Five ways for families to travel smarter

As schools break for mid-term holidays and a peak travel period kicks off from the 14 October onwards, Emirates announces a myriad of ways to ensure a smooth and swift travel experience for families, including new updates to the Emirates app and digital check-in options.

All passengers are advised to arrive at the airport up to three hours before their flight and take advantage of Emirates’ multiple smart technologies to ensure seamless travel during the busy period.

Plan everything on app

Passengers can download the apps like the Emirates app on their mobile phone to get all the flight details at their fingertips. Users can now track their baggage, as well as book and change flights, download a digital boarding pass for most destinations, check what meals will be served onboard, book their chauffeur drive service and even pre-select and plan movies to watch via the ice inflight entertainment- so that no time is wasted in getting the kids comfortable and happy onboard.

Check in online, or remotely

All passengers can check-in online 48 hours ahead of their flight using the online check-in option. According to Emirates, in a few clicks, they can select a seat and preferred meal, and take advantage of any last-minute upgrade options. At the airport, it’s easy to drop bags at the dedicated baggage drop desks and download a digital boarding pass.

Those starting their journeys from Ajman for instance can also take advantage of a 24‑hour city check‑in at Ajman central bus terminal.

Read also: Top 10 travel online services in 2022 review

Sort your luggage out in advance or check in from home

An excellent and complimentary option – especially for families travelling with children – is to drop luggage the night before travel. Passengers who are departing from Dubai can check-in early and drop off their bags to the airport 24 hours before departure, or 12 hours before departure if flying to the US or Tel Aviv, and then arrive at the airport and proceed directly to immigration.

Making travel swift and smooth, Emirates also offers a home check-in service in Dubai and Sharjah, fulfilled by DUBZ. DUBZ agents complete the check-in process in the customer’s home, hotel or office, and take the bags to the flight while customers are free to breeze through the airport later.

Self check-in kiosks at the airport

A quick and easy option once at the airport is the self check-in kiosks. Travellers can follow the steps on the touchscreen kiosk and complete the check-in process or operate the kiosk without touch using a mobile phone. It’s possible to view the travel itinerary, choose a preferred seat and add Emirates Skywards numbers, and if you’ve already checked in online, there is also an option to use the baggage drop area to check-in bags.

Get smart with biometrics

For first and business class customers departing Dubai, the Smart Tunnel at Dubai International Airport is a world-first for passport control, whereby passengers simply walk through a tunnel and are cleared by immigration authorities without human intervention or the need for a physical passport stamp.

All it takes to register is a quick photo at check-in to capture facial data. Travellers can check-in, clear immigration, access the airport lounge in Concourse B, and board flights at selected gates purely by facial recognition or using their boarding pass.