Dangerous Goods Policy

Forbidden items are articles or substances which pose health and safety hazards to passengers or which may damage the aircraft. These items must not be brought on board. All forbidden items are listed in the tables below. Please also refer to the Prohibited Articles by EC Aviation Security. Further local government restrictions may also apply. Please check with authorities of your departure and destination country.

Emirates forbids the transportation of all smart balance wheels (even with the lithium batteries removed) either as checked-in or carry-on baggage.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a very strict, zero-tolerance, anti-drugs policy. All airports within the UAE conduct thorough searches using highly sensitive equipment. Possession of any amounts of illegal drugs by travelers entering or transiting the UAE will be subject to punishment.

Bringing medication into the UAE

If you’re carrying controlled medication into the UAE, you must apply for approval through the Ministry of Health (MoH) website.

Check with your doctor if your prescribed medication is controlled or not. You must also carry the prescription for the quantity (max 3 months’ supply) of the medicine that you are bringing into the UAE.

All other medication (prescription for uncontrolled medication and over-the-counter medication) does not need prior approval from MoH.

For more details please visit the Ministry of Health and Prevention website(Opens an external website in a new tab).

Before you leave for the airport:

Travelers to the UAE are strongly advised to familiarize themselves with the rules regarding what medications they can and cannot bring into the country.

Please contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of the United Arab Emirates for advice if you are considering taking medications or other drugs into the UAE.

List of United Arab Emirates consulates (opens an external website in a new tab)

Passengers and carry-n baggage—List of prohibited articles

Without prejudice to applicable safety rules, passengers are not permitted to carry the following articles into security-restricted areas or onboard aircraft:

(a) Guns, firearms, and other devices that discharge projectiles—Devices capable, or appearing capable, of being used to cause serious injury by discharging a projectile, including

• firearms of all types, such as pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns,
• toy guns, and replicas and imitation firearms capable of being mistaken for real weapons; component parts of firearms except telescopic sights;
• compressed air and CO2 guns such as pistols, pellet guns, rifles, and ball-bearing guns;
• signal flare pistols and starter pistols;
• bows, crossbows, and arrows;
• harpoon guns and spear guns; and
• slingshots and catapults.

(b) Stunning devices—Devices designed specifically to stun or immobilize, including

• devices for shocking, such as stun guns, tasers, and stun batons;
• animal stunners and animal killers; and
• disabling and incapacitating chemicals, gases, and sprays, such as mace, pepper sprays, capsicum sprays, tear gas, acid sprays, and animal repellent sprays.

(c) Objects with a sharp point or edge—Objects with a sharp point or edge capable of being used to cause serious injury, including

• items designed for chopping, such as axes, hatchets, and cleavers;
• ice axes and ice picks;
• razor blades;
• box cutters;
• knives with blades longer than 6 cm;
• scissors with blades longer than 6 cm as measured from the fulcrum;
• martial arts equipment with sharp points or edges;
• and swords and sabers.

(d) Workmen’s tools—Tools capable of being used either to cause serious injury or to threaten the safety of aircraft, including

• Crowbars;
• Drills and drill bits, including cordless power drills;
• Tools with blades or shafts longer than 6 cm capable of being used as a weapon, such as screwdrivers and chisels;
• saws, including cordless power saws;
• blowtorches;
• and bolt guns and nail guns.

(e) Blunt instruments—Objects capable of being used to cause serious injury when used to hit, including

• baseball and softball bats;
• clubs and batons, such as billy clubs, blackjacks, and night sticks;
• and martial arts equipment.

(f) Explosives and incendiary substances and devices—Explosives and incendiary substances and devices capable, or appearing capable, of being used to cause serious injury or to pose a threat to the safety of aircraft, including

• ammunition,
• blasting caps,
• detonators and fuses; 
• replica or imitation explosive devices;
• mines, grenades and other explosive military stores,
• fireworks and other pyrotechnics,
• smoke-generating canisters and smoke-generating cartridges,
• dynamite, gunpowder, and plastic explosives.

Checked baggage—List of prohibited articles

Passengers are not permitted to carry the following articles in their checked baggage:

Explosives and incendiary substances and devices—Explosives and incendiary substances and devices capable of being used to cause serious injury or to pose a threat to the safety of aircraft, including

• ammunition,
• blasting caps,
• detonators and fuses,
• mines, grenades and other explosive military stores,
• fireworks and other pyrotechnics,
• smoke-generating canisters and smoke-generating cartridges,
• dynamite, gunpowder, and plastic explosives.