Dubai International gets new and enhanced smart gates

An array of 20 of the new smart gates is now fully operational in the arrivals area of Terminal 1 in addition to the 10 installed last year in departures. 

In total, some 127 smart gates are now available across the entire airport, reducing average transaction times from minutes to under 10-15 seconds. 

The launch of the new smart gates coincides with the start of UAE’s Month of Innovation, which is being observed from February 1 to 28 to celebrate innovators and promote innovation. 

Smart gates do not require a dedicated card and can identify a traveller by either their passport, Emirates ID, e-gate card or a QR barcode generated via the GDRFA smartphone app. 

Smart gates can be used by UAE citizens and residents, GCC nationals and passport holders from a number of countries that are eligible for visa on arrival. 

All UAE residents who are older than 15 years can use their Emirates ID to pass through the smart gates since the new service was launched in 2017. 

The new smart gates facility has reduced queuing times at Dubai International (DXB) with more than 5.5 million travellers using it in 2017.

Dubai International was the first airport in the region and among the first globally to introduce automated immigration gates in 2002.