Arabian Gulf · When to go
The best time to visit Dubai, month by month
Five months of soft winter sun, a summer that sends the city indoors, and a calendar of festivals, fasting and fireworks that sets the price of every room.
Photo: Unsplash
The short answer
When to go, in one paragraph
The best time to visit Dubai is November to March, when daytime highs sit between about 24 and 31°C, the sea is still warm enough to swim and the desert camps are open. December to February are the coolest and busiest months. From June to September highs average close to or above 40°C, so the city moves indoors and hotel rates fall. In 2027, Ramadan is expected from about 8 February to 8 March, which changes the rhythm of a winter trip.
- For beach and terracesNov to MarHighs of 24 to 31°C and almost no rain.
- For shopping and events4 Dec to 17 JanDubai Shopping Festival 2026/27, with New Year's Eve in the middle.
- For valueJun to SepHighs near 40°C and above, with summer rates on even the grandest hotels.
Checked on 16 October 2026 against Wikipedia: Climate of Dubai (Dubai Meteorological Office data), TradeArabia: Dubai Shopping Festival returns for 32nd edition from December 4 to January 17 and Khaleej Times: Ramadan, Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha 2027 likely dates.
Pick your month
Turn the year
- October
- The turn of the season, with highs around 36 to 37°C easing as the month goes on. The sea is near 30°C and the desert camping season opens.
- What's on
- Desert camps reopen; outdoor terraces return
- Prices
- Shoulder: half term pushes it up
Winter sunShoulderSummer heat
Dubai month by month
- JanuaryWinter sun · Peak: book months aheadThe coolest month, with highs around 24°C and nights near 14°C. The sea drops to about 21°C, bracing but swimmable. Bring a layer for evenings. Dubai Shopping Festival runs to 17 January 2027.
- FebruaryWinter sun · High: still the cool seasonSimilar to January, with highs around 25°C and the odd shower. Ramadan is expected to begin on about 8 February 2027, bringing iftar evenings and quieter days. Ramadan begins; desert camps in full swing.
- MarchWinter sun · High, with spikes around Eid and EasterHighs climb to about 30°C and the sea warms past 22°C. Ramadan is expected to end around 8 or 9 March, with Eid al Fitr likely on 9 or 10 March. Eid al Fitr; Dubai World Cup expected on 27 March.
- AprilShoulder · Shoulder, with Easter peaksWarm and dry, with highs around 34°C and the sea at about 25°C. Mornings and evenings still work well outdoors; midday is for the pool. Last weeks of the desert camping season.
- MayShoulder · Shoulder, easing to LowHot, with highs of about 37 to 38°C and almost no rain. The sea reaches around 28°C. Plan beach time early and late in the day. Eid al Adha likely on 16 or 17 May 2027.
- JuneSummer heat · Low: strong value on luxury hotelsHighs near 40°C and nights around 27°C. Outdoor sightseeing becomes hard work, but hotel spas, malls and restaurants carry on in full air conditioning. Summer rates begin across beach resorts.
- JulySummer heat · Low, except UK school holiday datesOne of the two hottest months, averaging highs of about 42°C, with the sea at around 32°C. Best for an indoor, pool and spa holiday. Dubai Summer Surprises, which ran 2 July to 30 August in 2026.
- AugustSummer heat · Low: the deepest discounts of the yearThe hottest month on average, with highs around 42°C and warm, humid nights of 30°C. The sea, near 33°C, offers little relief. Summer sales and hotel packages.
- SeptemberSummer heat · Low, rising late in the monthStill very hot, with highs near 40°C and the sea around 32°C, though the worst has usually passed by the end of the month. Restaurant and hotel openings ahead of the season.
- OctoberShoulder · Shoulder: half term pushes it upThe turn of the season, with highs around 36 to 37°C easing as the month goes on. The sea is near 30°C and the desert camping season opens. Desert camps reopen; outdoor terraces return.
