immigration queues and head straight to the Smart Gates.
At the gates, they simply step on the designated footprints, remove any face coverings or glasses, look at the green light, and walk through a process that takes seconds.
Expanding Dubai’s smart travel ecosystem
The Smart Gates system, which uses advanced facial recognition and biometric verification, has already proven to be a game-changer for DXB. In the first half of 2026 alone, over 9 million passengers cleared immigration through the Smart Gates.
The system is available to a wide range of travellers, including UAE and GCC nationals, UAE residents, visa-on-arrival guests, Schengen zone guests, and holders of pre-issued visas .
By encouraging more eligible passengers to use the smart gates, the new Pre-Check tool is expected to significantly reduce congestion at manual passport control counters during the busy summer months.
Furthermore, Dubai’s AI-powered “Travel Without Borders – Red Carpet” service has further accelerated the process for eligible passengers, reducing average immigration clearance times from 12.5 seconds down to an astonishing 3.4 seconds.
Ruqayya Alqaydi is a Special Correspondent with an endless curiosity to learn. Like a journalist on a caffeine overdrive, she is fuelled by passion and on a mission to uncover every gem in the UAE.