Returning to the UAE after summer break? Five ways to avoid travel rush at Dubai Airport

Dubai: Over just two days – August 26 and 27 – over half a million people are expected to use Dubai Airports. Airport authorities issued an advisory on August 16, saying that the coming two weeks would be busy as people return from their summer break.

According to Dubai Airports, during the 13-day period, from August 16 to August 28, the average daily traffic would reach 258,000 passengers, with the highest traffic expected on August 26 and 27.

So, if you are planning to return to the UAE during this period, here are some tips to follow to get through easily at Dubai International Airport (DXB).

1. Use the children’s passport control

If you are traveling with children between the ages of four to 12 years old, you can use the children’s passport control counters in the arrival halls of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 at Dubai International Airport (DXB).

These are dedicated counters for children and they even get the opportunity to go up to the passport control counter and stamp their passport themselves.

2. Use Smart Gates to complete passport control in seconds

With children getting a dedicated counter, adults can also go through passport control through Smart Gates. According to the website of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai (GDRFAD), the gates use facial and iris recognition technology to let travellers complete passport control procedures, without the need for an exit stamp on their passports.

Can everyone use Smart Gates at Dubai Airports?

According to GDRFAD, registered passengers with a height of 1.2 metres (4ft) and above are eligible to use Smart Gates. Here are the categories that are allowed to use Smart Gates:
• UAE and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) citizens
• UAE residents
• Visa-on-arrival and Schengen Union guests
• Pre-issued visa holders

According to the GDRFAD website, you need to be registered to use the Smart Gates. “All guests who have recently travelled at DXB are likely to have been registered when they travelled through the passport control check point,” the website states.

To check if you are eligible to use Smart Gates before you travel, you can also use the ‘Inquiry for Smart Gate Registration’ service, available on the official GDRFAD website - gdrfad.gov.ae. By providing your passport number or Emirates ID – in case you are a UAE resident – you can find out if you are registered on the Smart Gates system.

3. Beat the traffic by using the Metro

According to the advisory released by Dubai Airports on August 16, the road towards Dubai International Airport (DXB) is expected to get busy during peak hours. The airport authority advised guests to use the Dubai Metro instead, with stations located at Terminal 1 and Terminal 3, on the Dubai Metro Red Line. But to be able to use the Metro, make sure you have your nol card at hand.

Also, it is important to keep in mind the baggage policy you need to follow when using the Metro. As per Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), only two suitcases are permitted per passenger. This includes:
• One large suitcase - Dimensions should not exceed 81cm x 58cm x 30cm
• One small suitcase - Dimensions should not exceed 55cm x 38cm x 20cm
• All luggage must be stowed in the dedicated luggage area, which can be found in each cabin.

4. If someone is coming to pick you up at Terminal 1 or 3, head to the parking area

As the main entrance area outside the Arrivals terminal (the Arrivals’ forecourts) at Terminal 1 and 3 are only accessible to public transport and authorised airport vehicles, if a friend or family member is coming to pick you up, they would need to either use the terminal’s short-term or long-term car parks or drop the car off at the valet service.

Parking tariffs at Dubai Airport Terminal 1

Car Park A - Premium Parking

This car park is a two- to three-minute walk away from the Terminal 1 entrance, with the following tariff:
• Five minutes: Dh5
• 15 minutes: Dh15
• 30 minutes: Dh30
• Up to two hours: Dh40
• Three hours: Dh55
• Four hours: Dh65
• One day: Dh125
• Each additional day: Dh100

Car Park B - Economy Parking

This car park is a seven- to nine-minute walk from Terminal 1, with the following tariff:
• One hour: Dh25
• Two hours: Dh30
• Three hours: Dh35
• Four hours Dh45
• One day: Dh85
• Each additional day: Dh75

You will be able to reach the car park by following signs at the airport for Car Park A and Car Park B.

Parking tariffs at Dubai Airport Terminal 3

There is only one standard parking area Terminal 3, and it is two to three minutes from the arrivals’ entrance.
• 5 minutes – Dh5
• 15 minutes – Dh15
• 30 minutes – Dh30
• Up to two hours – Dh40
• Three hours – Dh55
• Four hours – Dh65
• One day – Dh125
• Each additional day – Dh100

In case you are landing at Terminal 2, the forecourt is still accessible to people picking up guests. However, if you need to use the parking area, here is a breakdown of the tariff:

Car Park A – Premium Parking

This car park is a three- to five-minute walk from Terminal 2
• One hour: Dh30
• Two hours: Dh40
• Three hours: Dh55
• Four hours Dh65
• One day: Dh125
• Each additional day: Dh100

Car Park B – Economy

This car park is a 10- to 12-minute walk from Terminal 2.
• One hour: Dh15
• Two hours: Dh20
• Three hours: Dh25
• Four hours Dh30
• One day: Dh70
• Each additional day: Dh50

5. Follow these steps if you are taking a taxi

Once you have collected your bags, follow the signs for the taxi stands, where you can find taxis waiting for passengers around the clock. RTA airport taxis start the fare at Dh25.

It is important to note that if you want to hail a private taxi from Careem or Uber, there are separate lanes for those as well.

You can also hail the limousine service from Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) at Dubai International Airport (DXB) Terminals 1, 2 and 3.

The fare for the limousine service at airport starts from Dh25, and kilometre is calculated at Dh3.67.