- Distance
- 2,948 to 2,986 nm (5,460 to 5,531 km), depending on airports
- Nonstop flight time
- About 6 hours 45 minutes to 7 hours 30 minutes
- Arrival airports
- Dubai Al Maktoum (DWC), Dubai International (DXB)
- Nonstop aircraft
- Super-midsize with moderate loads; heavy and ultra-long-range
- Light and midsize jets
- One or more fuel stops
Last reviewed
Distance and nonstop range
The great-circle distance from London Stansted to Dubai International is 2,948 nm (5,460 km) and from Biggin Hill 2,949 nm. From Farnborough it is 2,979 nm to Dubai International and 2,986 nm (5,531 km) to Al Maktoum, which lies further south-west. The route actually flown is longer than the great circle, because airspace closures and restrictions across Eastern Europe and the Middle East change the available tracks, sometimes at short notice.
Manufacturers publish maximum range under set conditions, typically a light passenger load, standard atmosphere and NBAA IFR reserves. A practical nonstop London to Dubai flight, with winds, a real routing and full passenger load, needs comfortably more than 3,000 nm of published range. That is why the route divides aircraft so clearly.
| Category | Example type and published range | London to Dubai | Approximate journey time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light jet | Phenom 300E, 2,010 nm; Citation CJ3 Gen2, 2,040 nm | One or two fuel stops, depending on load and winds | About 9 to 11 hours including stops |
| Midsize jet | Citation Latitude, 2,700 nm | One fuel stop | About 8 hours 30 minutes to 9 hours 30 minutes including the stop |
| Super-midsize jet | Challenger 3500, 3,400 nm; Citation Longitude, 3,500 nm | Nonstop with light to moderate loads | About 7 to 7 hours 30 minutes |
| Heavy jet | Falcon 2000LXS, 4,000 nm | Nonstop | About 6 hours 45 minutes to 7 hours 15 minutes |
| Ultra-long-range | Global 6500, 6,600 nm; Falcon 7X, 5,950 nm | Nonstop with full cabin | About 6 hours 45 minutes to 7 hours 15 minutes |
Choosing between super-midsize and heavy
Super-midsize jets such as the Challenger 3500 (published range 3,400 nm with four passengers) can fly London to Dubai nonstop on many days, and the eastbound leg normally benefits from the prevailing westerly winds. The westbound return is the harder direction: winter headwinds can make a full-cabin return marginal, and the operator may plan a stop or limit passengers and baggage. It is worth confirming the planned payload for both legs, not just the outbound, before you book, and we ask the operator for it when quoting.
Heavy and ultra-long-range jets remove the question. A Falcon 2000LXS (published range 4,000 nm with eight passengers), Falcon 7X or Global 6500 flies the route nonstop with a full cabin, offers more room to rest on an overnight flight, and has reserve range to absorb a long detour if airspace changes on the day.
Where smaller jets stop
A midsize jet normally makes one stop. Istanbul is a common choice: Farnborough to Istanbul Airport is 1,351 nm and Istanbul to Al Maktoum 1,643 nm, both within midsize range. Athens is an alternative, at 1,315 nm from Farnborough and 1,769 nm on to Al Maktoum. A light jet can sometimes manage with one stop, but the second leg from either city is near the edge of its practical range with passengers on board, so a second stop is often planned.
Each stop adds ground time for fuel, handling and paperwork, and the choice of stop depends on airspace, handling availability and permits on the day. For most passengers, a super-midsize or larger jet nonstop is worth comparing on price against a smaller aircraft with stops.
Arriving in Dubai: Al Maktoum or Dubai International
Dubai International (DXB) sits next to Deira, a few kilometres from the older city centre, and has two runways each over 4,300 m long, but it is one of the busiest airline hubs in the world. Business aircraft use the Executive Flights Terminal next to Terminal 2, opened in 2008, where customs and immigration are handled for private passengers. Slot and parking availability for private aircraft can be restricted at busy times.
Al Maktoum International (DWC) at Dubai South, in Jebel Ali, is about 37 km south-west of the city with a 4,500 m runway, and it is where much of Dubai's business aviation is based. Several handlers operate there, including ExecuJet, Jet Aviation, Jetex and DC Aviation Al-Futtaim, and a VIP terminal at Dubai South opened in 2016. Passengers clear customs and immigration at the handler. Handlers quote around 45 minutes by car to Downtown Dubai or DIFC, and Dubai Marina, about 20 km away in a straight line, is closer. Dubai plans to move airline operations to Al Maktoum over time as the airport expands.
Entry and timing
Entry rules for the United Arab Emirates depend on nationality and change from time to time, so check current requirements with the UAE authorities or your travel adviser before you fly; we confirm the crew and aircraft side with the operator. Overnight departures from London work well on this route because of the time difference, provided the London airport is open: Farnborough closes at 10pm on weekdays and 8pm at weekends, while Stansted and Luton are open overnight but restrict night slots for business aircraft, especially in summer, so check before planning a late departure.
Indicative cost
Using the indicative hourly rates in our cost guide, a nonstop sector of around seven hours works out at about £21,000 to £49,000 of flight time in a super-midsize jet (£3,000 to £7,000 per flight hour), about £35,000 to £77,000 in a heavy jet (£5,000 to £11,000) and about £49,000 to £112,000 in an ultra-long-range jet (£7,000 to £16,000). These are one-way flight time figures only.
Fees, taxes, positioning, permits, overnight crew costs and the empty return on a one-way trip all change the final figure, which is why we quote each trip as a fixed price.