Saudi Arabia Steps Up With Bahrain And Other GCC Nations As Dubai Airport And Al Maktoum International Airport Expand Smart Gates To Deliver Faster Biometric Travel

Smart Gates are being rolled out by Dubai Airports at both DXB and DWC to facilitate Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and other GCC nationals, through Biometric immigration. Smart Gates are being used by the Dubai authorities to implement state of the art biometric technology to facilitate immigration and assist millions of travelers to pass through the borders swiftly and efficiently.

Dubai Airports continues to strengthen its digital passenger journey as international travel demand grows across the region. The introduction of Smart Gates, biometric corridors and mobile immigration solutions is helping reduce waiting times while improving efficiency for travellers arriving from key markets including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar.

The technology-driven border systems are designed to support increasing passenger volumes while creating a more seamless airport experience for residents, visitors and transit travellers.

Dubai Smart Gates Deliver Faster Immigration Processing For Millions Of Travellers

Dubai’s Smart Gates have become one of the busiest automated immigration solutions at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). The system allows eligible passengers to complete passport control within seconds using biometric identification.

During the first eight months of 2026, more than 9.3 million passengers used Smart Gates across Dubai’s airports, showing strong adoption of automated border services.

The system uses facial recognition technology to verify passenger identities without requiring traditional manual document checks. Travellers approaching the Smart Gate simply look towards the biometric camera, allowing the system to confirm identity before completing immigration procedures.

Eligible users include UAE citizens, GCC nationals, UAE residents and selected visa-on-arrival travellers. Visitors carrying biometric passports may also access the service when they meet eligibility requirements.

The expansion of Smart Gates supports growing regional connectivity, particularly as travellers from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar continue using Dubai as a major aviation and tourism hub.

However, certain passenger groups must continue using staffed immigration counters. Families travelling with young children, passengers with large strollers, People of Determination and travellers below 1.2 metres are directed towards traditional passport control channels.

Smart Gates PreCheck Adds More Convenience Before Airport Arrival

Dubai has also introduced Smart Gates PreCheck to help passengers confirm their eligibility before reaching airport immigration areas.

The online service allows travellers to scan passport details before departure and check whether they can access automated immigration lanes. Screens installed near passport control areas also provide QR code access to the eligibility checker.

This digital preparation reduces uncertainty for passengers and helps them choose the correct immigration route before entering the airport processing zone.

For frequent travellers from Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, these systems create a faster and more predictable airport journey when visiting Dubai for business, leisure or connecting flights.

Dubai’s Red Carpet Technology Creates A Contactless Immigration Experience

Dubai’s Red Carpet service has introduced another level of biometric border processing by allowing eligible passengers to complete immigration without presenting physical travel documents during the process.

The biometric corridor uses facial recognition technology to identify travellers while they continue walking through a dedicated lane. This removes the need for passengers to stop at conventional immigration counters.

During the first eight months of 2026, Red Carpet processed 745,188 travellers, highlighting growing demand for contactless airport experiences.

The service achieved an average immigration processing time of approximately 3.4 seconds, demonstrating the speed possible through advanced biometric verification.

Currently, Red Carpet is available for eligible UAE citizens and residents at Dubai International Airport Terminal 3. Passengers complete a one-time registration process that connects passport information with biometric facial data.

The system supports Dubai’s wider objective of developing one of the world’s most efficient international travel environments while improving passenger movement through busy airport terminals.

Click And Travel Brings Mobile Immigration Services Directly To Passengers

Dubai has further expanded border technology through Click and Travel, a mobile passport control solution designed to provide additional flexibility during busy periods.

Launched after a four-month operational pilot, the service allows immigration officers to use mobile devices instead of fixed counters to complete passenger verification.

The system connects mobile equipment with immigration databases and uses biometric confirmation to verify traveller identities before completing arrival or departure procedures.

Between May and August 31, 2026, Click and Travel completed 31,373 passenger transactions during its pilot operations.

Each transaction takes around 12 to 15 seconds, allowing airport teams to manage passenger flows more efficiently when large crowds gather around traditional immigration points.

The mobile system gives authorities the ability to move processing capacity directly towards passenger areas rather than relying only on fixed immigration desks.

This flexibility is particularly important during peak travel periods when Dubai welcomes large numbers of visitors from international and regional markets, including Gulf destinations such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar.

Dubai Strengthens Digital Border Infrastructure Across Its Airports

Dubai’s three major immigration technologies provide different solutions for different passenger needs.

Smart Gates manage high-volume automated processing through dedicated lanes. Red Carpet provides a fully biometric corridor experience for registered travellers. Click and Travel adds operational flexibility by allowing immigration services to move closer to passengers.

Together, these systems create a multi-layered digital border network designed to support Dubai’s growing aviation and tourism sectors.

More than 25.8 million passengers travelled through Dubai’s airports during the first eight months of 2026, creating increased demand for faster and more efficient immigration services.

The continued expansion of automated border technology reflects Dubai’s focus on improving passenger convenience while maintaining secure identity verification.

As travel demand continues to rise across the Gulf region, travellers from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar are increasingly benefiting from Dubai’s investment in smart airport infrastructure.

Through biometric processing, artificial intelligence and digital verification systems, Dubai is reshaping the future of international airport arrivals and departures with faster, smarter and more connected travel experiences.