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Route guide

London Dubai

Heathrow (LHR) — Dubai International (DXB)

Eastbound
Distance
5,500 km
Duration
7h
TZ shift
3h east
Best side
left

Overview

London Heathrow to Dubai — Emirates's flagship corridor and one of the most frequent long-hauls in the world. Short enough that comfort, not jet lag, is the main thing to plan.

Jet lag

Modest 3-hour eastward shift. Sleep a couple of hours late in the flight, get morning light at destination, and you can usually function the same day.

Estimated recovery

Without intervention ~3 days
With timed light + melatonin ~2 days

Estimates only — based on ~1 day per time zone east, compressed roughly 40% with a timed protocol. See how long jet lag actually lasts .

Build a LHR→DXB adaptation schedule

Best window side

Eastbound daytime — the left (north) side avoids direct sun through cruise; the right side bakes for most of the flight.

Typical economy row (3-3-3)

Best · Left

Middle

Right

The left window is the calmer pick on this route. For sleep, the window itself matters more than the side — see how to sleep on a long-haul. For the exact rows and seat letters on this aircraft, use the seat picker.

Cabin atmosphere

Emirates A380 upper deck is the most stable cabin for this length; the lower deck is generally lower-density. A 777-300ER on this route is dry but bearable for a 7-hour sector.

Expected cabin humidity at cruise

This route's typical aircraft ~15-20%
Indoor air at home ~40-60%

Composite-fuselage aircraft (787, A350) run higher humidity than older aluminum-fuselage types. See what the 787 actually fixes.

Read before you fly

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