Dubai Airport Opens a Lounge for Children Flying Solo

Airline status or a premium credit card won't get you into the new lounge at Dubai International (DXB). That's because the airport's new space is exclusively for kids traveling without their guardians, as the airport tries to make traveling as an unaccompanied minor a more pleasant experience.

Related: Tips for Booking a Trip for an Unaccompanied Minor

The new space sports a kid-friendly design, with colorful decor, entertainment systems and games to keep young travelers entertained during connections at the Middle Eastern hub.

DXB's new lounge is operated by Dubai-based airport service provider Dnata. Dnata already escorts unaccompanied minors at the two Dubai airports, and currently employs over 70 agents to escort young passengers to and from their gates at DXB. The company said that significantly more unaccompanied minors are flying through DXB now than even five years ago, and claims to have assisted over 8,000 children just last year.

Related: Unaccompanied Minor Policies and Fees in the United States

Similar rooms for unaccompanied minors exist in airports all over the world. Lufthansa has one in both Munich and Frankfurt, and Emirates already operates a similar room at DXB. The new Dnata lounge stands out because it isn't affiliated with a single airline, and is instead open to minors flying through the airport on over 120 carriers.

The new lounge is open 24 hours daily, and can be found in DXB's terminal 1.