Dubai Airport's new procedures: arrive four hours before your flight, but not earlier

Select Emirates flights are now operating out of Terminal 3: here's what you need to know before you go to the airport

Protective barriers have been installed at Dubai International Airport at each check-in desk and immigration counter to provide additional safety reassurance to passengers and employees during interaction over the counter. Courtesy Emirates 

Emirates, the world's biggest long-haul airline, is adding more flights to its schedule. Bloomberg

Selected regular passenger flights are now operating out of Dubai's Terminal 3. Alamy

Social distancing measures in place at Terminal 3, Dubai International Airport. Courtesy Emirates

A man is seen through a thermal camera at Dubai International Airport on April 27, 2020, when repatriation flights were the only passenger options. Reuters

A passenger walks through Dubai International Airport on April 27, 2020, when repatriation flights only were running. Reuters

From Thursday, May 21, select Emirates passenger flights began operating out of DXB's Terminal 3, and the airport has since released a variety of new procedures and safety rules.

First things first, don't be too much of an early bird: passengers who arrive at the airport more than four hours before their scheduled departure time will not be allowed to enter the terminal buildings. This is to prevent overcrowding inside the airport.

That said, the airport does say travellers should arrive four hours before their flight to allow time for all the additional security measures – gone are the days of breezing in 90 minutes before take-off (because, remember, Emirates isn't allowing online check-in at the moment).

The destinations serviced by Emirates as of Thursday are Chicago, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Melbourne, Milan, Paris, Sydney and Toronto. Flights are scheduled on these routes until June 30.

Here are the key things to know before flying out of DXB's Terminal 3:

- You will not be permitted into the terminal without gloves and a protective mask.

- You will not be permitted into the terminal if you don't have a confirmed ticket.

- You will not be permitted into the terminal more than four hours before your flight, however you are encouraged to get their four hours ahead of your departure time to allow time for increased security measures. So basically, get there on or just under four hours before.

- Be conscious of curfew timings in Dubai, and have your tickets "available for presentation if and as required by Dubai Police".

- Select restaurants and cafes in the airport are open for dine-in and takeaway, however lounges are not operating. Some retail outlets are also open.

- You can travel to DXB as you normally would, whether via private car, public transport, taxi or Careem.

- Smart gates aren't operating, and there are new protective screens fitted at immigration counters between the passenger and the person behind the desk.

-  Expect thermal screening and temperature checks to be carried out both when you arrive at the airport, and at the gate.