Mostly sunny
Weather Upgrade · right now
20° warmer
Dublin 10° CloudAbu Dhabi 30° Sunshine
Cloud → Sunshine
That’s 20 degrees between you and leaving the coat in the hotel.
Worth the bother?
7/10 Worth a look.
Weather match Perfect You asked for: Proper sun
“You asked for sun and you’re getting sun. No notes.”
- Usually 31°C in November
- Long haul: 7h 20m direct
How we work this out
Worth the bother is worked out from the same facts every time: how much warmer, drier and sunnier it usually is there than in Ireland that month, how long the flight is, how good the place is, whether something’s on and, when we have enough fares for the route, whether the month is unusually dear or cheap. We use the usual weather for the month so one freak day can’t swing it. When you tell us what you’re after (snow, Christmas markets, walking and so on), the weather part asks how well the usual weather fits that, not just how warm it is. Nobody can pay to change a score, and plenty of places score low on purpose.
“Mondays, Saturdays and Sundays only. Miss that and you're waiting for the next one. Just Etihad on this one, from what we can see.”
Dublin to Abu Dhabi, in short
Etihad flies 3 times a week, on Mondays, Saturdays and Sundays, leaving around 19:45. The flight takes about 7h 20m. Saturday flights make a Saturday-to-Saturday week the easy option.
Timetable
When the flights go
Etihad, flying on Mondays, Saturdays and Sundays. Fares found for December.
Departure times are local and change with the season. Flights home usually leave around 14:00.
Flying from Dublin
The honest airport tips
- Ryanair mostly flies from Terminal 1 and Aer Lingus mostly from Terminal 2. Check your booking before you're standing in the wrong one with the good coat on.
- Security opens at 02:30 in Terminal 1 and 03:30 in Terminal 2. Allow 2 hours for short-haul, and skip the "I'll just nip to the shop".
- Liquids and laptops can stay in your bag at security. Yes, really. Mammy still packs the clear bag, just in case.
- Book parking online before you go; it's cheaper than paying at the barrier. A few euro saved is a coffee earned.
The place
Abu Dhabi, the honest verdict“Dubai’s calmer, richer cousin. Guaranteed winter sun, theme parks and a mosque you won’t forget.”Scores, where to stay and what nobody tells you about Abu DhabiWhere to stay in Abu Dhabi
Prices for 26 Dec to 4 Jan, two adults. Click a hotel to see it on Booking.com, Expedia or Vrbo.
Hotel prices show here once you allow cookies from our hotel partner.
The trip
Dublin to Abu Dhabi in numbers
Good for a long weekend
Christmas and St Stephen’s Day 2026: take Mon 28 to Thu 31 Dec off (4 leave days), 10 days offSeven ideasDublin to Abu Dhabi
Questions people ask
How long is the flight from Dublin to Abu Dhabi?
About 7h 20m direct, with Etihad.
Which days are there flights from Dublin to Abu Dhabi?
Recently, flights have gone on Mondays, Saturdays and Sundays. Schedules change with the seasons, so check the live search for your dates.
Is there a time difference between Ireland and Abu Dhabi?
4 hours ahead of Ireland.