Dubai International Airport (DXB) has started testing a new high-tech passport control system designed to make travelling smoother for some passengers. The system, called “Unlimited Smart Travel”, uses artificial intelligence and facial recognition to verify people’s identity—without needing to show any documents.
Right now, it’s available in the First and Business Class lounges at Terminal 3.
This move is part of the airport’s effort to use smart technology to improve travel. The project was announced during Dubai AI Week by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA).
A senior GDRFA official explained that the system builds on the smart tunnel technology first introduced in 2020. Based on what they’ve learned, this new system can now let groups of people go through passport control at once, without stopping. For example, 10 passengers can now pass through in just 14 seconds.
Instead of lining up one by one, passengers are automatically identified using cameras placed throughout the lounge. The system recognizes faces from different angles using data already collected. Travellers will only need to register once, and their details will be stored for future trips.
The GDRFA plans to expand the system to cover arriving passengers as well, making travel faster and easier for more people in the future.
