Baggage

Baggage FAQs

• Can I carry firearms, weapons and ammunition in my baggage?

  Firearms, weapons and ammunition may be carried as checked baggage on Emirates flights under the following conditions:

  • You must be in possession of the original firearms licence in your name and all original documents stating the appropriate clearances and permissions (if applicable) to export and/or import the firearms, weapons and ammunition.
  • The carriage of any type of firearm, weapon and ammunition must be approved by Emirates no less than three days before your flight. Please complete the firearms form (only available in English) in the contact us section of our Help Centre to start the approval process. Please allow extra time for public holidays and weekends in your country of residence and the UAE.
  • The firearm must be completely unloaded and, if possible, dismantled and packed inside a suitcase or standard gun case.
  • Ammunition must be securely stored in a strong, sealed box packed inside a suitcase and surrounded by other contents. The suitcase must not bear an ‘Explosive’ label.
  • The maximum gross weight of the ammunition carried by any single customer is 5kg (11lb). Customers travelling in groups must carry ammunition in their own separate bags, with no single bag carrying more than the 5kg (11lb) limit.
  • All fireworks and any other items containing explosives, for example Christmas crackers, firecrackers, bottle rockets, poppers and sparklers are forbidden to be carried either as carry-on baggage or as checked baggage on our flights.

  The following special conditions apply to customers wishing to carry firearms on flights into or through Dubai:

  • Customers who wish to bring firearms and ammunition into the UAE must obtain prior clearance from UAE Customs and the UAE Ministry of Defence. To obtain this clearance, customers must contact these government departments directly.
  • For transfer and transit customers who are connecting to onward flights, prior clearance to travel with firearms and ammunition must be obtained from the Dubai Airport Police Department and the Department of Civil Aviation.

• Can I carry holy water on Emirates flights?

  If you’re travelling to perform Haj or Umrah, you may bring up to five litres (5 kg) of Islamic Holy Water (or ‘Zamzam water’) in your checked baggage. This is in addition to your overall free baggage allowance and it must be packaged appropriately, in a sealed container. This rule only applies if your itinerary includes Jeddah (JED) or Medinah (MED) in any cabin class.

• Can I carry smart bags on Emirates flights?

  ‘Smart’ or ‘innovative’ baggage includes bags with motors, power banks, GPS, GSM, Bluetooth, RFID or Wi-Fi technology. There are restrictions on carrying smart bags with lithium batteries as both cabin and checked baggage on all our flights.

  For cabin baggage

  Smart bags within the cabin size and weight allowance for your route are allowed in the cabin as long as the battery is removable. The battery can stay in the bag as longs as the bag is powered off completely. Please note you can’t charge the bag on board.

  For checked baggage

  Smart bags are allowed as checked-in baggage if the battery is removed and carried in the cabin, and the baggage is within the checked baggage size and weight allowances for your route.

  Please be aware that smart bags with built-in batteries that can’t be removed are banned both as cabin and checked in baggage.

  You can visit our Dangerous Goods page for a full list of prohibited items.

• Is baggage transferred when I’m on connecting Emirates flights?

  If you’re connecting in Dubai between Emirates flights for less than 24 hours, your bags will be checked through to your final destination. Therefore, your bags will not be available to collect in transit, unless otherwise specified by our airport staff.

  This includes tickets purchased on emirates.com, including using the advanced search option. If you wish to collect your bags in Dubai, please get in touch with us to make this type of booking or modify your existing booking.

• What are the new security measures for flights to USA, Canada and UK?

  All those travelling to USA, Canada and the UK are required to switch on their electronic devices at the Dubai International airport or risk being denied access to fly. Please ensure that your electronic devices have sufficient power before reaching the airport. This is part of enhanced security measures required by the authorities of these countries.

  All hand baggage is subject to screening. Screening will be done at relevant boarding gates, for flights departing to destinations in the US, UK and Canada. 

  Passengers who are unable to switch on their electronic devices risk being offloaded or being asked to leave behind such devices. There is no secure location to store these devices, and Emirates will be unable to bear responsibility for these items.