Emirates has installed over 200 biometric cameras across Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport in a project worth AED 85 million, the airline revealed.
The system allows passengers to move through check-in, immigration, boarding gates, lounges and aircraft boarding using facial recognition after registering on the Emirates app.
The initiative, developed in partnership with the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigner Affairs Dubai (GDRFAD), removes the requirement for passengers to present passports and boarding passes at points throughout the airport.
The cameras can identify a passenger’s biometric profile from one metre away, enabling passengers to move through areas where document checks were previously required.
How to use Emirates biometric facial recognition at Dubai Airport Terminal 3
Emirates customers can register for the biometric service through the Emirates app, at self-service kiosks at the airport, or at check-in desks. Passengers must be 18 years or above and register individually.
Registration through the app takes a few minutes and requires Emirates Skywards membership.
Passengers need to scan their passport, verify that passport details match their Emirates Skywards profile, and provide consent for Emirates to use details stored in the UAE General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs database.
Emirates Skywards
AI Generated
Emirates Skywards is the loyalty programme of Emirates and flydubai, offering members various benefits such as earning and redeeming miles on flights, upgrades, and other rewards. Membership provides access to exclusive perks, including priority check-in, lounge access, and bonus miles, enhancing the travel experience for frequent flyers.
Once registered, passengers can use biometric zones when flying to and from Dubai International Airport.
“With our latest Biometrics Path development, Emirates has invested in further innovations to enhance the customer travel experience, providing remarkable speed, efficiency, and accuracy at Terminal 3 in Dubai International Airport. Since 2017, we have been working in collaboration with the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai to upgrade our equipment and implement the latest technologies, ensuring that our customers enjoy a world-class, seamless journey,” Adel al Redha, Emirates’ Deputy President & Chief Operating Officer said in a statement.
Emirates launches biometric check-in and boarding at Dubai International Airport (DXB)
After registration, passengers can use biometric facial recognition to check in at kiosks when flying from Dubai. Emirates plans to extend biometric services to connection flights in future.
Registered passengers can use GDRFAD-managed Smart Gates at Emirates Terminal 3 for immigration clearance on arrival and departure from Dubai.
The Smart Gates require passengers to step into the gate for a photograph before proceeding to security or baggage collection. The gates are available for UAE citizens and residents, GCC nationals, and visa-on-arrival visitors with biometric passports.
Emirates customers with lounge access can enter the lounge at Concourse B through facial recognition at five entry points. Registered passengers approach the gate, face the camera, and proceed into the lounge.
Biometric boarding is available at some departure gates on Concourses A, B and C, with additional gates to be equipped. Passengers do not need to present boarding passes when using biometric boarding.
Emirates and GDRFAD deploy 200 biometric cameras across Dubai Airport Terminal 3
“At GDRFA Dubai, innovation has long been part of our DNA and a cornerstone of our services. Over the years, we have integrated artificial intelligence and biometric technologies to make travel through Dubai faster, safer, and more intuitive. Our partnership with Emirates continues this path of excellence, reflecting the spirit of collaboration that defines Dubai’s government and private sectors. Together, we are shaping a seamless travel experience that embodies reputation of the United Arab Emirates in general, and Dubai in particular, for efficiency, hospitality, and digital governance,” Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai added.
For passengers who have visited Dubai or are Dubai residents with a biometric record with GDRFAD, Emirates matches their facial image against their GDRFAD profile after registration.
For passengers without a GDRFAD profile, Emirates creates a temporary biometric profile to register consent. The temporary profile converts to a GDRFAD profile when the passenger enters Dubai, which Emirates uses for subsequent flights to and from Dubai.
A GDRFAD profile is a digital profile created and managed by GDRFAD when a customer visits Dubai.
