Holiday travel: Nearly two million passengers expected to pass through Dubai International

With the holiday season upon us, Dubai International (DXB) is set to remain very busy over the coming days well into the New Year.

To ensure a smooth airport experience, Dubai Airports has issued a travel alert, urging passengers to plan their trip to and through the airport and follow simple travel tips.

DXB’s average daily passenger numbers have risen almost back to pre-pandemic levels on the back of strong recovery throughout 2022, making this latest seasonal peak one of the busiest since 2019.

December has been exceptionally busy for DXB owing to a combination of factors including the seasonal influx of visitors, the recently concluded football event in Doha, and Dubai’s popularity as a preferred tourist destination over the past two years.

Read: Passenger traffic at Dubai’s DXB forecasted to reach 64.3 million in 2022

.@DXB: Average daily passenger numbers at @DXB are approaching pre-pandemic levels and the next 8 days, starting Dec 27, are expected to see nearly 2 million passengers with peak traffic on Jan 2 exceeding 257,000. pic.twitter.com/EPE7oy6g6d

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) December 27, 2022

Over the next eight days starting December 27, nearly two million passengers are expected to pass through DXB, with average daily traffic reaching 245,000 passengers. January 2 is expected to be the busiest day with traffic exceeding 257,000 passengers.

Here are a few simple tips to beat the holiday rush.

• For those travelling with families, children over the age of 12 can use Smart Gates to speed up the passport control process.
• The roads to the airport could get busy during peak times. It’s best to plan some extra time to get to and through the airport.
• If you are flying out of Terminal 1, arrive at the airport no earlier than three hours before your departure.
• Use online and self-service options wherever available to get off to a smooth start to your journey.
• Those travelling from Terminal 3 can use Emirates’ early and self-service check-in facilities.
• Weighing luggage at home, checking documents in advance, and being prepared for security checks can save a lot of time at the airport.
• Use the Dubai Metro to get to and from the airport. Dubai Metro, which has stations at DXB’s Terminal  1 and Terminal 3, will be operational round the clock from December 31, 2022, to January 1, 2023.
• Say your goodbyes at home as typically only passengers are allowed inside the terminals during peak periods.
• Friends and families are advised to use the airport’s designated car parks or valet service to receive their guests in comfort as access to the arrival forecourt in Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 are limited to public transport and other authorised vehicles.