Dubai to London westbound - Emirates multi-daily dominance, Heathrow vs Gatwick arrivals, and UK winter.
Emirates runs three or more daily nonstops from DXB to London Heathrow, plus additional frequencies to Gatwick and sometimes Stansted. BA and Virgin Atlantic both counter with their own Heathrow services. The westbound flight is roughly 30 minutes longer than the eastbound due to headwinds, clocking in around 7 hours 15 minutes. Dubai to London fares move quickly, so flexible date checks usually save money.
From Dubai, the cheapest period to fly to London is January through mid-February - UK winter suppresses leisure demand while Gulf residents are not yet in school-holiday travel mode. Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr create short bursts of outbound demand from Dubai as residents head to Europe, briefly tightening seat availability. Summer (June through August) sees moderate pricing: Dubai empties because of extreme heat, but London is peak tourist season, creating crossed signals that keep fares in a mid-range band.
If your London plans are flexible on airport, Gatwick arrivals on Emirates tend to be slightly cheaper than Heathrow. The Gatwick Express reaches Victoria station in 30 minutes. BA only flies DXB to Heathrow, so comparing Emirates across both London airports before locking in can save a meaningful amount - especially in economy. Dubai - London planning works best when transfer times and baggage rules are checked together.
About 7 hours 15 minutes to Heathrow, sometimes slightly longer to Gatwick depending on approach routing. The eastbound return is faster at around 6 hours 45 minutes thanks to tailwinds.
Heathrow puts you closer to central and west London with Tube, Elizabeth Line, and Heathrow Express options. Gatwick is better for south London, Surrey, and Sussex, and Emirates fares to Gatwick are often slightly lower. If location does not matter, compare both and take the cheaper option.
Around Eid (dates shift annually), UK school half-terms (February, May, October), and Christmas through New Year. The quietest pricing window is January and early February, when both Dubai outbound and London inbound demand are at their lowest.
