AVIATIONRed Carpet Smart Tunnel at DXB: Enrolment, Eligibility and the 3.4-Second Check

What is the Red Carpet smart tunnel?

The Red Carpet “Travel Without Borders” smart tunnel at Dubai International Airport Terminal 3 is a biometric service developed by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA) with Dubai Airports. Enrolled travellers walk through a corridor and are cleared by AI and biometrics without presenting documents to an officer. The average processing time is about 3.4 seconds.

Who can use it and how do you enrol?

The tunnel is for enrolled, eligible arriving and departing passengers. Enrolment is required, and published reports do not define the full eligibility criteria, so confirm with GDRFA Dubai before you rely on it. The service handles individuals and groups, and the corridor can process up to 10 moving passengers at once. It supports the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 goal of AI-driven government services.

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. If you are not enrolled, you can still use Smart Gates or the other fast lanes.