The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai has revealed that more than 9.4 million travellers completed their travel procedures through the smart technology system at Dubai Airport, which includes smart gates and the borderless travel service known as the 'Red Carpet', during the first half of this year.
The directorate also announced a reduction in transit time from 12.5 seconds to just 3.4 seconds. It confirmed that the 'Red Carpet' borderless travel service delivers the fastest transit experience of its kind in the world, and has helped cement Dubai airports' standing as a global model for quality of life and operational efficiency, having successfully reduced transit time by 60% to just 3.4 seconds per traveller.
The total number of beneficiaries of the integrated smart travel system reached 9,464,057 travellers, of whom 9,025,000 used the smart gates as the primary pillar of transit procedures, while 439,321 travellers completed their journey through the Red Carpet service.
The directorate noted that the Red Carpet has the capacity to process the procedures of 10 travellers simultaneously in an instant and intelligent manner, while the borderless travel service embodies a new concept based on zero documents and zero touch points, reflecting an advanced level of digital integration.
The service represents the most advanced stage in the journey towards smart travel, enabling eligible travellers to complete entry and exit procedures while in motion, without the need to stop or present any documents.
The service relies on an integrated system of artificial intelligence and biometric recognition technologies, bringing about a qualitative leap in the travel experience by reducing transit time from 12.5 seconds to just 3.4 seconds, eliminating all touch points and dispensing entirely with documents — an achievement that reflects Dubai's leadership in developing smart travel solutions and enhances the standing of its airports among the most advanced in the world.
Smart gates form the primary pillar of the smart travel system at Dubai airports. By relying on the latest biometric data technologies, the gates allow eligible travellers to complete their procedures within seconds without the need for traditional formalities.
This integration directly contributes to increasing the capacity of air ports of entry, enhancing the operational efficiency of the world's busiest airport, and cementing the highest levels of accuracy and security in transit procedures.
As part of its commitment to providing a proactive and seamless travel experience for all departing and arriving passengers through Dubai's air ports of entry, the Dubai immigration authority has called on travellers to make full use of this digital system by ensuring prior registration for immediate use of the smart gates and the Red Carpet.
The directorate explained that all eligible travellers can check their registration status and eligibility to use the smart gates before arriving at the airport.
This can be done by visiting the official smart gate registration inquiry service on the Dubai immigration website at https://www.gdrfad.gov.ae/ar/smart-gate-inquiry.
This proactive step allows travellers to enter preliminary data and verify system readiness, ensuring they can bypass traditional procedures and pass through directly and securely within seconds simply by standing in the gate area and looking at the green light.
In this context, His Excellency Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Miri, Director General of the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai, said that the achievements of the smart travel system embody the vision of the UAE and Dubai in harnessing innovation to deliver world-class government services.
He noted that developing the travel experience is no longer limited to accelerating procedures, but has become an investment in quality of life, enhancing the country's competitiveness, and cementing Dubai's position as a global hub for travel, business, and investment.
For his part, Brigadier General Talal Ahmed Al Shanqiti, Assistant Director General for the Air Ports of Entry Sector, said that the integration between the smart gates and the Red Carpet service reflects the evolution of Dubai's air ports of entry system through smart solutions that combine operational fluidity with the highest security standards, affirming the continued development of digital services in line with the rapid growth in passenger traffic.
Millions of travellers completed their procedures through smart technologies at Dubai Airport during the first half of 2026.
Dubai's immigration authority calls on travellers to register in advance and make use of the digital system.