As the festive season gets underway, hundreds of thousands of travellers are expected to take to the skies to reunite with family and loved ones, indulge in holiday getaways or explore exciting new destinations.
At the heart of it all Dubai International (DXB), the world’s most connected and biggest international airport, is primed for peak season, ready to facilitate a diverse range of offerings this holiday season.
DXB will welcome an estimated 4.4 million passengers through its doors between December 15 and December 31, with the average total daily traffic reaching 258,000. The hub is preparing for an exceptional spike in guest numbers on Friday, December 22, the busiest day for the airport, welcoming an estimated 279,000 passengers.
As Dubai continues to cement itself as a popular destination during the winter, a surge in arrivals is anticipated to hit during the last two weekends of the year, with half a million passengers – mainly comprising point to point traffic, expected to arrive over six days from December 22 to 24, and from December 29 to 31.
Whether departing to go home for the holidays, arriving in Dubai to celebrate the festive season or simply passing through, Dubai Airports aims to provide guests with a truly memorable experience.
Across Terminals 1, 2 and 3, the airport will host a series of activities, from a 3D photo opportunity in a giant snow globe and visits form a range of festive performers who will be handing out chocolates and other gifts, to the chance for little travellers to meet Santa and his elves and receive special presents.
“We welcomed new airlines and additional flights at DXB at the start of the winter to help attract a growing number of visitors to Dubai and connect them to even more cities. With the holiday spirit in full swing, we’re prepared for this travel peak – your passport to a memorable experience. Backed by a state-of-the-art airport operations control centre, our dedicated teams across DXB are committed to making the festive travel experience cheerful and bright. Working closely with our partners to ensure your holiday travel is truly magical, we hope the added festive-themed activities will add a touch of wonder to their experience at DXB,” said Essa Al Shamsi, Senior Vice President of Terminal Operations at Dubai Airports.
Here are DXB’s top tips to beat the festive rush.
· If you’re flying with Emirates, use the airline’s convenient home, early and self-service check-in facilities as well as a city check-in option at ICD Brookfield Place in the DIFC area in Dubai and the dedicated facility in Ajman.
· flydubai passengers should arrive at least four hours before their departure time.
· If you’re travelling with other airlines, arrive at DXB no earlier than three hours before the scheduled departure time. Use online check-in where available to save time.
· Families with children over the age of 12 can use Smart Gates to speed up the passport control process.
· Be aware of the latest travel regulations for the destination you’re travelling to, and be prepared with all the necessary travel documents.
· Weigh luggage at home, assemble documents in advance and be prepared for security checks to minimise stress and delays.
· Properly pack spare batteries and power banks in your hand luggage.
· Say your goodbyes at home as only passengers will be allowed inside the terminals during peak periods.
· Use Dubai Metro to get to and from the airport’s Terminals 1 and 3. Metro operating times are generally extended during festive holidays and peak periods at DXB.
· Avoid Airport Road leading to Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 if you can; or expect to experience congestion during peak hours.
· Access to the arrivals’ forecourts in both Terminals 1 and 3 is limited to public transport and other authorised airport vehicles only. Those visiting the airport to pick-up guests should use DXB’s designated car parks or valet services.
· Once at the airport, enjoy DXB’s world class facilities – including restaurants, duty free shopping, hotel and exclusive lounge access before their flight.