Media Advisory Peak Summer Season Travel

21 June 2017 

The peak summer travel period is fast approaching with many travellers making plans for trips home or on holiday.

The combination of the Eid public holiday, school break and the summer season means that 22 June to 24 August will be a particularly busy time at Abu Dhabi International Airport, with up to 3.3 million guests flying with Etihad Airways across the network over the next two months.

To make sure that our guests enjoy a convenient travel experience during this busy period, we have a number of travel tips and reminders to save time.

With the Etihad Airways mobile app, guests can check in 49 hours before departure and download an electronic boarding pass. The app is free to download on iOS and Android, and has a host of features including preferred seat selection and a live flight tracker. Online check-in is also available on Etihad’s website, etihad.com.

Self-service kiosks are available in Terminals 1 and 3, allowing guests who have checked in online to print out their boarding passes at the airport.

Etihad Airways is offering special rewards for guests using the ‘moonlight check-in’ service, which is available until 5 July at Abu Dhabi International Airport Terminal 3. This service allows guests for all non-US flights to check in four to eight hours before their scheduled departure at specially marked moonlight counters in Terminal 3, between 4am and 6am, and 4pm and 6pm.

Guests using this limited-time service will receive an additional 5 kg of checked baggage, 2,500 Etihad Guest Miles, and vouchers for select Duty Free and food and beverage outlets.

Early check-in is also available in Dubai Travel Mall, and at the Al Ain and Abu Dhabi City Terminals. 

Guests should arrive at Abu Dhabi International Airport at least three hours before take-off, accounting for extra road traffic. 

Economy check-in for non-US flights opens three hours before departure and closes one hour before departure.

Guests travelling to destinations in the US must check in two hours before departure and present themselves at the US Customs and Border Protection facility no later than 60 minutes before departure.

Once at the airport, those with an electronic or printed boarding pass can use the dedicated bag drop desks in Terminal 3 and proceed to immigration more quickly than ever. Smart Travel e-gates are available for registered UAE nationals and residents.

US-bound guests are encouraged to pack any electronic devices larger than a smartphone in their checked baggage. Those wishing to carry their devices to the airport will be guided to a re-packing point before screening at the airport’s dedicated US immigration facility, where they can pack them into specially provided secure cases, for collection on arrival in the US. All US flights have power and USB ports at every seat, hundreds of hours of inflight entertainment, and Wi-Fi connectivity now available at lower rates with no time limits.

On select mornings in Terminal 3 between 21 and 24 June, a specially dedicated ‘Family Check-in’ area will be available for guests travelling with young children and infants.

All Etihad Airways flights to India have moved from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3, while Etihad Airways flights to Morocco have moved from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1.

Guests travelling in The Residence, First or Business Class, and Etihad Guest Platinum and Gold members can use the premium check-in facility at Terminal 3, regardless of destination.

Extra Etihad Airways staff will be available on site to provide assistance, and additional signage will ensure a seamless airport experience.