DUBAI- Emirates Airline (EK) invests AED 85 million in new biometric technology at Dubai International Airport (DXB) Terminal 3. More than 200 biometrics-enabled cameras enable facial recognition for check-in, immigration, boarding, lounges, and aircraft access.
This initiative partners with the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA). It eliminates passport and boarding pass checks, allowing passengers to walk through from one metre away via dedicated Biometric Zones.
Emirates New Biometric Travel Experience
Emirates integrates powerful cameras that detect biometric profiles from one metre away. Passengers register once through the Emirates app, self-service kiosks, or check-in desks. Any Emirates customer, whether visitor or resident, accesses these services after consent.
Registration requires Emirates Skywards membership and passengers aged 18 or above. Each customer registers individually.
The Emirates app completes this process in minutes by scanning the passport, matching details to the Skywards profile, and obtaining consent to use GDRFA database records.
For travelers without a GDRFA profile, Emirates creates a temporary biometric profile upon registration. This converts to a full GDRFA profile upon Dubai entry. A GDRFA profile is a digital record managed by GDRFA for every Dubai visitor.
Adel Al Redha, Emirates Deputy President and Chief Operating Officer, states:
With our latest Biometrics Path development, Emirates has invested in further innovations to enhance the customer travel experience, providing remarkable speed, efficiency, and accuracy at Terminal 3 in Dubai International Airport. Since 2017, we have been working in collaboration with the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai to upgrade our equipment and implement the latest technologies, ensuring that our customers enjoy a world-class, seamless journey.”
Adel Al Redha, Emirates Deputy President and Chief Operating Officer
H.E. Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of GDRFA Dubai, adds:
At GDRFA Dubai, innovation has long been part of our DNA and a cornerstone of our services. Over the years, we have integrated artificial intelligence and biometric technologies to make travel through Dubai faster, safer, and more intuitive. Our partnership with Emirates continues this path of excellence, reflecting the spirit of collaboration that defines Dubai’s government and private sectors. Together, we are shaping a seamless travel experience that embodies reputation of the United Arab Emirates in general, and Dubai in particular, for efficiency, hospitality, and digital governance.”
H.E. Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of GDRFA Dubai
Biometric Process at Dubai Airport
Step 1: Register Customers register via the Emirates app or at DXB check-in desks. They scan their passport, match details to Skywards, and consent to GDRFA data use. App registration takes minutes.
Step 2: Biometric Check-In Registered users check in at kiosks using facial recognition. Biometrics for transfer connections launches soon.
Step 3: Smart Gates at Immigration UAE citizens, residents, GCC nationals, or visa-on-arrival visitors with biometric passports use GDRFA Smart Gates. They step in, get a quick photo, and proceed to security or baggage in seconds.
Step 4: Lounge Entry Eligible passengers enter the Emirates Lounge at Concourse B via five biometric points. They look at the camera and access chef-crafted dishes, beverages, and world-class facilities.
Step 5: Biometric Boarding Passengers board without passes at select gates in Concourses A, B, and C. More gates will add biometric boarding soon.
Security and Expansion Outlook
The system matches faces against secure GDRFA profiles for accuracy. It supports contactless travel at high-traffic DXB. Emirates expands biometric gates and processes, building on the 2017 partnership foundation.
This initiative aligns with Dubai’s broader strategy to lead the world in contactless, AI-driven airport experiences.
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