Emirates warns of peak travel period out of Dubai this weekend

Passengers checking in less than an hour before their flight will not be accepted

Passengers wait and walk through Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport. National Geographic Channels / Andy Davis

If you're jetting out of Dubai this weekend, give yourself plenty of time to make your flight.

Emirates has warned travellers ahead of what it says is the peak period for the UAE, as expatriates head home for Christmas and the New Year.

The airline expects 100,000 passengers to pass through Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport, with the busiest time for departures on Friday - the day after the end of the first school term.

"Peak travel will continue throughout the month with high passenger traffic peaking again on Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd of December," it said.

The busy festive period comes amid roadworks and infrastructure enhancements around the airport, so the airline is advising its customers to arrive at least three hours before their flight.

It made it clear that those who are running behind schedule will not be allowed to board their flight.

"Passengers can physically check in at the airport as early as six hours before departing on their flight, and are requested to check in no later than two hours prior to departure, regardless of class of travel," it said.

"Customers who check in less than 60 minutes prior to their scheduled flight departure will not be accepted for travel.

"Customers can also check in online on both their desktops and mobile devices from 48 hours to 90 minutes before flight departure."

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Boarding gates will be open 90 minutes before departure, while boarding starts 45 minutes before each flight. Gates close 20 minutes before departure.

Emirates said check-in and gate closures timings "will be strictly followed to ensure flights depart on schedule" and to avoid delays out of Dubai.

Passengers will be able to get into the Christmas spirit with the aid of a 5.5-metre Christmas tree at Terminal 3, and on board there will be a Christmas-inspired menu for those travelling from Dubai on select routes to Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States and South Africa.

Meanwhile, passenger traffic at Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international traffic, continues to grow.

It handled more than 7 million passengers in October, a 2.1 per cent increase from a year earlier. Its traffic in the first 10 months of the year rose 1.5 per cent to 74.5 million, Dubai Airports, its operator, said on Monday.