Airlines on the Istanbul–Dubai route
| Airline | From which airport | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EmiratesDaily flights | Istanbul Airport IST | Daily flights |
| Turkish AirlinesDaily flights | Istanbul Airport IST | Daily flights |
| flydubaiAbout ten flights a week, depending on its schedule | Mostly Sabiha Gökçen SAW | About ten flights a week, depending on its schedule |
Schedules and frequencies change with the season — we send you the flights actually available on your date.
Flight time and airports
A direct flight takes between 4¼ and 5 hours depending on the airline and winds, and Dubai is one hour ahead of Türkiye, so a flight leaving at 3 pm Istanbul time lands at about 9 pm Dubai time. You arrive at Dubai International Airport, very close to the city, with the metro and taxis to Deira and central Dubai.
If you are going to Abu Dhabi or Sharjah, there are direct flights there too, and Sharjah may suit anyone living in Sharjah or Ajman. Dubai is also an excellent transit hub for Asia and Africa — if Dubai is only a connection, tell us and we book the whole journey.
Which airport: Istanbul or Sabiha Gökçen?
Emirates and Turkish Airlines fly from Istanbul Airport, flydubai from Sabiha Gökçen. There are fewer Dubai flights from Sabiha Gökçen, but it is closer for people on the Asian side. Many Dubai flights leave at night or early morning, so choose a time that works with getting to your hotel and its check-in time.
Baggage on the Istanbul–Dubai route
Emirates and Turkish Airlines allowances depend on the fare class, while flydubai and other low-cost carriers sell their cheapest fares with cabin baggage only and charge separately for a checked bag. If you'll be coming home from Dubai with a lot of shopping, work out the weight before booking — we tell you the allowance in each option.
Travel documents: the UAE visa by nationality
Your nationality decides your Dubai visa, not your residence. Gulf citizens enter with their ID card, and citizens of visa-exempt countries need no visa in advance. Holders of an ordinary Turkish passport and most Arab nationalities living in Türkiye (Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen and the Maghreb) need a tourist e-visa in advance for 30 or 60 days, usually issued within a few working days.
Don't buy a non-changeable ticket before the visa is issued. Full details are in our Dubai and UAE visa guide, and we arrange the visa and the ticket together.
When to book: peak seasons on this route
Dubai's high season is winter, from November to March, with its festivals and mild weather, and New Year and Eid are busy too. Summer is quieter on this route and Dubai hotels cost less, while family traffic from the Gulf to Türkiye peaks in summer in the opposite direction.
From Dubai airport into the city
Dubai International has three terminals: Emirates uses Terminal 3 and flydubai usually Terminal 2 or 3, so check the terminal on your ticket. The Dubai Metro Red Line connects Terminals 1 and 3 to Deira, Al Barsha and Dubai Marina, and taxis wait outside the terminals around the clock.
Dubai as a transit stop
If Dubai is a connection on your way to Asia or Africa, booking one ticket is safest: your bags go through to the final destination, and if the first flight is late the airline is responsible for the second. If you stay in the transit area without leaving the airport you usually don't need a visa, but that depends on your ticket, nationality and layover time, so we confirm it before issuing.
How we book your Istanbul–Dubai ticket
Send us the form at the top of the page or a WhatsApp message with: your dates, the number of passengers, each passenger's nationality, and whether you need a hotel. We check your visa needs first, then send flights from all three airlines with baggage and change rules, and issue the ticket in your name exactly as in your passport once you confirm.
- Remember the one-hour time difference when booking the hotel and your airport pick-up.
- Make sure your visa covers all your travel dates before you fly.
- For night flights, ask the hotel about early check-in or book the night before.
Business trips to Dubai
Business travellers on this route usually need flexibility more than a low fare: a ticket you can rebook without losing much, a morning flight that lands before your meetings, and sometimes business class on night flights. We send options with the change rules written out clearly, book several employees on one reservation, and arrange a hotel near your meetings or exhibition. For the big trade shows book early — hotels near the venues fill up faster than the planes.
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Istanbul–Dubai flights: frequently asked questions
How long is the flight from Istanbul to Dubai?
The direct flight takes about four and a half hours, and Dubai is one hour ahead of Türkiye.
Do I need a visa for Dubai if I live in Türkiye?
It depends on your nationality: Gulf citizens don't, while ordinary Turkish passport holders and most Arab nationalities need a tourist e-visa in advance.
Are there flights from Sabiha Gökçen to Dubai?
Yes. flydubai flies from Sabiha Gökçen, and Emirates and Turkish Airlines from Istanbul Airport. We send what is available on your date from both airports.
Can you book a hotel in Dubai with the ticket?
Yes, we arrange the hotel, the ticket and the visa in one WhatsApp request.
Which terminal at Dubai airport does my flight use?
Emirates uses Terminal 3 and flydubai usually Terminal 2 or 3; the number is on your ticket and we send it with your booking confirmation.
Do you book business class to Dubai?
Yes. We send economy and business class options with their change rules and can book several employees together.
Can I fly into Dubai and home from Abu Dhabi?
Yes, you can arrive at one airport and leave from another, and we compare the fare with returning from Dubai itself.
Is summer a good time to visit Dubai?
Summer is very hot but quieter, with less crowded hotels; winter is the season of mild weather and festivals, so book early then.
Do I need a visa if Dubai is only a transit stop?
If you stay in the transit area and don't leave the airport you usually don't, but it depends on your ticket, nationality and layover, so we confirm it before booking.
Guides for this route
The Dubai and UAE visa guide for residents of Türkiye: who enters visa-free and who needs a visa (ordinary Turkish passports need one in advance), 30/60-day, 5-year and transit types, documents, agent or airline, and extensions.
Read the guideIstanbul has two international airports: Istanbul Airport (IST) on the European side and Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) on the Asian side. Location, distance to Taksim and Sultanahmet, airlines, metro and buses, transfers between them, and which to choose for your hotel.
Read the guideA booking guide for flights from Istanbul for residents of Türkiye: Istanbul Airport vs Sabiha Gökçen, Turkish Airlines vs Pegasus vs AJet, the cheapest days and times to book, baggage, children, and the most requested routes (Cairo, Jeddah, Riyadh, Damascus, Dubai, Baghdad).
Read the guideReady to book your flight to Dubai?
Fill in the request at the top of the page or message our flights desk directly, and we send you the options with baggage and change rules spelled out.