How airlines actually price flights from London to
Dubai
Top airlines from London to Dubai
- Fly nonstop from Heathrow (LHR) & DXB
- Fly on A380 & 787-10
- 3× daily · Peak season
- Oneworld · Earn Avios
British Airways fly from Heathrow. Upper deck of their A380 has smaller, more comfortable cabins.
Our take on British Airways
- Fly nonstop from Heathrow (LHR) & DXB
- Fly on 787
- 1× daily · Peak season
Royal Brunei fly to Dubai enroute to Bandar Seri Begawan in Brueni. Daily direct flights can be a great deal with better legroom than Emirates or BA.
Our take on Royal Brunei Airlines
- Fly nonstop from Heathrow (LHR), Gatwick (LGW) & Stansted (STN)
- Fly on A350-900, A380 & 777-300ER
- 7× daily · Peak season
- Earn Emirates Skywards points
Emirates flies from Heathrow, Gatwick & Stansted multiple times per day. Aim to fly on their A380s for more comfort
Our take on Emirates
- Fly nonstop from Heathrow (LHR) & DXB
- Fly on A350-1000
- 1× daily · Peak season
- SkyTeam · Earn Virgin Points
Virgin Atlantic fly seasonally to Dubai overnight from Heathrow.
Our take on Virgin Atlantic
- Fly nonstop from Gatwick (LGW) & SHJ
- Fly on A321neo
- 2× daily · Peak season
- Low cost airline
Low-cost airline with new flights to Gatwick from Sharjah, a short drive from Dubai. Meals and bags are not included as standard.
Our take on Air ArabiaROUTES & DOOR-TO-DOOR TIMINGS
Best airports for nonstops from London to Dubai
Flights from London to Dubai
Flights from Dubai to London
Economy airfares to Dubai
The £561.79 flight is mostly taxes and charges
British Airways can charge over 11 times more for the base airfare for the same Economy class seat. Notice how all the other taxes and charges stay exactly the same?
This is also why airlines like British Airways can't sell seats for much less than £562 (there's not much airfare left to discount) and why extras often cost so much.
Carrier surcharges are flat rates by travel class for fuel (like splitting petrol money for a 6,828 mile roundtrip). Taxes like UK Air Passenger Duty and UAE taxes are unavoidable too.
This shows the secret to finding cheap flights to Dubai. It's all about reducing the base airfare to £103 each way, or as close as possible.
Airfare rules: Which travellers pay 11x more (or less)?
| Rules | BA £1,207 Economy Fare | BA £103 Economy Fare |
|---|---|---|
| Base Airfare | £1,206.50 each way | £103.00 each way |
| Advance Purchase | None required | 0 days minimum |
| Day Restrictions | None | None |
| Season Restrictions | None | Off-peak (11 Aug–13 Jul) |
| Minimum Stay | None | 3 days after arrival |
| Maximum Stay | 12 months | 12 months |
| Stopovers | Unlimited free | 2 free, then £75 each |
| Transfers | Unlimited free | Unlimited free |
| Cabin Class | Economy (Y) | Basic Economy (O) |
| Changes | Free (reprice only) | Fee applies (reprice) |
| Refunds | Fully refundable | Non-refundable (taxes only) |
| No-show | Refund available | Ticket loses all value |
Airlines raise airfares from their lowest sale rates when they expect to fill their flights
Economy
Premium Economy
Business
First
Flight search is a game
Some win. Most don't. Not because they don't try. But because they don't know the rules.
Every time you book a flight from London to Dubai, you're playing the game. 5 airlines compete on this route, each setting their own airfares and rules.
You, the plucky traveller, search your way through (probably) 50 different tabs and a headache. You never get to see these rules of the game. But you can still spend as much as a sofa for the same Economy class seat.
Double jeopardy for UK travellers: all players start on an island. Flying is the only practical way to get to Dubai. You're playing whether you like it or not.
The secret to flight search? Search widely.
Find the fare rules that work for your trip, without paying over the odds
- Different airlines
- Different dates
- Different routes
- Different ticket types
- Different travel sites
But don't search randomly. The strategies below will help you decode airline pricing rules for London to Dubai. That's how you find fares in the £300-450 range consistently, even at peak times.
Ready to play?
Search strategies to find cheap flights to Dubai
Combine two one-ways
Book outbound and return as separate one-way tickets to fly the same flights and avoid return ticket pricing.
