The UAE National Day holiday in early December creates one of the year's best long weekends, and it lands just as the weather turns pleasant. It is ideal for a short-haul escape, but demand spikes, so plan ahead.
Quick city breaks
Within a few hours you can reach plenty of change of scene: Baku, Tbilisi and Muscat all make easy long-weekend trips, as do the GCC neighbours like Doha and Bahrain.
A bit further for a long weekend
With a full long weekend, destinations like Cairo, Istanbul and Kathmandu come into range for a packed short trip.
Book early for the holiday spike
Because it is a fixed public holiday, everyone travels on the same few days, so fares rise and seats sell fast. Booking early, and comparing all four UAE airports, is the way to keep the cost down.
For more short-haul ideas, see our quick getaways collection (great year-round), or browse flights by season.
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Browse Travel eSIMsFrequently Asked Questions
Where can I go for the UAE National Day long weekend?
Within a few hours you can reach Baku, Tbilisi, Muscat, Doha and Bahrain for easy city breaks, or Cairo, Istanbul and Kathmandu with a full long weekend. Book early, as demand spikes on the fixed holiday dates.
Why do I need to book National Day flights early?
Because it is a fixed public holiday, everyone travels on the same few days, so fares rise and popular routes sell out. Booking early and comparing all four UAE airports keeps costs down.