The UAE is open to international tourism
The United Arab Emirates is open to travelers from all countries. Vaccinated visitors must present the vaccination certificate, while those who are not fully vaccinated should present a negative result of an RT-PCR test conducted within 48 hours before arrival. Passengers, irrespective of whether they are vaccinated, do not need to quarantine on arrival.
Depending on your nationality, you can get a VoA (Visa on Arrival) or apply for your prearranged Visit Visa from Dubai Immigration before you travel. Nationals of GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia – are allowed to enter the UAE with their national identity card.
Transiting through Emirati airports is permitted. Transiting passengers are not required to present a health certificate (unless it is mandated by their final destination).
Practical tips
- If you are flying to United Arab Emirates from abroad, you will most likely land at its main international airport—Dubai International Airport
DXB, Abu Dhabi International AirportAUH, or Sharjah AirportSHJ.
DXB, Abu Dhabi International Airport AUH, Sharjah Airport SHJ, Ras Al Khaimah Airport RKT, and Al Ain International Airport AAN.
- Planning to explore the region? Popular destinations can be easily reached with regional low-cost carriers (LCCs) by the likes of AirArabia, Air India Express, FlyNas, Flyadeal, FlyDubai, Jazeera Airways, Pegasus Airlines, Saudia, SalamAir, Smartwings, Vistara, and Wizz Air.
Flights to United Arab Emirates
from United States and Canada
- There are no direct flights from the US or Canada to United Arab Emirates. However, most major hubs in Asia have non-stop flights to United Arab Emirates, as do some larger airports in the Middle East – your journey will have at least one stop. Direct flights from Canada (Toronto) to UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi) are operated by three airlines: Air Canada, Emirates, and Etihad Airways, with an average flight time of around 13 hours. If you're looking for non-stop flights from the US, check out Emirates, Etihad Airways, JetBlue, and United Airlines for the latest offers. They have direct to Dubai from the largest hubs in the US, including Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington.
- United Arab Emirates is well-served via one-stop flights from North America. Flights to United Arab Emirates with one layover depart from most major North American airports, including Atlanta
ATL, DallasDFW, DenverDEN, ChicagoORD, Los AngelesLAX, Las VegasDFW, MiamiMIA, SeattleSEA, HoustonIAH, New YorkJFK, and San FranciscoSFOin the United States and TorontoYYZ, VancouverYVR, CalgaryLAS, and MontrealYULin Canada. - The best airlines to fly to United Arab Emirates from the US and Canada are: Air Canada, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, and Singapore Airlines. They are top full-service carriers, offering exceptional customer service, in-flight comfort, a generous checked baggage allowance, and reliable customer support channels – all included in the ticket price.
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What is the best time to book flights to United Arab Emirates?
The best time to book flights to United Arab Emirates is between 2 to 8 months before your travel date. The prime booking window (the most likely time to find the bargains) for United Arab Emirates flights is 4–6 months before takeoff. Book when you notice a significant drop in price.
Airfare prices for United Arab Emirates flights fluctuate due to demand, seasonal trends, and competition, causing numerous price drops and increases as your departure date approaches. The airlines use sophisticated revenue management systems to adjust pricing for optimal seat sales.
Generally, as seats are sold, prices tend to become more expensive.
Don’t book too early
Most airlines start selling their flights 9–12 months in advance. However, booking a ticket too early in that window can be an expensive mistake – airlines typically start by setting prices at a relatively high level to capture early demand from those willing to pay more to secure their seats.
Peak seasons are expensive
Peak travel seasons are always expensive – due to higher base prices set by airlines for dates they expect to be popular. Try to avoid the high season during summer and major holidays including holidays in UAE. If you must travel during peak times, book your flight well in advance.
Avoid last minute
Avoid booking flights to United Arab Emirates less than 30 days before takeoff. Prices spike sharply then, as airlines are taking advantage of any last-minute travelers who have no choice but to pay up.
Prime Booking Window
For long-haul flights to United Arab Emirates, the best time to book your ticket is around 4–6 months before departure. This is the “Prime Booking Window.” After some seats have already been sold, airlines start dropping prices to stimulate demand. They may also offer promotions and sales. This is the ideal time for bargain hunting.
Fly on weekdays
It makes a difference which day of the week you board the plane. Midweek travel (especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays) is less busy and likely cheaper than flying on weekends. Airlines charge higher prices for weekend travel due to the high demand from people going on short getaways or visiting family and friends.