- NovemberWinter sun · High, and Peak in Airshow yearsOne of the best months: highs around 31°C, nights near 20°C and the sea at about 27°C, still warm enough for long swims. Dubai Airshow at Dubai World Central, 15 to 19 November 2027 (odd years only).
- DecemberWinter sun · Peak: book six months ahead for ChristmasHighs of about 26°C, with occasional rain and a sea around 23°C. Festive, busy and the most expensive stretch of the year. DSF from 4 December; GITEX 7 to 11 December 2026; New Year's Eve at the Burj Khalifa.
November to March · Jumeirah
Long lunches by the water
Winter is when Dubai's beachfront makes sense. Highs of 24 to 31°C mean you can sit on a terrace through lunch without retreating to the shade, and the sea still sits between about 21 and 27°C. November is the sweet spot for swimmers, when the water holds its summer warmth and the air has cooled. By January the mornings are crisp and the evenings call for a light jacket, which is exactly when the outdoor restaurants along Jumeirah and the Palm are at their fullest.
Ask for a sea-view terrace table at lunch rather than dinner in December and January: the light is better and evening breezes off the Gulf can be cool.
October to April · The desert
Dunes in the cool season
The desert around Dubai has a season of its own. Camping runs from October to April, and the luxury desert camps and dinners under canvas follow the same calendar. Days can still be warm, but once the sun goes down the temperature drops sharply, and a night in the dunes in January can feel genuinely cold. In summer the sand is simply too hot for anything but a dawn drive, which is why most overnight experiences close or scale back from May.
Pack a proper warm layer for any desert evening between December and February. Temperatures can fall drastically after dark, even when the afternoon felt like summer.
February and March 2027 · The Creek
Ramadan nights and iftar
Ramadan is expected to run from about 8 February to 8 or 9 March 2027, subject to the moon sighting. Days are slower: work hours shorten and visitors are asked not to eat, drink or chew gum in front of people who are fasting. Most restaurants and hotel dining rooms stay open for non-fasting guests. Then, at sunset, the city comes alive. Iftar tents and long hotel buffets fill up, malls stay open late, and the Creek and Al Seef feel busier at midnight than at noon.
Dress modestly in malls and public spaces during Ramadan, covering shoulders and knees. Hotel beaches and pools carry on much as usual.
June to September · Indoors
Summer, in the air conditioning
From June to September average highs sit close to or above 40°C, reaching about 42°C in July and August, and the sea warms to bath temperature. Nobody sensible sightsees on foot at midday. Yet summer has its own appeal for a short luxury break: the grandest beach hotels cut their rates, spas and restaurants are easy to book, and Dubai Summer Surprises fills the malls with sales and nearly 100 hotel and attraction deals. Plan a day around the pool at dawn, a museum at noon and dinner indoors.
Book a hotel with shaded or cooled pools and a direct mall or beach link, so you rarely need to step into the midday heat.
Any month · Onward to Malé
A stopover on the way to the Maldives
Dubai sits neatly between London and the Indian Ocean. Direct flights from London take about seven hours, and Emirates and flydubai fly on to Malé in a little over four. Two or three nights in Dubai break the journey and are at their best between November and March, which also happens to be the Maldives' dry season. In summer a stopover still works, provided it is spent at a beach resort or by a hotel pool rather than on foot around Downtown.
Booking London to Malé as one ticket via Dubai with a stopover usually protects your connection if the first flight runs late.
- 7h
- London to Dubai, direct
- 42°C
- Average August high
- 24°C
- Average January high
- 4h
- Dubai to Malé, direct
Planning the trip
Where to stay, how long, and how to get there
Dubai suits a short break better than most long haul cities. Four or five nights covers the beach, the desert and a day in the old town, and the city works as a stopover in either direction. Choose your base by season: on the sand in winter, close to the malls and spas in summer.