Best for:
Return trips outside of offpeak times
Routes where low-cost airlines operate (they typically only sell one-ways)
Long haul trips during peak times
Routes where prices differ significantly by direction
Mixing airlines between outbound and return flights
Save £686 (58%) by combining two one-ways
How this search strategy works
Return flight
One-way outbound
One-way return
- Find this on BA.com, Google Flights, Skyscanner
- Different dates, different carriers
- Budget carriers Pegasus & AJet
- LON-DXB Nonstop
- DXB-LON Nonstop
- Connections via SAW
- £686 cheaper than BA direct
- Manage cancellations separately
Fly any route between London and Dubai
Try all combinations of departure airports, arrival airports, and connecting stops to find the most competitive fare
Best for:
Routes with a choice of many departure or arrival airports
Routes with a choice of relevant airlines
Route that fly past several major airline hubs
Travellers willing to connect to save money
Travellers prioritising cash savings over earning points & status
Save £535 (45%) by flying to Abu Dhabi instead
How this search strategy works
Return flight
Fly to Sharjah instead
- Most expensive option during peak season
- Change destination airport
- 90 minute bus/taxi to Dubai
- LON-DXB Nonstop
- £535 cheaper
- One stop via Amman
- Budget 90 min ground transport to Dubai
Self connect via Europe
Long haul flights from other European hubs can be much cheaper than UK departures due to competition, not paying UK/London rates, and avoiding UK Air Passenger Duty long haul rates. Position yourself with a cheap separate flight (could be on a low-cost airline) with plenty of time to self-connect.
Best for:
Long haul flights outside of offpeak times
Long haul flights in premium cabins (Business, First, Premium Economy)
Flexible travellers who can self-connect and re-check bags
Couples, families, or any groups where savings made are multiplied by each traveller
Anyone willing to give themselves 3+ hours or overnight between flights
2-for-1 trips: visit another European city and save money on the way
Save £661 (56%) with self-connect via Bucharest
How this search strategy works
Return flight
Search Bucharest to Dubai
Plus positioning flight
- Peak Easter pricing
- Book 2 separate tickets
- Overnight connection in Bucharest
- LON-DXB Nonstop
- £661 cheaper (56% saving)
- Self-connect risk: collect bags and re-check-in
- If first flight delayed, you may miss connection
- Allow generous connection time (6+ hours)
What to know before you book
Best window seats are on the right
Eastbound flights to Dubai are timed to typically see a lot of sunsets and sunrises. You'll see these from the right-hand side. The flight paths tend to cruise down the Persian Gulf with views of the desert on the right too.
Search to airports across all of the UAE
With traffic and large terminals, most of the airports in and around Dubai are quite similar in times door-to-door. You never know unless you search — door-to-door prices and times may be just as competitive.
Search from all your nearby airports
The UAE is well served from the UK. Besides UK-based carriers like BA and Virgin, Emirates have an extensive flight programme to the UK, including three London airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted.
Cheapest prices are typically low-cost airlines via Turkey and Eastern Europe
Istanbul is about a 4 hour flight from both London and Dubai. Low-cost airlines like Pegasus and AJet offer self-connecting or same ticket itineraries through to Dubai for a fraction of the cost.
Best cabin? Book the upper deck on BA & Emirates A380
Smaller cabins and easier aisle access feels far less crowded than the dense Economy cabins on other aircraft. You can find these on the BA A380 flights, and some Emirates A380s from Gatwick.
Flying outbound? Book the earliest daytime flights or latest overnight flights
The UAE is four hours ahead of the UK and about a 7 hour flight. The best night's sleep isn't on a plane. If you can spare the travel time (in-flight wifi can help with productivity), the dayflights will help you feel more rested.
Flying back, book an afternoon or overnight flight
Flying back to the UK typically takes just under 8 hours. You can enjoy a more relaxed morning and miss the worst of the traffic to the airport by flying in the afternoon or overnight.
Compare holiday packages (even if you're travelling for work)
Flight + Hotel packages can have savings that you'll never find by booking separately or via a travel agent. British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Emirates all have extensive holiday package offers to Dubai.
Let's find your ideal flights
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Best window seats are on the right
Eastbound flights to Dubai are timed to typically see a lot of sunsets and sunrises. You'll see these from the right-hand side. The flight paths tend to cruise down the Persian Gulf with views of the desert on the right too. Flying back to London, you typically get a better view of London over the right hand side, including swooping approaches over London from the north east approach into Heathrow.
Search to airports across all of the UAE
With traffic and large terminals, most of the airports in and around Dubai are quite similar in times door-to-door.
Dubai International (DXB) is the main airport and home to Emirates. Dubai World Central (DWC) is further west nearer the Palm, and due to replace DXB. There is more limited service there at the moment, but you may find it faster to fly in and out of.
