Emirates has issued a peak-season travel advisory for passengers departing Dubai, warning of longer-than-usual queues through security and immigration as summer volumes rise.
The airline is asking travellers to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their flight departs and to be at their boarding gate no later than 60 minutes before departure. To account for road congestion on the way in, Emirates recommends building extra time into the journey to the airport, and suggests the Dubai Metro as an alternative.
The metro serves Emirates Terminal 3 and runs Monday to Thursday and Saturday from 5am to midnight, Friday from 5am to 1am, and Sunday from 8am to midnight.
To move through the airport faster, Emirates is pointing passengers toward several check-in options. Online check-in and bag drop opens 24 hours before departure, or 12 hours ahead for US-bound flights. Self check-in kiosks and Emirates Check-in Ports are available at the terminal. Skywards members can register for Emirates Biometrics on the airline’s app before travelling to use facial recognition at the airport.
For those who want to skip the terminal check-in process altogether, Emirates offers a home check-in service: agents come to a passenger’s home, hotel, or office in Dubai or Sharjah to weigh and tag bags, then issue a mobile boarding pass by email. Bookings must be made at least 24 hours before departure, with the latest agent visit six hours before the flight.
Two city check-in locations are also available for travellers who prefer to drop bags before heading to the airport. Emirates City Check-in Ajman operates around the clock. The ICD Brookfield Place location in DIFC is open from 8am to 10pm daily, with hours extending to midnight from 1 July.
