Travelers who have a flight to catch but don’t want to arrive at the airport too early can benefit from Emirates’ latest check-in experience.

The airline has announced the debut of its downtown Dubai city check-in that includes a bag drop service.

Located at the ICD Brookfield Place in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the center opened on April 27, 2023.

For maximum convenience, the city check-in center allows Emirates’ customers to book travel, check-in for flights, drop luggage, shop for travel essentials and save time at Dubai International Airport (DXB).

It should prove ideal for travelers who have flights to catch later in the day, and still want to explore Dubai without having to haul their luggage with them. With bags checked and the check-in process completed, the airline’s customers are then free to arrive at the airport closer to the time of their flight departure.

From the city check-in center, passengers can directly head to the airport via taxi, Emirates chauffeur service, or take a short 10-minute walk to Financial Centre Metro Station connecting into the Airport Terminal 3 Metro Station.

Check-in robot assistant

Emirates is also debuting ‘Sara’, a portable robot that takes the place of an airline check-in agent.

According to Emirates, ‘Sara’ can match faces with scanned passports, check passengers in and guide them to the luggage drop area.

There will still be self-check in kiosks and human airline representatives for more complex check-in procedures.

“Emirates City Check In is our latest addition to the Emirates travel experience, showing our commitment to providing customers with an array of check-in options. Our new location is the first ultra-convenient check in and baggage drop facility conveniently located in the DIFC area. People can avoid busy periods at the airport and minimize queuing,” Adel al Redha, Emirates’ chief operating officer said in a statement.

The Emirates City Check‑in and Travel Store is open daily from 08:00 to 22:00.  Bags can be dropped as early as 24 hours and as late as 4 hours before flights.