Emirates expects high passenger traffic on its flights this upcoming weekend starting from Wednesday 23rd March as travellers head abroad for spring and holiday breaks. Over 115,000 travellers will be passing through Emirates Terminal 3 this upcoming weekend, with consistently high passenger loads from Dubai also expected on 27 and 28 March.

Emirates reminds customers to arrive at the airport at least three hours before flight departure, and plan extra time to get to the airport to avoid delays. Passengers can physically check in at the airport as early as six hours before departing on their flight. Customers who check in less than 60 minutes prior to their scheduled flight departure will not be accepted for travel. Passengers are also advised to make sure they get to their boarding gate on time. 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. Emirates has applied these time checks to ensure minimization of delays and missed passenger connections.

Extension of online check-in

To make the customer journey more seamless, Emirates has extended its online check-in to 48 hours before departure, a full day early than 24 hours previously. Customers can now check in online on both their desktops and mobile devices from 48 hours to 90 minutes before flight departure.*

The increased lead time offers customers greater flexibility to choose their seats, and reduces waiting times at the airport as boarding passes would already be in hand. Passengers can then drop their luggage at online check-in counters before heading straight through to immigration and security.

Car Park Check-in Facilities

In addition to online check-in services, Emirates has car park check-in facilities, which operate around the clock at Dubai International Airport. Equipped with 16 check-in counters, customers can check in and drop their luggage at the car park check-in facilities from 24 hours to six hours prior to departure, easing their journey through the airport during peak travel periods.

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. An additional of 10 bag drop counters are available in our dedicated USA flight check-in zone. These initiatives offer customers shorter queues at the various check in and bag drop points.

*For United States-bound flights, boarding passes will only be issued 24 hours in advance.