(Credit - Dubai Media Office)
What is the Red Carpet smart tunnel?
The Red Carpet “Travel Without Borders” smart tunnel at Dubai International Airport Terminal 3 is a biometric corridor developed by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA) with Dubai Airports. Enrolled travellers walk through and are cleared by AI and biometrics without presenting documents to an officer. The reported average processing time is about 3.4 seconds. Unlike the Smart Gates, it requires enrolment, and the full eligibility criteria have not been published, so confirm your own status before relying on it.
Red Carpet tunnel and Smart Gates compared
| Red Carpet smart tunnel | Smart Gates | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | A corridor you walk through | A gate you stand at for a camera scan |
| Reported speed | About 3.4 seconds on average | Typically within seconds |
| Capacity | Up to 10 moving passengers at once | One passenger at a time |
| Registration | Enrolment required | Registration required; first-time users are registered at passport control |
| Who | Enrolled, eligible arriving and departing passengers; individuals and groups | UAE and GCC nationals, UAE residents, visa-on-arrival guests with biometric passports, and others GDRFA lists |
| Cost | Ask GDRFA Dubai | No additional fees, per GDRFA Dubai |
How to find out if you qualify
- Do not plan around the tunnel until you have confirmed enrolment. The service handles enrolled travellers only.
- Ask GDRFA Dubai about enrolment on 800 5111 from within Dubai, or +971 4 313 9999 from overseas.
- If you are not enrolled, use the Smart Gates after the eligibility pre-check, or a manual counter.
How many people use it?
In January to June 2026, 439,321 travellers used the Red Carpet service, according to GDRFA. See the full first-half figures and how the AI corridor works. The tunnel supports the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 goal of AI-driven government services.
Example Scenario: A Group Arriving Together
The group here is made up. Four colleagues land at Terminal 3 and two of them are enrolled. Because the tunnel handles individuals and groups of enrolled travellers, the enrolled pair walk through it together in seconds. The other two use the Smart Gates if the pre-check says yes, or a manual counter if it does not. The group meets after immigration, and no one has to queue for a lane they cannot use.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Red Carpet tunnel open to everyone?
No. It is for enrolled, eligible passengers.
Is it only for arrivals?
No. It is reported to serve both arriving and departing passengers.
Where to go next
- Smart Gates, Red Carpet and Click and Travel: who can use each
- Red Carpet AI corridor: how it works and when it launched
- Who cannot use the Smart Gates
