Dubai International (DXB) is expecting its ''busiest winter ever" with seven international airlines starting new flights to nine destinations.
There are now 4,400 flights (one-way) operating out of DXB every week, marking a 20 per cent increase from the previous winter season.
Here are the seven airlines and the new services and destinations that have been added to DXB's flight list since October :
- Aegean Airlines: ATH – Athens
- Air Canada: YVR – Vancouver
- Batik Air: KUL – Kuala Lumpur
- Eurowings: BER – Berlin and STR – Stuttgart
- Transavia: LYS – Lyon and MRS – Marseille
- Virgin Atlantic Airways: LHR – London
- TUS Airways: LCA – Larnaca
“The new services and increased frequencies to our winter schedule reaffirms our commitment to growing DXB as a major hub and further positioning the airport as a dynamic and competitive player in the global aviation landscape," said Rob Whitehouse, vice-president for research at Dubai Airports.
The winter season, especially in the run-up to Christmas and New Year, has always been among the busiest periods for DXB — with expats flying out to be with families and thousands visitors coming to the city for the holidays.
The airport would usually send out peak travel alerts to help passengers prepare for the holiday rush. Here are some tips to remember, based on previous advisories:
- Make use of smart gates to clear passport control in seconds.
- Arrive at the airport about three to four hours before your flight.
- Use online and self-service options wherever available.
- Weighing luggage at home, checking documents in advance, and being prepared for security checks can save a lot of time at the airport
- Roads to the airport could get busy during peak times, plan some extra time to get to and through the airport.
- Beat the traffic by taking the Dubai Metro to and from the airport.
- Say your goodbyes at home as typically only passengers are allowed inside the terminals during peak periods.
