Summary

  • Plan ahead for peak summer travel with Emirates: arrive 3 hours early, check in online, pre-order duty-free, and download the app.
  • Emirates offers convenient services like luggage drop-off, pre-ordering meals, and shopping to enhance the airport experience for travelers.
  • Passengers can help themselves by utilizing self-service technology, accessing special assistance, and taking advantage of Emirates’ tips to ensure smooth travels.

This is the first time since 2019 that we enter the summer season with no travel COVID-era travel restrictions, and many in the industry expect it to be the busiest summer ever for airlines and airports. Most airlines have restored aircraft capacity to pre-pandemic levels, and airports have sorted through the personnel and resource shortages that plagued the recovery just a few summers ago, but how well are passengers prepared for what’s ahead?

Emirates needs your help

With its home base in the world’s busiest international hub, Emirates is more aware than most of what must be done to keep systems flowing smoothly during peak times. Last week, the Middle Eastern carrier stressed the important role passengers play in getting flights away on time and issued some valuable tips on how they can help themselves.

Emirates Biometric Check In

Photo: Emirates

Emirates expects to depart more than 2.6 million passengers from Dubai International Airport (DXB) over one month, with peak volumes just before the Eid Al Adha celebrations and as families head off for summer vacations. It wants customers to plan for extra traffic on airport approaches, more people going through Immigration and the additional time it may take to travel between concourses to reach boarding gates.

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While passengers have heard this before, Emirates highlighted that in peak travel times, they need to arrive at the airport three hours before departure, pass through Immigration 1.5 hours before and be at their correct boarding gate one hour before the aircraft is due to depart. Emirates said that if you want to have a good airport experience, it is all about planning, and it sets out some of the ways passengers can keep their cool and feel ready to step on board in a relaxed mood.

An Emirates worker loading suitcases into a van.

Photo: Emirates

The pandemic greatly accelerated self-service technology at airports, and much of what Emirates suggests involves passengers doing things well before they even step out their door for their trip. It lists seven ways passengers can help themselves, including the following.

Here is the way to do it

The first is to download the Emirates app for flight details and to change flights, download a digital boarding pass, check the meal selections, pre-order a meal if you are in business class, book a chauffeur drive service, and pre-select and plan movies to watch via the IFE. Online and app check-in are open 48 hours ahead of departure time and are a must.

Emirates pre order meals app

Photo: Emirates

The easiest option is to check in from home in Dubai and Sharjah. Agents will complete the process at the passenger’s home, hotel or office and take the baggage to the flight. The service has to be booked 24 hours in advance and is complimentary for First Class and Platinum Skywards members.

Emirates Check In Home

Photo: Emirates

Emirates passengers can drop off luggage at the airport the night before their flight at no charge, and those leaving Dubai can check in and drop their bags off 24 hours before departure or 12 hours before for US flights. They can also check-in and drop off bags in the city at the Emirates City Check-in and Travel Store between 24 hours and four hours before their flight, from 08:00 to 22:00 daily.

Emirates Bag Drop

Photo: Emirates

Pre-ordering duty-free shopping on EmiratesRED.com can save time, as purchases are delivered to passengers on the plane by cabin crew. Customers can shop from 21 days up to 40 hours before the flight, and the service is available on most flights. Emirates also suggests that travelers use transport options in the airport, including trains, shuttle buses, Emirates buggies, and Dubai airport buggies.

Special assistance is also available for People of Determination, who can access dedicated support from trained Emirates and airport staff. This includes a pre-planning guide for DXB for those with hidden disabilities, two hours of complimentary parking at the airport and a dedicated priority lane for check-in, passport control, security and priority boarding if required.

Have you followed any of these tips? Let us know in the comments.

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