The summer holidays are set to start soon with schools in the UAE breaking for holidays in the coming weeks, leading to a particularly busy time at Abu Dhabi Airport.
To ensure guests enjoy a convenient travel experience during this busy period, Etihad Airways has a number of travel tips and reminders to save time:
Early Check-in
For the convenience of those guests who live downtown, early check-in is available at the Abu Dhabi City Terminal for AED30 per guest. Guests should arrive at Abu Dhabi International Airport at least three hours before take-off, accounting for extra road traffic.
Moonlight Check-in will be available for guests to check-in early at Abu Dhabi Airport. Guests using Etihad’s Moonlight Check-in will receive 2,500 Etihad Guest miles per guest, 5kg additional baggage per guest, as well as an Abu Dhabi Airports discount and offers voucher on Duty Free and Food & Beverage.
Moonlight Check-in guests will have the option to purchase access to one of the Etihad Business Class lounges at Abu Dhabi Airport with a special 50% discount offer.
Moonlight check-in will operate at Abu Dhabi Airport Terminal 3, counters 75 to 80, between 4am and 6am, and again between 4pm and 6pm during the following periods:
- 4pm-6pm Wednesday, 27 June to 4am-6am Monday 9 July
- 4pm-6pm Thursday, 12 July to 4am-6am Sunday 14 July
Check-in and Boarding Times
Economy Class check-in for non-US flights opens three hours before departure and closes one hour before departure. Economy Class check-in for US flights opens five hours before departure and will close two hours before departure. Guests must also present themselves at the US Customs and Border Protection facility no later than 90 minutes before departure. Boarding for all Etihad Airways departures closes 20 minutes prior to departure for guests in all classes.
Given the significant increase in demand for check-in for the start of the school holidays, Etihad Airways will relocate check-in for the following flights on the mornings of Friday 29 June and Friday 6 July to Terminal 1:
- EY083 to Rome (FCO) STD 0845
- EY077 to Amsterdam (AMS) STD 0920
- EY535 to Beirut (BEY) STD 0930
- EY297 to Baku (GYD) STD 1010
- EY647 to Cairo (CAI) STD 1050
Etihad Airways mobile app
With the Etihad Airways mobile app, guests can check in 48 hours before departure and download an electronic boarding pass for presentation at the bag drop and when boarding their flight. The app is free to download from the Apple App Store or Android Play and has a host of features including preferred seat selection, pre-purchasing of additional baggage and flight status information.
Online Check-in
Online check-in is also available on Etihad’s website, etihad.com. For those guests who have checked in on-line but are unable to print their boarding passes at home or the office, self-service kiosks are available in Terminals 1 and 3 to print their boarding passes prior to proceeding to the bag drop.
Family Check-in
For guests travelling with young children and infants, a dedicated ‘Family Check-in’ area will be available for flights checking-in at Terminal 3 each morning (6am-9am) between 27 June and 31 July. Extra Etihad Airways staff will be available on site to provide assistance, and additional signage and dedicated immigration access will ensure a seamless airport experience.
Smart Travel
When proceeding through departure immigration or upon return, Abu Dhabi Airport’s ‘Smart Travel’ immigration e-gates are available for registered UAE nationals and residents. Guests simply scan their passport and mobile or paper boarding pass at the e-gates and the immigration process will take a matter of seconds.
Etihad Baggage Policy
For the safety and comfort of all guests, Etihad Airways stringently enforces its cabin baggage policy of 7kg for Economy Class and 12kg for First and Business Class guests. Maximum Cabin Baggage dimensions are: Height 50 cm, Depth 25cm, Width 40cm. Staff will be checking the weight of cabin baggage at check-in at prior to boarding the aircraft.
Prior to proceeding to the airport, guests are reminded to check their e-ticket or the Etihad Airways website for the baggage policy related to their particular fare, destination or class of travel. The Etihad Airways app and website offer a number of additional options for guests to pre-purchase additional baggage at special rates prior to departure.
Pre-purchase travel options
The Etihad Airways website also has a variety of pre-purchase seating and upgrade options for greater comfort while travelling during the school holidays. The ‘Extra Legroom Seats’ offer a generous space for guests to stretch their legs, while the ‘Preferred Seating’ option allows guests to choose a seat nearer the exit or just somewhere more private.
There is also the innovative ‘Neighbour-free Seat’ option for guests to choose. Instant upgrades to Business or First Class are also available for purchase at special rates during check-in for guests looking to travel in additional comfort.
Access to Etihad Airways’ Abu Dhabi Airport Business Class lounges in Terminal’s 1 & 3 is also available for purchase by Economy Class guests at the lounge prior to departure. For those guests in Business Class, you can also purchase access to our First Class Lounge & Spa to experience an even more exclusive level of service and hospitality, before stepping on board your flight.
