The current Emirates First Class check-in area in Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport (DXB) has closed temporarily pending what is set to be a significant upgrade.
New private check-in lounge for First Class passengers
The details are limited, but we know that Emirates is planning a new private check-in lounge for First Class passengers using Terminal 3 in Dubai.
The lounge will be a separate space with the promise of soft sofas. The check-in team will come to passengers to take bags and process documents.
Emirates appears to be aiming for a more luxury hotel-style check-in than a typical airport experience. Assuming the reality lives up to the description, this is different from what Etihad Airways or Qatar Airways are doing with their First Class check-in zones, which are still fundamentally based around desks.
When will it open?
The new private Emirates First Class check-in lounge is expected to open in early summer 2025. The current First Class area is closed until June 2025.
Where to check in during the upgrade works
During the upgrade, alternative desks have been allocated for passengers travelling in First Class. Depending on your destination, the following desks are available:
- Desks 54‑60 for flights to the USA
- Desks 16‑20 will be available for passengers travelling to all other destinations
Home check-in for First Class passengers and Platinum Tier members
Alternatively, consider using Emirates Home Check-in during the makeover. The service is free for passengers with full-fare First Class tickets and Platinum Tier members of Emirates Skywards. Book your complimentary Home check-in service here.
If you are travelling on a Skywards redemption or paid to upgrade to First Class, you will need to pay for the Home check-in services. The price starts from just AED 199 and is available to all Emirates passengers except those travelling to the United States. You can book a paid-for Home check-in here.
My view
Emirates’ temporary closure of the First Class check-in area is inconvenient, but the promised upgrade suggests a better passenger experience is on the way. If the new lounge delivers on its hotel-style check-in concept, it will set Emirates apart from its regional competitors. We’ll know for sure when it opens in the summer of 2025.