British Airways has quietly put Dubai back on the departure boards. The airline restarted daily direct flights from London Heathrow to Dubai International on 3 November, ending an eight-month suspension that began when missile strikes between the US and Iran forced flights to the UAE to be grounded at the end of February.

The route was originally due to resume on 25 October, but the start was pushed back about a week. For now, the flight departs Heathrow at 8pm each evening and covers the roughly seven-hour-and-50-minute hop to Dubai for the winter season. BA has also said it expects to run two flights a day on the route during the summer 2027 season — a sign it sees solid demand ahead.

Abu Dhabi is a different story. BA has confirmed its route to the UAE capital will stay suspended for the 2026/27 winter season and won't return until the end of next year at the earliest. That leaves Etihad as the only airline flying direct from the UK to Abu Dhabi, operating from London Heathrow and Manchester. Anyone set on the capital should book accordingly, or consider flying into Dubai and making the 90-minute drive or transfer down the E11.

There's a broader caveat worth knowing. On 27 October the UK Foreign Office updated its travel advice pages for 16 countries in and around the Middle East, warning that the situation 'remains deeply unpredictable' and that British travellers should be ready for flight cancellations, airspace closures and disruption at short notice. The UAE was on that list, alongside Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Saudi Arabia and others. BA says it is constantly reviewing the regional situation, so it's worth checking the FCDO page and your airline's alerts before booking — and keeping an eye on change policies if you travel in the coming months.

Why it matters: if you've been waiting to use Avios points or a favourite BA fare to get some winter sun, the Dubai route is live again from Heathrow. Winter is peak season in the UAE, when the brutal summer heat gives way to beach-friendly temperatures in the mid-20s. But with only one daily BA flight at the moment, seats will tighten during school holidays — book early, and factor in the FCDO's warning about possible disruption when deciding whether to lock in non-refundable rates.