Opt for early morning flights
To save on airfare, select a late night or early morning (1–5 a.m.) flight. Airlines often offer discounts on their first flight of the morning (up to 15-20%) simply because of lower demand—most people are not willing to go to the airport so early. Moreover, morning flights tend to have fewer delays, and airport queues are usually shorter.
Flights to United Arab Emirates from Europe
- There are no direct flights from Europe to United Arab Emirates — you’ll need to get a connecting flight from elsewhere in the Middle East or in Asia. Direct flights from Europe to UAE are just a few hours long (around 6 hours if you fly non-stop from Frankfurt, and just 4 hours 30 minutes from Athens). Most European hubs have a nonstop connection to Dubai or Abu Dhabi, including Amsterdam, Berlin, London, Madrid, Paris, Prague, Warsaw, Vienna, and Zurich. Among the airlines that operate Europe - UAE routes, you'll find both full-service carriers such as Air France, British Airways, Emirates, Lufthansa, Neos Air, SWISS, Turkish Airlines, and low-budget companies by the likes of AirArabia, Eurowings, FlyDubai, Pegasus Airlines, Smartwings, and Wizz Air
- Airlines that frequently fly from the UK, Germany, France, and other European countries to United Arab Emirates include Air France, British Airways, Condor, Cyprus Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Luxair, SWISS, and Turkish Airlines.
- Consider departure airports in neighboring countries to increase your chance of spotting the best deal. Especially look for large airports that serve as hubs for multiple airlines. For example, if you live in Western Europe, check air tickets to United Arab Emirates from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome. Leverage frequent promotions from European budget carriers like RyanAir, EasyJet, and Eurowings to reach a major hub; from there, take a cheaper long-haul flight to your final destination, potentially saving hundreds of euros.
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Home check-in service on Emirates
In Dubai and Sharjah, Emirates partnered with DUBZ to offer a “home check-in.” DUBZ agents complete the check-in process in your home or hotel and take your bags to the airport. You can just enjoy the rest of your day and breeze through the airport later. Remember to book the service at least 24 hours before your flight.
The home check-in service is complimentary for First Class passengers.
Duty-free rules
The United Arab Emirates is serious about the duty-free concession. There is a limit for bringing in certain items. As of [current_date format=”F Y”], alcoholic beverages for personal consumption – such as wine or spirits – cannot exceed 4 liters per person (or 24 cans of beer), and you can carry only 400 cigarettes or 2kg of tobacco. The total market value of all other articles and gifts must be under AED 3,000 (~$810).
Anything above those limits must be declared at the airport.
Know your time zone
The United Arab Emirates has only one time zone – it observes UAEST (United Arab Emirates Standard Time) all year, which is UTC/GMT+04 time zone. As a result, clocks in UAE are 3 hours ahead of London and 8 hours ahead of New York. UAEST does not have an associated daylight saving time.
When checking flights and airport transfer times, ensure you know the local time zones. The departure time on your plane ticket is always listed based on the time zone of the departure airport. We suggest resetting your watch during the flight – it will help your brain adjust to the new time zone and to deal with jet lag.
The cheapest time to fly to United Arab Emirates
Middle East countries, like UAE, are extremely hot from April to September. So, if you have a choice, try visiting Dubai between November and March for cooler weather (the temperates range from 30° C to 12° C). However, as these are the best months for tourists, they see a sharp spike in tourist footfall. Travelers from different parts of the world love to visit Dubai at the end of December and celebrate the new year as well – make sure to reserve your flights, hotels, rental car, etc well in advance.
Oryx hotel inside the Doha airport
Airside of the Hamad International Airport in Doha, there’s a conveniently located Oryx hotel, offering transiting passengers a choice of six different room types. You can make a booking for a night, but the hotel also accepts bookings by the hour – great for a little nap during the layover.
All guests are offered complimentary access to the Vitality Wellbeing and Fitness Centre during their stay, with the choice of spa, massage treatments, fitness, and squash activities.
As the rooms tend to be often fully booked (with only expensive suites left), we recommend booking in advance.
Avoid currency exchange kiosks at airports
Airports are infamous for making an exuberant amount of money from their currency exchanges due to the extremely high margins, and Emirati airports are no exception. Airport kiosks usually charge higher fees which are sometimes hidden within the poorer exchange rates they offer – their business is based on charging extra for being a convenient, last-minute option.
