Dubai is the easiest international trip to sell to a first-time flyer and the easiest to under-budget, because three of the costs arrive after you have paid for the package. Here they all are.
What you will actually pay
| What | Per person | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Return flights from India | ₹18,000–₹35,000 | Direct from most metros. Cheapest in the summer heat, dearest around New Year |
| UAE tourist visa | ₹6,500–₹9,000 | 30-day tourist visa. Processing takes a few working days |
| Four nights, land package | ₹30,000 | Our price: hotel, transfers, Burj Khalifa, desert safari with dinner, dhow cruise |
| Tourism dirham | about ₹350–₹600 a night | Per room per night, charged by the hotel at check-in. Not in any package |
| Meals beyond breakfast | ₹1,200–₹3,000 a day | A shawarma is a few hundred rupees. The Dubai Mall is not |
The Burj Khalifa ticket question
There are three things sold as "Burj Khalifa" and they are not the same:
- 124th floor, non-prime hours. The standard inclusion. A real view, at a sensible price, at a time of day the operator chooses.
- 124th floor, prime hours. Sunset. Roughly double, and sells out well ahead.
- 148th floor, At The Top Sky. Higher, with a lounge, and several times the price.
Our four-night departure includes the 124th floor in non-prime hours, and says so on the trip page rather than in the small print.
Desert safari: what separates the good from the cheap
- A shared 4x4 on a seat-in-coach basis is the normal, sensible option.
- Dune bashing intensity varies enormously by operator. Ask if you get motion sick.
- The barbecue and the entertainment at the camp are usually included; drinks are not.
- A camel ride at the camp is a short photo ride, not a trek. Nobody says this.
Is Abu Dhabi worth the extra day?
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is, on its own, worth the ninety-minute drive. It is the single most impressive building either emirate has, and it is free to enter. Note the dress code: shoulders and knees covered, and a headscarf for women.
The four-night trip is ₹30,000 and keeps a whole day free. The five-night adds Abu Dhabi and private transfers instead of shared, at ₹36,500.
When to go
November to March is the comfortable season and the expensive one. April, May and October are hot but manageable, and noticeably cheaper. June to September reaches the mid-40s and everything worth doing outdoors becomes something you do indoors.