Sunshine, luxury and easy stopovers
Dubai is about seven hours from London with reliable winter sun, world-class hotels, desert safaris and huge malls. Abu Dhabi adds the Grand Mosque, the Louvre and Yas Island. Both make ideal stopovers on the way to Asia, the Indian Ocean or Australia.
Where to go
The Burj Khalifa, Dubai Marina, beach clubs and the old souks.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Louvre and Yas Island theme parks.
Dune bashing, camel rides and dinner under the stars.
Quieter beach resorts and mountain adventures, a short drive north of Dubai.
Break the journey to the Maldives, Mauritius, Asia or Australia.
Culture and customs
The UAE is modern and welcoming, but local laws and customs are respected strictly.
Dress respectfully. Swimwear is for beaches and pools; in malls and other public areas dress modestly, and women should cover shoulders and knees.
Public behaviour. Kissing in public can lead to arrest, and swearing or rude gestures — including online — are illegal.
Alcohol. Drink only in licensed venues such as hotels and restaurants. Drinking or being drunk in public is illegal, the legal age is 21, and alcohol is banned in Sharjah.
Medicines. Some medicines that are legal in the UK are controlled in the UAE — check the UAE Ministry of Health list and carry the required documents.
Photography. Ask before photographing people, and don’t photograph government buildings or military sites.
Ramadan. Avoid eating, drinking, smoking or chewing gum in public during daylight hours in Ramadan.
How far is UAE from you?
Distances are great-circle estimates and flying times are typical, not timetabled. Message us for live fares and routes.
UAE, month by month
Hover overTap a month for average day and night temperatures and rainy days.
Long-term averages from national weather services (Dubai). Actual weather varies year to year.
Ready-made holidays, coming soon
We’re adding UAE packages you can browse and filter by trip type, length and budget. Until then, tell us what you’d like and we’ll send ideas and prices — usually the same day.
Tell us about your UAE trip
Holiday, flights only or just a hotel — send us the details and our team will come back with options and prices, usually the same day during opening hours.
- Flights issued by our own IATA-accredited team
- Internal flights, transfers and tours arranged
- Visa and passport help from our documents team
- One team to message before, during and after
Read the full official entry requirements
See the official GOV.UK entry requirements for UAE.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Updated automatically from GOV.UK travel advice.
Travelling to UAE — quick answers
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Do I need a visa for Dubai with a British passport?
No advance visa is needed. With a British citizen passport you get a free visitor visa on arrival, valid for up to 90 days over a 180-day period. Your passport must have an expiry date at least 6 months after the date you arrive.
How long is the flight to Dubai?
About 7 hours nonstop from London. There are nonstop flights to Dubai from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow, and to Abu Dhabi from Heathrow and Manchester.
When is the best time to visit?
October to April is warm and sunny; mid-May to September is very hot, with July and August averaging over 40°C.
Can I stop over in Dubai on the way to somewhere else?
Yes — a two- or three-night stopover works well on the way to the Maldives, Mauritius, Asia or Australia.
Is it safe to travel to the UAE?
The FCDO does not advise against travel to the UAE, but it reports regional tensions, including strikes and retaliatory attacks by Iran in a number of locations across the region since 8 July, and warns of possible flight cancellations and airspace closures. Read the latest GOV.UK travel advice before you book and again before you travel.
Please note: the information on this page is a general guide, checked when it was published. Entry rules, health advice, weather, seasons, flight routes and local conditions can change at any time and vary from person to person, so we can’t accept responsibility for changes or for decisions based on this page alone. Always check the latest GOV.UK travel advice and official travel health advice before you travel. It is your responsibility to check the entry, health and travel requirements that apply to you before you travel. See our terms and conditions.