Dubai Airports has unveiled a plan to "eliminate check-in procedures" for travellers carrying only cabin baggage, replacing them with biometric and advance-information systems that let passengers proceed directly to security screening . The scheme—initially targeted at DXB Terminal 3 and future Al Maktoum International operations—builds on the emirate’s smart-gate infrastructure and reflects a post-pandemic push for contact-free processing.
Under the concept, travellers will upload passport data and flight details to the airline or airport app before departure. Upon arrival at the terminal, facial-recognition cameras match the profile to the airline’s departure control system and the immigration database. Bag-free passengers then bypass conventional counters and kiosks entirely. Advanced scanners at security will also remove the need to take off belts or shoes, further compressing dwell time.
![Dubai Airports to scrap traditional check-in, letting hand-luggage passengers walk straight to security]()
For employers running short-haul commuter programmes into Dubai, the change promises tangible productivity gains: an estimated 15–25 minutes saved per trip compared with current fast-track channels. Travel-management companies say the process will be especially attractive for board-level executives on day-return meetings, as well as for consultants who maximise time on site.
The project coincides with record DXB throughput: the hub handled 24.2 million passengers in Q3 2025, its busiest ever quarter . Airport executives argue that removing bottlenecks at the landside check-in hall is essential if Dubai is to sustain growth while a new mega-terminal is built.
Under the concept, travellers will upload passport data and flight details to the airline or airport app before departure. Upon arrival at the terminal, facial-recognition cameras match the profile to the airline’s departure control system and the immigration database. Bag-free passengers then bypass conventional counters and kiosks entirely. Advanced scanners at security will also remove the need to take off belts or shoes, further compressing dwell time.
For employers running short-haul commuter programmes into Dubai, the change promises tangible productivity gains: an estimated 15–25 minutes saved per trip compared with current fast-track channels. Travel-management companies say the process will be especially attractive for board-level executives on day-return meetings, as well as for consultants who maximise time on site.
The project coincides with record DXB throughput: the hub handled 24.2 million passengers in Q3 2025, its busiest ever quarter . Airport executives argue that removing bottlenecks at the landside check-in hall is essential if Dubai is to sustain growth while a new mega-terminal is built.