It is always a good idea to bring some cash with you to UAE. Plan ahead and exchange some money for Emirati dirham at home, or use one of the many ATMs located at the airport and in almost every city.
Airlines of UAE
The United Arab Emirates has two flag carriers – Dubai-based Emirates and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways. According to SkyTrax, both airlines have a high 4-star rating for product quality (seats, amenities, catering, cleanliness, etc) and staff service. They are also known for their big planes, comfortable seats, and spacious premium cabins. Emirates’ network is far superior for overall connectivity – the airline now flies to more than 150 destinations across 85 countries, while Etihad currently serves less than 70 international destinations.
Most short-haul and medium-haul routes from/to UAE are operated by its local airlines: Air Arabia, FlyDubai, Wizzair Abu Dhabi, Rotana Jet, and Royal Jet. These are all budget airlines (AKA no-frills airlines) that offer flights at much lower prices in comparison to full-service airlines such as Emirates and Etihad. Because budget airlines manage affordable tickets by cutting down on their operation costs, they may not provide free baggage allowance, inflight refreshments and meals, or Wi-Fi and onboard entertainment. In most cases, their tickets are fixed and non-refundable in case of no show-up or cancellation.
Flights to United Arab Emirates
from Australia and New Zealand
- Australia and New Zealand offer robust flight networks to key APAC locations, United Arab Emirates included. While domestic carriers like Qantas, Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand provide solid options, several major international airlines also serve these routes. These include ANA, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways — expanding your choices for travel between Australasia and Asia.
There are no direct flights from Australia or New Zealand to United Arab Emirates. You’ll need a layover in one of the major hubs in Asia. - Airlines have different pricing strategies for different routes. Depending on airline partnerships, demand, and even the time of year, a flight to United Arab Emirates could be significantly cheaper from Sydney than from Melbourne.
Compare fares from main international airports in Australia: SydneySYD, BrisbaneBNE, MelbourneMEL, PerthPER, AdelaideADL, CairnsCNS, Gold CoastOOL, CanberraCBR, DarwinDRW, and in New Zealand: AucklandAKL, WellingtonWLG, ChristchurchCHC, and QueenstownZQN. - If you’re looking to save, consider flying from Australia or New Zealand to a primary Asian hub, then catch a connecting flight to United Arab Emirates with a regional budget airline such as AirArabia, Air India Express, FlyNas, Flyadeal, FlyDubai, Jazeera Airways, Pegasus Airlines, Saudia, SalamAir, Smartwings, Vistara, and Wizz Air.
For the initial leg of your trip, full-service airlines such as Qantas or Virgin Atlantic offer premium comfort and exceptional service, albeit at a premium price. However, many Asian airlines, including budget carriers, operate out of Australia and frequently feature sales and promotions. For instance, AirAsia runs deals to Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore; Cebu Pacific to Manila; Scoot to Singapore; VietJet Air to Ho Chi Minh City; Jetstar to Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo; Bamboo Airways to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing; Batik Air to Jakarta and Singapore.
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Flights to United Arab Emirates
from major hubs in Asia
- Asia is probably the best continent for short-haul and mid-haul flying. The sheer scale of this most populous region on Earth is reflected in the type of aircraft operating many shorter routes: intra-Asia flyers benefit from comfortable, wide-bodied aircraft by the likes of Boeing 777, 787 or Airbus A350, A330, and A380. When booking your flight to United Arab Emirates look for these bigger planes as they will almost always give you the best experience in every cabin, including better seat pitches, higher ceilings, and larger overhead bin space.
- Asia is also home to most of the world’s best airlines. There are only ten airlines that received the prestigious 5-star mark of quality from Skytrax, and all of them are from Asia: ANA, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines. Choosing one of these airlines for your trip to United Arab Emirates will guarantee a pleasant journey – delicious meals served during the flight, great in-flight entertainment, and above-average airline customer service.
- Asia is extremely well served by low-cost regional airlines. If you are visiting UAE and want to see several other countries on a tight budget, they often have great sales with rock-bottom prices, while still offering a relatively comfortable flight experience. Among the best Asian budget airlines you can book without hesitation are AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, Citilink, FlyDubai, Indigo, Jetstar Airways, Scoot, SpiceJet. The cons? Being no-frills airlines they may not provide free baggage allowance, inflight meals, or onboard entertainment. The departure times may also be quite inconvenient as they try to save money by flying at off-peak hours.
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Flights to United Arab Emirates dataset
