I'll be connecting at IAD from a US domestic flight (but not B6) to an EK flight to DXB and have some questions about baggage.

First, if I have only carry-on bags to IAD, will I have to go back landslide anyway and check in at the Emirates counter? Or can I just check in at the gate? The domestic and international legs are on a single reservation/itinerary (done by a travel agent, not an OTA) but have two different PNRs and are issued on two different ticket stocks. I do plan to do OLCI ahead of time.

Second, if I do not go landslide, what will they do when I show up at the gate with a carry-on and a personal item? I know the regs say Y pax (which I will be) are limited to a single item that weights less than 7 kg. If they enforce the one bag rule, will they make me exit and check the carry-on?

Or will they gate-check it? And if they do, will they charge me, even if I have no checked bags at that point? I do plan to be sure that neither bag weighs more than 7 kg.

For the return trip out of DXB I have no problem with checking a bag if I have to. I'd just rather not go through the hassle at IAD if I can avoid it. (And I'll keep the smaller bag under the sear in front of me unless there is plenty of space in the OHB.)

Thanks!