- WinterJumeirah and the PalmFrom November to March, stay on the beach. Jumeirah and Palm Jumeirah resorts give you sea views, terrace dining and a short taxi ride to Downtown. Book Christmas, New Year and half term months ahead, as these are the most expensive weeks of the year.
- DesertOne night in the dunesAdd a night at a desert camp or resort between October and April. The cool season is the only time a night outdoors is comfortable, and evenings can be cold enough for a jacket, so pack accordingly.
- RamadanSlow days, late nightsVisiting from about 8 February to 8 March 2027 means quieter days, iftar feasts at sunset and malls open late. Expect shorter opening hours in places and dress modestly away from hotel beaches and pools.
- SummerDowntown and indoor luxuryFrom June to September, base yourself near Downtown or at a resort with cooled pools. Rates fall sharply on the grandest hotels, and spas, restaurants and malls are quieter than at any other time of year.
Getting there
Emirates flies direct from London Heathrow several times a day, with a flight time of about seven hours, and connects from regional UK airports too. Dubai is four hours ahead of the UK in winter and three in summer, so jet lag is mild. Business class on this route is among the most competitive from London.
How long to stay
Four or five nights is ideal for a first visit: two on the beach, one in the desert and a day or two for Downtown, the Creek and Al Fahidi. As a stopover, two nights is enough to rest, swim and see the Burj Khalifa at dusk. In summer, keep sightseeing to early mornings and evenings.
When prices rise
Rates climb in December and January, around Christmas, New Year and the Dubai Shopping Festival, and during big trade events such as GITEX in December 2026 and the Dubai Airshow in November 2027. Summer, from June to September, brings the lowest prices of the year, when nearly 100 hotel and attraction deals run during Dubai Summer Surprises.
Questions people ask
The best time to visit Dubai, answered
What is the best time to visit Dubai?
November to March. Highs range from about 24°C in January to 31°C in November and March, rain is rare, and the sea stays swimmable. December and January are the busiest and priciest months. November and March offer the warmest sea and slightly lower prices, though March 2027 overlaps with the end of Ramadan.
How hot is Dubai in summer?
Very. Average highs reach about 40°C in June and 42°C in July and August, with nights around 30°C. Individual days can climb higher. The sea warms to about 32 to 33°C. Summer suits an indoor holiday of spas, pools and restaurants, rewarded by the lowest hotel rates of the year.
When is the Dubai Shopping Festival 2026/27?
The 32nd Dubai Shopping Festival runs from 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027, 45 days of mall sales, raffles, concerts and events across the city, including a new beach venue at Sunset Beach. It overlaps with Christmas and New Year, so hotels are at their most expensive.
Is it a good idea to visit Dubai during Ramadan?
Yes, with some adjustments. Ramadan is expected from about 8 February to 8 or 9 March 2027. Most restaurants stay open for non-fasting visitors, but avoid eating or drinking in front of people who are fasting, and dress modestly in public. Evenings are lively, with iftar feasts and late opening malls.
Can you swim in the sea in Dubai in winter?
Yes. The sea averages about 27°C in November and 23°C in December, falling to around 21°C in January and February, cooler than in summer but comfortable for most swimmers. For the warmest winter swimming, choose November, when the sea still holds its summer heat and highs are around 31°C, or wait until April, when it is back to about 25°C.
How do you see the New Year's Eve fireworks in Dubai?
The Burj Khalifa display is the focus. Emaar has sold paid passes for Burj Park in past years, which sell out early, while areas such as Dubai Mall, Souk Al Bahar and Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard have stayed free. The best option is a booked restaurant table or hotel room with a view.
Keep exploring
Where to stayDubai: the shortlist19 hotels, each one recognised by named judges.
The journey · FlightsEmirates business classFrom the car at your door in London to the lights of Dubai, in ten moments.
Pair it withThe Maldives, month by monthAt its best: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Dec.
Where to stayThe Maldives: the shortlist20 hotels, each one recognised by named judges.