Dubai International is adding a pre-check layer before immigration queues, with Economy Middle East reporting that Dubai Airports launched a Smart Gates Eligibility Pre-Check service for passengers at DXB.

The feature lets travellers confirm whether they can use Smart Gates before they reach Passport Control.timing matters because the airport is entering its summer peak, with Economy Middle East placing expected traffic at around 3 million guests in the first half of July, according to Dubai Airports.

Pocket Flights Carries The Smart Gate Check

The service runs through Pocket Flights, DXB's live flight information platform, and through QR codes placed across all DXB terminals and boarding gates.

Passengers open the portal, select the Smart Gates PreCheck feature and scan the photo page of their passport with a phone camera.

The system returns eligibility within seconds.

Eligible passengers can then move directly to the Smart Gates rather than joining standard immigration queues, where the process uses marked footprints, facial recognition and a green-light prompt at the gate.

Dubai Airports developed the feature with Dubai's General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, or GDRFA Dubai.

Dubai Airports said the initiative forms part of its work to improve the passenger journey at DXB.

July Traffic Gives The Tool Its First Operating Test

Economy Middle East put the summer surge start at July 2, when residents begin leaving for holidays.

The busiest day is expected on July 12, with more than 225,000 guests.

The same fortnight is expected to bring recurring high daily traffic across DXB terminals.

Transfer passengers are expected to account for around 50 percent of total guests.

DXB is handling departures, arrivals and passengers moving between international flights, so eligibility confirmation before Passport Control can remove uncertainty before eligible travellers reach the gate.

The workflow also keeps identity verification at the immigration point rather than replacing it.

The phone scan only tells passengers whether Smart Gates are available to them; the gate process still requires the traveller to stand on marked footprints, remove face coverings or glasses, look at the green light and pass through facial recognition.

No App Download Is Required

The service avoids a separate app download.

Access through Pocket Flights or terminal QR codes keeps the check inside an existing passenger-information workflow rather than adding another registration step before immigration.

Public details do not identify the eligibility criteria used by GDRFA Dubai or state whether the tool will later cover other Dubai airports.