Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Dubai to London. Left side wins both ends of the flight. During the cruise over Turkey and the Balkans, the left side also faces south giving better views of the Mediterranean coast and Aegean islands. The right side has the advantage over the Alps if the routing goes that way, but the left seat's Dubai departure views and the South Downs approach make it the stronger overall choice.

During takeoff from Dubai International (DXB), sit on the Left side for the best views. Dubai International's primary departure runway 30L/30R sends aircraft northwest over the city. A left (south-facing) seat gives you the full Dubai skyline including Downtown Dubai and the coast as you climb out, while the right side faces inland desert. The Palm Jumeirah and Burj Khalifa district are clearly visible from the left before you reach 10,000 feet. Notable sights include: Burj Khalifa and Downtown Dubai cluster, Palm Jumeirah artificial island, Dubai Marina skyscraper district, The World archipelago offshore.

When landing at Gatwick (LGW), sit on the Left side for the best views. Gatwick predominantly uses runway 26L for westerly landings, meaning the approach comes from the east over Surrey and Sussex. A left seat faces south toward the South Downs and the English Channel coast, while the right faces north toward Greater London. The left side gives you the cleaner rural English countryside view on final approach. Notable sights include: South Downs ridge line, English Channel coastline near Brighton, Surrey Hills woodland, Crawley town grid directly below on short final.

The flight from Dubai International (DXB) to Gatwick (LGW) takes Approximately 7 hours 15 minutes to 7 hours 45 minutes.

The route typically tracks northwest from Dubai over the Persian Gulf briefly, then across Iran's central plateau and the Zagros Mountains, into Turkish airspace over eastern Anatolia, across the Bosphorus region near Istanbul, then northwest over Bulgaria and Romania, across Central Europe over Austria or Germany depending on routing, then northwest across France and the English Channel before descending into Gatwick. The Zagros Mountains of western Iran and the Anatolian plateau are the most visually dramatic mid-flight features on clear days.