Dubai’s flagship carrier Emirates on Wednesday alerted its passengers to an airport rush — which is expected to start in two days.
If you’re travelling in December, plan your journey carefully, the airline tells passengers, as departure numbers peak throughout the festive month, including over the UAE National Day and Christmas holidays.
During most December weekends, more than 75,000 Emirates passengers are expected to fly out of Dubai International Airport (DXB) each day.
Earlier this week, DXB also said they were gearing up for their “busiest winter ever” with seven international airlines launching services to nine new destinations.
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To help travellers beat the airport rush, Emirates listed the following tips:
- Arrive at the airport up to 3 hours before a flight and take note of your boarding time to ensure you reach the departure gate on time.
- Take advantage of a wide array of check-in and baggage drop options.
Choose from Emirates City Check In and Travel Store; the newly refurbished First and Business Class Check-In areas at Dubai International Airport; private home check-in services; or remote check-in facilities.
- Download the Emirates app to access flight details.
Book and change flights, download a digital boarding pass for most destinations, get notifications about your flight, check what meals will be served, pre-order your hot meal in Business Class, book a chauffeur drive service and even pre-select and plan movies to watch via ice inflight entertainment.
- Customers can also check in on Emirates.com.
Online check-in and app check-in are both open 48 hours ahead of flight departure time.
- Drop off luggage at the airport the night before travel at no charge.
Passengers who are departing from Dubai can check-in early and drop off their bags 24 hours before departure, or 12 hours before departure if flying to the US. Then closer to departure time, customers can proceed directly to the immigration area in the airport.
- Save time at airport and check in at the Emirates City Check‑in and Travel Store in ICD Brookfield Place, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) instead.
Passengers can check in and drop their luggage as early as 24 hours and up to 4 hours before a flight.
- Those starting their journeys from Ajman can also take advantage of a 24‑hour City Check‑in at Ajman Central Bus Terminal.
Passengers can check in up to 4 hours before the flight departs, check in baggage, and collect boarding passes, buy a bus ticket for Dh20 and head directly to Emirates Terminal 3, with regular bus departures throughout the day from 4am to 11.30pm. Upon arrival at the airport, travellers can continue through to their flight.
- Passengers can also opt to check in at home in Dubai and Sharjah.
DUBZ agents complete the check-in process in the customer’s home, hotel, or office, and take the bags to the flight while customers are free to breeze through the airport later. Passengers can book at least 24 hours before a flight and proceed to the airport check-in up to six hours before the flight departs. The Home Check-In service is complimentary for First Class passengers.
- Special assistance for People of Determination
People of Determination can access dedicated support from trained Emirates and airport staff when travelling over the festive period. This includes a pre-planning guide for Dubai International Airport (DXB) for those with hidden disabilities, 2 hours complimentary parking at the airport and access to a dedicated priority lane for check-in, passport control, security and priority boarding if required.