Dubai holidays
A modern desert city built around Downtown's towers, beaches and winter sun, with an older trading quarter still at its centre.
Prices on this page are shown from the UK. Change market
39°C SeptemberBest Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec3–6 nights
At a glance
- winter sun
- family and resort trips
- long-haul stopovers
Trip cost
- Return flight
- ≈€273
- Stay
- ≈€565
- Food & local
- ≈€78
Includes the return fare from London Stansted. An estimate, not a quote — each booking happens separately with its supplier. How we work this out.
Prices shown on this page are indicative estimates in euros, not quotes. Every booking happens separately with its own supplier, at that supplier's own live price. How we work this out.
Stays
Stays in Dubai
From €61/night · Typical €194 · 185 stays · 5-night stay assumed
- Best 3-starWhite Sage Incredible Studio Next to Metro23.1 km from the centre€123 a night (opens in a new tab)
See more 3-star options
- Best 4-starChelsea Gardens Hotel ApartmentZen 3 · 22.5 km from the centre€184 a night (opens in a new tab)
See more 4-star options
- Best 5-starLapita, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Autograph CollectionSheikh Zayed Road · 41.9 km from the centre€194 a night (opens in a new tab)
See more 5-star options
- CheapestParkside Hotel ApartmentBuilding No.12 · 22.2 km from the centre€61 a night (opens in a new tab)
See more options, cheapest first
Map
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Getting to Dubai
- AirportDubai International Airport (DXB)
- Transfer optionsMetro, taxi
The Dubai Metro Red Line connects Terminals 1 and 3 directly to the city; taxis are available at every terminal.
Indicative, per traveller. You book with Aviasales.
Areas of Dubai
A few places people base themselves, and who each tends to suit.
- Downtown DubaiBest for first-time visitors who want the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and the fountain shows within walking distance.
- Dubai MarinaSuited to travellers wanting a waterfront, resort-style base with a long promenade and beach access nearby.
- JumeirahGood for visitors prioritising beach time and a quieter, more residential upscale feel.
- Al Fahidi / Bur DubaiWorks for travellers wanting the older trading city, with the creek, souks and heritage architecture rather than the modern skyline.
Dubai weather by month
Dubai is warmest in August, when daily highs average 41°C, and coolest in January at 24°C. April is the wettest month at about 40 mm, August the driest at 0 mm. Taking warmth and rainfall together, February, March, November, December score best for a trip.
- Best overall
- February · March · November · December
- Hottest
- August · 41°C
- Wettest
- April · 40mm
- January: average daily high 24°C, 27mm rainfall.
- February: average daily high 25°C, 27mm rainfall. Good month for weather.
- March: average daily high 28°C, 16mm rainfall. Good month for weather.
- April: average daily high 31°C, 40mm rainfall.
- May: average daily high 36°C, 5mm rainfall.
- June: average daily high 39°C, 0mm rainfall.
- July: average daily high 40°C, 9mm rainfall.
- August: average daily high 41°C, 0mm rainfall.
- September: average daily high 39°C, 0mm rainfall.
- October: average daily high 35°C, 3mm rainfall.
- November: average daily high 31°C, 8mm rainfall. Good month for weather.
- December: average daily high 27°C, 13mm rainfall. Good month for weather.
How these figures are worked out
Monthly averages — ERA5 reanalysis, 2022–2024, a three-year average, not a standard 30-year climate normal or a forecast. Gold months are the best weather fit: each month scores on how close its average daily high sits to about 27 °C, with heavy rainfall counting against it, and months far outside that range are not ranked at all.
What each season is like
- Spring
- Warming quickly, still pleasant early on but building toward summer heat by late in the season.
- Summer
- Extreme heat and humidity make this a season to avoid outdoor plans entirely; malls, aquariums and hotel pools carry the visit instead.
- Autumn
- Cooling gradually from the summer peak, still hot well into the season before conditions ease.
- Winter
- The most comfortable season by far and the reason most visitors come, with warm days, little rain and outdoor life back in full use.
More from the UK
Good to know about Dubai
Why go
- Downtown Dubai's towers, fountain shows and malls sit alongside an older trading quarter across the creek.
- Warm, dry winters make Dubai a reliable escape from Northern Hemisphere cold.
- Beaches, desert excursions and indoor attractions give a trip options regardless of the midday heat.
Worth knowing
- Summer heat is extreme and prolonged, making outdoor sightseeing impractical for much of the day from around June to September.
- The city is built around cars and taxis outside the metro corridor, so distances between districts are longer and less walkable than in a compact European city.
- Alcohol, dress and public conduct rules are stricter than in Europe, which changes how some travellers plan evenings out.