Travel is expected to peak this weekend for Emirates, as the airline expects yet another busy period with over 100,000 passengers passing through Terminal 3 this upcoming weekend ahead of the winter holiday break.

The busiest time for departures will be on Friday 14th December with more than 30,000 passengers scheduled to travel. Peak travel will continue throughout the month with high passenger traffic peaking again on Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd of December.

With road works and infrastructure enhancements happening around the main airport highways and roads during this time, Emirates urges customers to build in extra time to their journeys to avoid potential delays. Customers are reminded to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their flight departures. Passengers can physically check in at the airport as early as six hours before departing on their flight, and are requested to check in no later than 2 hours prior to departure, regardless of class of travel. Customers who check in less than 60 minutes prior to their scheduled flight departure will not be accepted for travel. Customers can also check in online on both their desktops and mobile devices from 48 hours to 90 minutes before flight departure.

In addition to online check-in services, Emirates also offers convenient car park check-in facilities equipped with 16 check-in counters, located in Zone C. Customers can use these to check in and drop off their luggage. Alternatively, customers heading to Emirates Terminal 3 can choose to drop their luggage at one of the 46 dedicated bag drop counters in Economy Class or separate counters in First Class and Business Class from six hours to 90 minutes prior to departure. Families travelling with small children can use dedicated Family counters in Check in Zone 2.

Along with checked in baggage, passengers are strongly advised to adhere to carry-on baggage weight limits, which are 7kg for Economy Class and 14kg for Business and First Class. Staff will be checking the weight of carry-on bags at various touch points before passengers board their flights.

After checking in, passengers 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 will be strictly followed to ensure flights depart on schedule. These time checks will ensure minimal flight delays out of Dubai.

All customers at the check-in counters in Terminal 3 will be awed by a unique Emirates Christmas tree decked with Fly With Me Animals including popular characters Peek U the panda, Lewis the lion, Savannah the elephant, Ernie the penguin and a limited edition of Bell the robin, which is offered to kids on-board throughout December. Customers are encouraged to visit and take pictures with the 5.5 meter tall Christmas tree that will continue to spread joy during the festive season until January 8, 2019.