Sharjah, a neighbouring Emirate, is only 25 minutes drive without traffic. Sharjah is better known for cargo, but it is also home to Air Arabia who now fly to London Gatwick.
Abu Dhabi's airport (AUH) is nearer Yas Marina and right beside the E11 highway into Dubai. This is the second major international airport in the UAE, and home to Etihad. BA also have direct flights here.
All of these airports also have connecting flights from other hubs in the region, like Doha, Bahrain, and Riyadh.
You never know unless you search. Door-to-door prices and times may be just as competitive.
Search from all your nearby airports
The UAE is well served from the UK. Besides UK-based carriers like BA and Virgin, Emirates have an extensive flight programme to the UK, including three London airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted.
Try searching from all your nearby airports, or mix-and-match route combinations to find better timed flights and lower prices.
Cheapest prices are typically low-cost airlines via Turkey and Eastern Europe
Istanbul is about a 4 hour flight from both London and Dubai. Low-cost airlines like Pegasus and AJet offer self-connecting or same ticket itineraries through to Dubai for a fraction of the cost.
Wizz Air also offers flights to Dubai from its bases in Eastern Europe like Budapest and Bucharest. You can also self-connect from European low cost airlines like Ryanair and easyJet to other low cost airlines like Air Arabia and Dubai.
These airlines lack the comfort and amenities of long-haul network airlines like Emirates and Etihad, and fares usually exclude all extras like bags and meals. If nonstop prices are high and you're considering these options, compare the like-for-like packages with the airline's websites directly.
Best cabin? Book the upper deck on BA & Emirates A380
Smaller cabins and easier aisle access feels far less crowded than the dense Economy cabins on other aircraft. You can find these on the BA A380 flights, and some Emirates A380s from Gatwick.
The current British Airways A380 layout has Economy split over the main and upper deck. Unlike the main deck 3-4-3 layout, the upper deck is 2-4-2 and has large side bins for storing your personal belongings (as opposed to just the overhead lockers).
Most Emirates A380s to London are 4-class with the upper deck all premium. Some of the Gatwick flights are in their 2-class configuration which (unusually) has business class behind economy on the upper deck (this makes it easier to keep the Emirates bar layout).
Flying outbound? Book the earliest daytime flights or latest overnight flights
The UAE is four hours ahead of the UK and about a 7 hour flight. That means flights land about 11 hours later local time.
The best night's sleep isn't on a plane. If you can spare the travel time (in-flight wifi can help with productivity), the dayflights will help you feel more rested. Even the earliest flights from the UK will land late enough in the day to miss the worst of Dubai's traffic. Waking up for a morning flight will also help you naturally adjust to the UAE's earlier timezone.
Note that a lot of flights will land into Dubai around midnight. For European carriers, these turn around to fly back to Europe overnight. For Emirates, this feeds their biggest eastbound bank of connecting flights. It will feel like early evening UK time, but you may prefer to arrive a little earlier and enjoy the evening in your destination before bed.
If you do plan to fly overnight, book the latest possible flight. You'll be more ready to go to sleep onboard, and land nearer hotel check-in time and after the busiest Dubai traffic (both at the airport and on the roads). Plan to board these flights tired and ready to sleep for most of them.
The flights in between are the worst of both worlds. Departing London between 3pm and 9pm, you'll land into Dubai in the early hours or busiest morning peak. Most of these flights are timed for onward connections, not travel to Dubai.
Flying back, book an afternoon or overnight flight
Flying back to the UK typically takes just under 8 hours. You can enjoy a more relaxed morning and miss the worst of the traffic to the airport by flying in the afternoon or overnight.
Afternoon flights see you landing back in the UK early evening, ready for bed. You'll find it much easier to readjust to the UK timezone.
Overnight flights are short, but give a full day in Dubai and London. Try and eat before flying, then plan to sleep for most of the flight — the next day will feel long. You'll typically be served a snack then a full breakfast nearer arrival.
Most flight options are early morning. These are timed because of either overnight flights from UK (BA and Virgin) turning around, or from Emirates' largest westbound bank of connecting flights. The airport will be at its busiest. 7am flights mean a very early start and an extra night in a hotel. If you are going to pay for the hotel, why not book the afternoon flight and enjoy the time you have booked there.
Compare holiday packages (even if you're travelling for work)
Flight + Hotel packages can have savings that you'll never find by booking separately or via a travel agent. British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Emirates all have extensive holiday package offers to Dubai.
Airline packages access different inventory that you can't access when booking alone. Wholesale hotel "bed banks" are typically sold at a cheaper rate than what is sold direct to consumers.
You'll typically find most major hotels and chains. Booking a package holiday will mean no benefits from hotel loyalty, but the savings can often make up for it.