Travelling has never been easier, especially when flying from the UAE with one of the country's four major airlines.
Emirates's newest City Check-in facility at the Dubai International Financial Centre, which opened last month and allows passengers to drop off their luggage up to four hours before departure, is the latest example of how the UAE's airlines are going all-out to ensure ease of travel even before travellers head to the airport.
From check-in facilities outside the airport to home luggage drop-off services, here are all the perks travellers can take advantage of before they fly from the UAE.
Emirates
Emirates opens check-in facility in Downtown Dubai
Launched last month, Emirates's latest City Check-In location at the ICD Brookfield Place joins the airline's other luggage drop facilities in Ajman, as well as at the Port Rashid Terminal 3 or Dubai Harbour, dedicated to travellers disembarking cruise ships.
At ICD Brookfield Place, travellers can hand over their luggage between four and 24 hours before their flight, helping to take the hassle out of the airport experience. Check-in is open from 8am to 10pm daily, via self-check-in kiosks, at dedicated desks with Emirates agents, or even with the help of the world’s first check‑in robot assistant, Sara.
At the Ajman city check-in location at Ajman Central Bus Terminal, passengers can check in up to four hours before departure and collect boarding passes. Bus tickets from Ajman to Emirates Terminal 3 in Dubai costs Dh20 with regular departures from 4am to 11.30pm.
At Port Rashid Terminal 3 and Dubai Harbour, passengers can simply step off the ship and check-in for their Emirates flight at the dedicated kiosk, giving them more time to explore the city.
Emirates also offers Home Check-in services that allows passengers to complete the process from their home, hotel or office and breeze through the airport later.
The service should be availed at least six hours before flight departure, with packages starting from Dh177 for up to two bags. The service is complimentary for first class customers.
Emirates also offers luggage drop-off services where an agent will collect your baggage, clear it through customs and deliver it to wherever you are in Dubai. This service starts at Dh93 per bag.
More information is available at emirates.com
Etihad
Etihad offers two City Check-in options — at the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal and Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
Passengers can visit the Morafiq service desk at both locations to drop their baggage and choose extras such as seat selection, fast-track their immigration checks or upgrade their booking 24 to four hours before flight departure time.
Check-in rates are Dh35 for adults, Dh25 for children aged 12 years and below and Dh15 for infants aged two years and below.
Etihad's City Check-in locations can be found at etihad.com
Air Arabia
The budget airline's City Check-In service gives passengers the ability to drop off their luggage and collect their boarding passes eight to 24 hours prior to departure. At the designated centres, passengers can also select seats, so they can immediately proceed to their designated gate upon arrival at the airport.
Air Arabia passengers can take advantage of the City Check-in service at the following locations:
- Ajman: Ajman Safeer Mall ground floor, Shop No 2 and 3
- Ajman: Air Arabia Sales Shop, Escape Tower, Sheikh Humaid Bin Rashid Street, Rumaila 1
- Sharjah: Air Arabia Sales Shop at Safeer Mall
- Ras Al Khaimah: Oman Road Nakheel, behind Lulu Supermarket
- Abu Dhabi: Al Mussafah Sales Shop, M24, Workers Village, ground floor, Near Madina Super Market, Mussafah
- Abu Dhabi: Al Nahyan Air Arabia Sales Shop, near Chocolala, Muroor Road
- Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Sales Shop, ground floor, next to Jumbo Electronics, Hamdan Street
For opening hours and additional information, call 06 558 0000
Flydubai
The low-cost airline offers both Home Check-in options, as well as Belt pick-up and delivery service, meaning passengers can head straight home or to their hotel when they arrive in Dubai and have their luggage delivered.
Home Check-in service is available for those flying from Dubai on a flydubai flight departing from Dubai International Airport. To arrange a Home Check-in service, passengers will need to fill out a request form up to six hours before departure. An agent will meet them at a designated address, check-in their luggage and hand over a boarding pass, as well as baggage tags.
Home check-in is charged per number of bags starting at Dh199 for one or two bags, excluding vat.
Flydubai's belt pick-up and delivery service can be booked any time before arrival in Dubai. Once passengers have checked in their luggage at the airport, they will be asked to share their bag tag numbers via a designated email or mobile number. Upon arrival in Dubai, passengers can then directly head home or to their hotel. A porter will then pick up the luggage, which will be delivered to a pre-arranged location within three hours of arrival.
Belt pick-up and delivery service costs Dh99 per bag and Dh40 for every additional bag, excluding vat.
Both the services can be booked via flydubai's website.
